What to Put on a Desk Nameplate: Titles, Credentials & Examples
A desk nameplate works best with two short, clear lines: your name on the first and your title on the second. On our sets, the name is required and can be up to 32 characters; the title is optional and can be up to 36.
This guide covers what to put on a desk nameplate: wording formats for names, titles, credentials and departments, worked examples by profession, how to work within the character limits, how to match the font and plate to your office, and what to proofread before you order.
The two lines you have to work with
On our sets the nameplate takes a name of up to 32 characters and an optional title of up to 36, printed on a gold or silver plate. The nameplate guide lists every option, the characters you can use and the ordering steps.
Desk nameplate wording formats
Most nameplate wording follows one of a few patterns. The examples below use the placeholder name Jane Doe, and the number after each line is its character count, including spaces and punctuation.
| Format | Name line | Title line |
|---|---|---|
| Name and job title | Jane Doe (8) | Marketing Director (18) |
| Name only | Jane Doe (8) | Left blank; the title is optional |
| Doctor | Dr. Jane Doe (12) | Pediatrician (12) |
| Credentials after the name | Jane Doe, CPA (13) | Senior Tax Advisor (18) |
| Department on the title line | Jane Doe (8) | Finance Department (18) |
| Senior role, shortened | Jane Doe, MBA (13) | SVP, Global Business Development (32) |
| Shared or team desk | Human Resources (15) | Second Floor, Room 204 (22) |
Doctors and honorifics
Use either Dr. before the name or the degree after it, not both: Dr. Jane Doe or Jane Doe, MD. Courtesy titles such as Mr. and Ms. are usually left off a nameplate, since the name and the title already do the work.
Credentials
Pick the one or two credentials that matter most to the people who come to your desk, and separate them from the name with a comma. A long string of letters is hard to read from across a desk and uses up the 32 characters quickly.
Departments and shared desks
If your job title is long or changes often, a department can work better on the second line. For a reception or team desk, the first line can carry the department name and the second a floor or room number.
Worked examples by profession
The lines below apply the same formats to particular professions and desks. Each fits the limits.
| Desk | Name line | Title line |
|---|---|---|
| Attorney | Jane Doe, Esq. (14) | Managing Partner (16) |
| Physician | Jane Doe, MD (12) | Internal Medicine (17) |
| Professor | Jane Doe, PhD (13) | Professor of Economics (22) |
| Real estate agent | Jane Doe (8) | Real Estate Agent (17) |
| Reception desk | Reception (9) | Visitors, Please Sign In (24) |
| Desk shared by two people | Jane Doe & John Roe (19) | Client Services (15) |
Attorneys
Esq. follows the name after a comma and is not paired with Mr. or Ms. It says the same as Attorney at Law (15), so use one or the other. With Esq. on the name line, the title line is free for a role such as Partner (7) or Of Counsel (10). For the rest of the desk, see desk accessories for a law office.
Physicians and academics
The doctor rule holds for both: Dr. before the name or MD or PhD after it, not both. With the degree on the name line, the title line takes a specialty such as Cardiology (10) or Family Medicine (15), or a rank and field. Shorten an academic title that runs long: Associate Professor of Political Science is 40 characters, over the limit, while Assoc. Professor, Political Science fits in 35. For a new doctorate, see PhD graduation gifts; for agents and brokers, gifts for real estate agents covers the titles on a card.
Real estate agents
The title line takes the title on your business card, such as Licensed Real Estate Broker (27), or a specialty such as Commercial Leasing (18).
Two-person desks
When two people share a desk, both names can go on the name line with an ampersand. If they run past 32 characters, use first initials: J. Doe & J. Roe (15).
Working within 32 and 36 characters
Count letters, spaces and punctuation when you plan your wording, so it fits however the limit is counted. If a line runs long, these fixes keep the meaning while saving space:
- Use a middle initial instead of a full middle name, or leave the middle name out.
- Use familiar abbreviations such as VP, SVP or Dept.
- Drop small words: Head of Finance (15 characters) says the same as Head of the Finance Department (30).
- Leave the company name off the plate; visitors already know where they are.
A full title such as Senior Vice President of Global Business Development runs to 52 characters, well over the limit, while SVP, Global Business Development fits in 32. Shorter lines also read better. When you plan a desk nameplate, remember that people read it from across the desk, often at a glance, so fewer words leave a clearer impression.
Choosing a font for your office style
The fonts shown on the product page fall into a few broad styles. For a personalized desk nameplate, pick the style that matches the room, not only the one you like best on screen.
- Clean sans-serif, such as Montserrat: modern offices, tech and creative work, and long titles that need to stay easy to read.
- Classic serif, such as Lora or Playfair Display: law, finance, academia and traditional rooms with wood furniture.
- Inscription-style capitals, such as Cinzel: formal settings, and short names that should look composed and serious.
- Script, such as Great Vibes: a personal touch for a home office or a creative studio. Script is harder to read at a distance, so keep it for short names and check the preview closely.
Gold or silver plate?
Let the plate follow the colors and metals already in the room. For the color of the set itself, see how to choose a desk set color.
- Gold sits comfortably with warm set colors such as brown, tan, burgundy, green, cream and beige, and with brass lamps, wood desks and warm lighting.
- Silver suits cooler colors such as gray, white, navy and blue, and rooms with chrome, steel or glass.
- Black works with either, so choose by the other metals on and around the desk, such as a lamp base, a door handle or the watch you wear every day.
Proofread the wording
Mistakes on a desk nameplate are easy to make and just as easy to avoid. Run through this list before you add the set to your bag:
- Check the spelling of the name letter by letter, against an email signature or a business card.
- Confirm the form of the name used at work, such as Kate or Katherine.
- Make sure the title is current and matches the one on business cards.
- Do not double up honorifics and degrees, such as Dr. together with MD.
- Type capital letters and punctuation exactly as you want them to appear.
- Count characters: 32 or fewer for the name, 36 or fewer for the title.
If you find a mistake after ordering, the nameplate guide explains when the text can still be changed.
Frequently asked
What should I put on a desk name plate?
Your name as colleagues know it on the first line, and your job title or department on the second. Keep both short enough to read from across the desk.
Can I use a department instead of a job title?
Yes. The second line can carry a department or team name, as long as it fits within 36 characters.
Can I leave the title line blank?
Yes. The title is optional, so a name on its own makes a complete nameplate. That suits a title that is about to change, or a gift when you are not sure of the exact title.
Find a set with a nameplate
When your wording is ready, browse our desk sets with a personalized nameplate. The Star 11-piece set with two-tier tray is one example, pairing a nameplate with the larger 15.0 × 22.8 in (38 × 58 cm) pad. To order a nameplate without a set, see personalized desk name plates. If you are considering a bigger set, our guide on how to choose an executive desk set can help, and if the nameplate is for someone else, see our desk set gift ideas. Our personalized office gifts page covers sets for a promotion, a new office or a retirement. On a personalized desk set, the two lines on the nameplate are the first thing people read when they walk up to your desk.
