How to Choose the Perfect Name Necklace: Font, Length & Chain
A name necklace sounds simple, until you open the page and realise there are six fonts, four chain lengths and two finishes staring back at you. After fifteen years of making these by hand, we have watched enough customers order the right piece and the wrong one to know what actually matters. This is the guide we wish we could hand to every first-time buyer.
Start with the font, not the shape
Most people choose a round disc or a bar first, then pick a font. We recommend doing it the other way around. The font determines how personal the necklace feels, long after the shape stops mattering.
- Cursive / script reads romantic and feminine. It is what most people picture when they think of a name necklace. It also suits longer names because the letters flow into each other.
- Block / serif reads clean and modern. It works for men, for kids, and for anyone who wants the name to be legible from across a room.
- Hand-stamped capital letters feel handmade and slightly imperfect, in a good way. Each letter is tapped in one at a time, so no two are identical. If you want a piece that feels like it came from a real bench, not a machine, this is the one.
If you are buying for someone else and cannot decide, cursive is the safe default. Very few people dislike it.
Pick the length by where you want it to sit
Chain length is the detail people regret most. A necklace that sits at the collarbone looks different from one that hangs lower on the chest, and neither is wrong - they just suit different necks and necklines.
- 15-16 inches sits high, near the base of the throat. This is the delicate, layered length. It looks best with crew necks and turtlenecks.
- 16-18 inches lands right on the collarbone. This is our most common length and the one we default to. It works with almost everything.
- 18-20 inches hangs lower, over the chest. Choose this if you want the pendant to rest over a V-neck or a collared shirt, or if you are buying for a man.
Every chain we ship includes an extender, so you can adjust by an inch or two once you see it on. If you are between two lengths, go shorter - you can always let it out, but you cannot take link back.
Choose the chain type for daily wear
We offer cable chains, box chains and ball chains. Cable chains are the lightest and most popular. Box chains sit a little stiffer and hold the pendant in place. Ball chains are the sturdy, military-style option for dog tags and men's pieces. For a dainty name pendant, a fine cable chain is almost always the right call.
Keep the engraving short
Our engraving limit is ten characters, and there is a reason for it. The more letters you try to squeeze onto a small disc, the smaller they get, and small letters wear down fastest. A first name, a nickname, or a date like 05.14.23 reads beautifully. A full sentence does not.
Finish it the way you actually live
Matte brushed silver ages quietly. Polished silver catches light but shows fingerprints. Gold plating adds warmth but will eventually wear through. If you plan to wear the necklace every single day, matte sterling silver is the lowest-maintenance choice. If it is a special-occasion piece, polish and gold plating both look stunning.
When in doubt, send us a message with the name, the recipient's age and the occasion. We will tell you what we would actually order, instead of pushing the most expensive option.