Which name format will you put on your personalised number plate?

Personalised number plates are no longer the remit of the rich and famous. Everyday people the length and breadth of the UK, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are buying plates that are personal to them and attaching to their car.

It gives a sense of individuality and pride to the owner, regardless of how wealthy or not they are.

There is much to choose from in terms of designing your plate. Personalised number plate owners can choose whatever message or meaning they want on it. Whether it’s standing out from the crowd, highlighting their interest or passions, personalised number plates can spell out whatever the owner wants to spell out.

But with so much choice, where do you start? Here’s a few tips to get you started.

1. First Names

Naturally, the number one choice for personalised plates are first names. First names in particular are generally checked out first and if at all possible, purchased. Because first names are so popular, there can be a high demand for certain names which inevitably pushes up the price. The laws of supply and demand most definitely apply to personalised plates.

Some names such as David or Mark are incredibly expensive and can be out of reach of the ordinary budget. However, taking a look at the top 15 boys and girls’ names of 2011 (the latest statistics courtesy of babycenter.co.uk) show a wide selection of names. Some of the “old” or more traditional names are coming back in force leaving other names such as David and Mark behind.

Take a look through this list and perhaps, the time is now to think about buying a plate for your son or daughter’s 18^th birthday, even if they are only one years old! (Some number plates grow in value over the years).

The top 15 boys’ names are:

1. Oliver
2. Jack
3. Harry
4. Charlie
5. James
6. Joshua
7. Alfie
8. Thomas
9. Jacob
10. Ethan
11. Noah
12. Daniel
13. George
14. William
15. Samuel

The top 15 girls’ names are:

1. Lily
2. Emily
3. Isabella
4. Sophia
5. Isabelle
6. Sophie
7. Olivia
8. Ava
9. Chloe
10. Isla
11. Amelia
12. Jessica
13. Grace
14. Evie
15. Charlotte

It is also quite probable that both William or Catherine will feature high on the list from 2012 onwards.

2. Shortened version of name

Because of the demand and cost of some first name plates, some people will shorten the name to abbreviations or use three letters. Depending on the name, certain numbers can easily stand in for letters. Using Catherine as an example, you can shorten it to KAT or KATIE (KAT13 on a plate).

These plates can be a little bit cheaper but if it is something that you are interested in purchasing, you must watch the prices. Personalised number plates can be like stocks at times – one minute they are reasonable; the next they can go sky high.

3. Intials

Using your initials are a great way to show your name on your personalised number plate. While you may not have the vanity plate of your first name, often times these can be discreet while still helping you differentiate yourself from other drivers on the road.
So whatever your name format or whatever your budget, you are guaranteed to get a plate that suits you and your name. While you can do the research yourself, working with a company who knows what to check and when to check is important in terms of keeping your costs low but your ideal number plate choice high.