Large, shimmering, gold, or silver, nameplate necklaces were first hot in mid 80′s urban culture:
To understand the importance of nameplate necklaces, one must also understand the significance of names to the African-American community. Most new world slaves were renamed after stepping foot onto American soil, often given a biblical first name and the last name of their master (remember, Kunta Kinte suddenly became Toby?). After slaves were freed at the end of the Civil War, a large number decided to cast aside their given names in favor of more creative, personal identifiers. The more unique, the better.
The practice of creating non traditional names continued through the Civil Rights movement, as African-Americans committed to resurrecting and recreating their cultural identity. Popular prefixes like Sha-, Ka-, La- and suffixes like -isha, -won, and -quan combined with more common names to create combinations like Latisha, Shaquan, and Lawon.
Nameplate necklaces married a historical need for acknowledgment and singularity with fashion. Just as gold rope chains were a way for a marginalized group to stand out and grab attention, nameplate necklaces similarly were worn to communicate the importance and individuality of its wearer.
As most things born in the urban community, mainstream outlets eventually caught on, as witnessed by Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie in the HBO series Sex and the City who frequently donned what she called a “ghetto gold” Carrie necklace to accent her designer looks.
Though not quite as popular as they once were, small pockets still rock with the nameplate necklace, but most, instead of wearing their name, sport adjectives that describe them.
What do you think of nameplates?
February 9, 2010 9:54 am
Love it!
February 9, 2010 10:51 am
Again be being from the Bronx this def its close to home. I wore my first name in my ear and my middle around my neck…lol…while I wouldn’t do a name necklace now these retro posts are making me want name earrings again but bigger…my mom got me little ones years back when I was in hs but I always wanted the larger ones…I at first felt a that I was too old for it being that I am now 23..lol. but they are so fun!
February 9, 2010 10:52 am
Ive had my Simone name plate necklace since second grade (Im an 80s baby). Ive had it repaired several times, and it would be one of the first things I would grab if a fire broke out! thnx for the post!
February 9, 2010 11:24 am
LMAO @ Monie!!! That’s a good one!
February 9, 2010 11:49 am
I have one from Disney Couture that says “Fairest of Them All” and I love it.
February 9, 2010 12:25 pm
Thanks for this post. Now I understand how ‘ghetto names’ like LaQuita and such came about, never thought about it that way.
February 9, 2010 12:51 pm
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February 9, 2010 4:12 pm
I have to agree with Lish, being also from the Boogie Down (Uptown) the name plate jewelry will always be around, and I remember when they were a big thing when I was growing up and they still are. I had the necklace, ring, earring, bracelet anklet, never wore them all at one time but I think the name plated jewelry are a beeautiful piece, it’s like wearing graffiti but in jewelry form.
February 9, 2010 4:45 pm
Im in the same boat as sun.kissed i never would have thought the Keisha’s and Latisha’s of the world had a historical context behind the meaning. And yes this piece makes me want to bring my old neck piece out lol
February 9, 2010 11:21 pm
I’m originally from the Boogie Down Bronx and all that name jewelry was in growing up in the 80s/90s, I had a ring, chain and bracelet. I still wear my name chain to this day even with dressier outfits like Amber Rose. Some things never really go out of style and I feel like name chains are one of them.
February 10, 2010 10:24 am
well this helps to make sense of ridiculous ghetto names. i grew up in long island but i had name plate earrings in high school. i think i would get earrings again, or maybe an understated name plate necklace like carrie’s.
February 10, 2010 10:36 am
I still rock my bamboo name plate earrings with pride! though I haven’t worn the necklace in a few years. Everyone laughed when I got them, but they are original and just “over- the- top” enough. I love your commentaries on the Black History Fashion trends! Not only do you introduce some of your younger readers to the roots of where a lot of what they wear today came from, but you write about them with significance and meaning. THanks!
February 11, 2010 12:17 am
I had my first nameplate when I was in the 8th grade. It was never hugely popular to wear them in the Cleveland area, so I felt that I was on some “new” ish – although I go the idea from 2 aunts and my grandmother who all wore nameplates. I recently began to covet a nameplate and had another one made in rose gold. Loves it so much.
February 11, 2010 8:09 pm
nice post!
im from london and i would have liked to have known where i can get my own name plate from – preferably the size of nicki minaj, for about $100 from somewhere that delivers overseas!
would anyone ANYONE b able to help!!????
i would rely RELY appreciate it!!! xxxxxxxxxxx
February 13, 2010 4:42 pm
Great post indeed! Fun to learn about those typical African Amercan names. Got my golden nameplate when I was about 9ys. Just came across it again when I was moving and now wearing it again.
PoweR!
February 17, 2010 10:31 am
I love these Nameplate necklaces! They are so personal and let you describe yourself to the world! I got mine a couple months ago from this site (http://www.mynamenecklace.com/Product.aspx?p=2008&m=313?smt=411364) , and have worn it with pride ever since. I even googled the site name and found a 5% coupon CFB5 to use!
February 23, 2010 1:42 pm
i love these nameplate necklaces. And to me they will never go out of style. Really they go with anything, and i dont think they look urban at all its just something that really makes a statement and is an expression of self.
March 26, 2010 9:03 pm
Hey people!!!! I’m a 13 year old girl from Chicago, and I’m about to get a nameplate necklace. I am having a really hard time deciding what kind I should get though. I’m mixed, so a lot of people are saying that gold would bring out my skin tone. I like white gold a lot though. HELP!!! Which one:)
March 26, 2010 11:00 pm
i am a huge huge fan of nick minaj she is vary cute and i love how she raps that what up baby keep it up and i love these nameplate byeee.
June 13, 2011 4:12 am
i dont think they look urban at all its just something that really makes a statement and is an expression of self
June 19, 2011 8:13 pm
There are many name necklace styles. The smaller, less blingy designs are more tasteful in my opinion.
September 28, 2011 5:56 pm
LOL all these’s comments have good points I got my name chain when I was 16, I’m 26 now and I love my name chain got mines custom made to fit my personality it’s flashy, diva, princess, classy, all rolled up in one I think that’s why I get so many compliments on it, I tell ppl get a name chain that reflects you! what do “you” like? I love yellow gold and the white gold, the white gold that surrounds my 1st & last letter gives it that royal touch lol and I have my Dec. birthstone in a heart . I gave mines a lot of thought, so my chain wouldn’t look like anybody else’s and for the many yrs I’ve had my name chain I’ve never ran into anyone who’s chain looked like mines, and that’s what you want to be different from the rest!!!
January 20, 2012 8:49 am
[...] African Americans especially, these nameplate necklaces, as one blogger incisively points out, “married a historical need for acknowledgment and singularity with fashion. . . [N]ameplate neckla… Again, such fashions—though popular in the street styles of urban America—did not gain [...]