Making your name tags
- Pick one of the four designs. Classic has a color frame with the header in a band at the top. Minimal sets a small spaced header above a large name and a thin color bar. Bold puts the first letter of the name in white on a color block. Kids has a rounded frame with stars in the corners and a row of dots.
- Choose the size and the header. Hello, my name is and Welcome are ready to use, and Your own takes up to 30 characters, like the name of your event.
- Paste your names, one per line. Each name gets as large as its tag allows; long names get smaller or move to a second line. Check the preview and page through the sheets with the arrows.
- Pick the paper and a color, download the PDF and print it at 100 % or actual size.
Preparing the list of names
Most guest lists and class lists already live in a spreadsheet. Copy the name column and paste it in. If the next column holds a team, a company or a role, copy both columns: the second one becomes the small line under the name. You can also type it by hand after a |, like Maya Patel | Volunteer.
Write each name the way the person likes to be called. A tag is read from a few steps away, so a short first name is easier to catch than a full legal name. That is what First name big is for: the first name fills the tag and the rest of the name sits smaller below it. For people with a two-part first name, like Mary Ann, type it as one word with a hyphen or choose Whole name.
Sort the list before you paste it. Alphabetical by last name works well for a check-in table, because guests can find their own tag in seconds. For a classroom, sort by table group or seat. Read the preview once for typos; a misspelled name is the one thing people notice right away.
Printing on cardstock or label sheets
For tags that go into a clear badge holder, a clip or a lanyard, print on cardstock or a heavier paper, so the tag does not bend or slide down in the sleeve. Check the heaviest paper your printer takes in its manual or on the paper tray, pick the matching paper type in the print dialog if there is one, and feed thick sheets one at a time if they jam.
For stick-on tags, print on full-sheet adhesive label paper and cut the tags apart, then peel the backing. Print one sheet on plain paper first: it shows whether the names are spelled right and whether the sizes fit your holders before you use the more expensive paper.
Cutting the tags apart
The crop marks in the margins line up with every cut. Lay a ruler from one mark to the matching mark on the other side and cut with a craft knife on a cutting mat, or use a paper trimmer. The tags touch each other, so one cut between two tags frees both edges. If you prefer scissors, choose Dashed lines too and cut along the gray lines. Every design keeps its text and shapes away from the edge, so a cut that is a little off does not touch them.
Cut a whole stack in rows first, then in columns, and keep the tags in list order as you go. They stay sorted for the check-in table that way.
Using name tags at events and on the first school day
Lay the tags out on a table near the entrance, sorted the same way as your guest list, and keep a few blank tags and a thick marker next to them for anyone who signed up late. Ask people to wear the tag on the upper chest, where others can read it without looking down.
On the first day of school, a tag helps a new teacher and new classmates learn names faster. Ask the teacher or the school how they want tags used before you send them along, since some classes have their own system. For young children who cannot read yet, First name big keeps the name they know best large and clear.
More tools and templates for your event
The random name picker draws one or more names from a list you paste in, with a fair cryptographic pick, and can remove each winner so you get a fair order for introductions or a raffle. The team generator splits a list of names into random teams or groups, by the number of teams or the number of people per team, and can add a random captain to each. Paste the same list you used for the tags. The QR code generator makes a code for a link, a Wi-Fi network or a calendar event and saves it as a PNG or SVG, ready for a sign at the check-in table.
For a seated dinner, the seating chart prints round tables, long tables or rows of desks with the names filled in, and the place cards are folded tent cards with guest names and optional table numbers for each seat.
Frequently asked questions
Are the name tags free?
Yes. Print as many sheets as you need, for a meeting, a class, a club or a party. There is no signup and no watermark; one small line in the margin of the sheet names our website, and it is cut off with the margin.
What sizes are the name tags?
There are three sizes, the same on US Letter and A4: Small is 3 x 2 in (76 x 51 mm), 10 per sheet; Standard is 3.5 x 2.25 in (89 x 57 mm), 8 per sheet; Large is 4 x 3 in (102 x 76 mm), 4 per sheet. Clear badge holders are sold by the size of the card they take, so check the insert size on the pack or measure the inside of the holder, and pick the size that matches.
How do I add a team, a company or a role?
Type it after the name with a | between them, like Anna Lee | Design team. Two columns pasted from a spreadsheet work too. For one line on every tag, such as the name of the event or your organization, use Second line for all tags. A line typed after a name wins over the shared one.
Can I print blank name tags?
Yes. Leave the list empty and you get a full sheet of tags with a line to write the name on, plus the header and the shared second line if you set them. With names in the list, the rest of the last sheet is filled with blank tags, and Extra blank tags adds more for guests who sign up late.
Which paper should I print them on?
Cardstock or a heavier paper is best for badge holders, clips and lanyards, as long as your printer takes it: the paper limits are in its manual or on the paper tray. For stick-on tags, print on full-sheet adhesive label paper and cut the tags apart. Print at 100 % or actual size so the tags keep their size.
Why are some characters missing from my names?
The PDF uses the standard Helvetica font, which covers English and most Western European letters, but no emoji and no other scripts such as Greek, Cyrillic or Chinese. Those characters are left out, a few rare accented letters lose the accent, and a note under the fields tells you when that happens. The preview shows the names exactly as they will print.