A nameplate necklace, also called a name necklace, is a type of necklace that shows a name, initials, or other chosen words. These necklaces began in African-American and Latino communities during the 1980s and 1990s. Today, they are a popular fashion item around the world.

History

The nameplate necklace began in African-American and Latino communities during the 1980s and 1990s as a way for people to express their culture. At that time, these necklaces were sold by street vendors, and Fulton Street in Brooklyn became a well-known place for people to buy them.

In the 1980s and 1990s, nameplate necklaces became an important part of hip hop culture. Artists such as Big Daddy Kane and Slick Rick helped make them popular. By the early 2000s, large department stores like Walmart started producing these necklaces in large quantities. These stores mainly offered necklaces with common English names.

Cultural significance

Nameplate necklaces are sometimes linked to low-income communities of color. Journalist Collier Meyerson stated that these necklaces became a way to show rejection of the ordinary lifestyle often seen in wealthy white communities. Rosa Salas described nameplate necklaces as a way for people who have been treated unfairly because of their race, ethnicity, or class to express their identity and individuality.

In 2016, Meyerson caused debate by saying that white people wearing nameplate necklaces could be seen as taking elements from another culture without proper respect. Katherine Timpf from National Review responded by saying that cultures and trends change over time, and that ideas from different places often influence popular fashion.

In popular culture

In the 1998 comedy and drama series Sex and the City, the main character Carrie Bradshaw, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, wears a gold nameplate necklace with the name "Carrie" on it. The necklace was added to the show after Parker's stylist saw children in the neighborhood wearing nameplate necklaces.