Guide · Name badges
Name badge size guide
The magnetic name badge we make in Winnipeg is 72 × 20 mm (2.8 × 0.8 in). Names up to about 9 letters print at full size, with capital letters about 7.7 mm tall. Longer names shrink to fit, down to about 4.4 mm, which is the smallest lettering we print cleanly; that’s roughly 14 to 16 characters. Adding a logo shortens the name area by about a third.
How big is a name badge?
Most staff name badges are around 3 inches wide. Height is what changes: a one-line badge (just a name) can be short and neat, while a badge with a job title or a big logo needs to be taller. Here are the common sizes and what each one is good for.
| Size | Inches | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 72 × 20 mm (ours) | 2.8 × 0.8 | A first name in large lettering, with an optional logo on the left |
| 76 × 25 mm | 3 × 1 | Name only, or a name with a small logo |
| 76 × 38 mm | 3 × 1.5 | Name plus a job title on a second line |
| 76 × 51 mm | 3 × 2 | Name, title and a larger logo, e.g. for events |
Smaller badges look tidier on scrubs, aprons and shirts, and they don’t flap around. Since a name badge is read from across a counter, not across a room, a short badge with big letters is easier to read than a tall badge with small text.
How many letters fit?
These are real numbers from the same sizing rules our live preview uses. “Letter height” is the height of a capital letter on the printed badge. Raised lettering stays readable down to about 4.4 mm; below that we ask you to shorten the name.
| Example name | Characters | Letter height | With a logo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jo | 2 | 7.7 mm | 7.7 mm |
| Maya | 4 | 7.7 mm | 7.7 mm |
| Olivia | 6 | 7.7 mm | 7.7 mm |
| Isabella | 8 | 7.7 mm | 7.7 mm |
| Alexandra | 9 | 7.7 mm | 6.5 mm |
| Christopher | 11 | 7.5 mm | 5.7 mm |
| Anne-Marie Roy | 14 | 5.4 mm | Too long |
| Maximilian Thompson | 19 | Too long | Too long |
Wide letters (M, W) take more room than narrow ones (i, l, t), so two names with the same number of characters can print at slightly different sizes. The preview measures your exact name as you type.
What to put on a staff name badge
- First name only. The most common choice. It’s friendly, it reads at a glance, and many workplaces prefer it for staff privacy.
- First name and last initial (e.g. “Maya R.”) when two people share a first name.
- Name and pronouns (e.g. “Sam · they/them”), as long as the whole line stays short.
- Your logo on the left. Turn on “Business badge” in the preview. Simple, one-colour logos read best at this size.
- A language cue such as “EN / FR” is useful for bilingual service in Canada.
Job titles, phone numbers and slogans need a taller badge and smaller text. If your team needs a second line, ask us for a quote and we’ll tell you honestly whether it will read well at that size.
Colours that stay readable
Contrast matters more than colour. Light lettering on a dark badge (white or gold on black or navy) and dark lettering on a light badge both read well from a distance. We stock 7 badge colours and 5 lettering colours, including silk gold, silver and copper, and the live preview warns you if a combination is too low in contrast.
Ordering for a whole team
Paste your team list on the business page to see every badge before you order. You’ll spot long names that need shortening straight away. Badges start at $12 ($18 with your logo), in CAD with no duties, and get cheaper automatically from 10 (down to $8 each for 50+). Every badge is made to order in Winnipeg. We offer local pickup & delivery in Winnipeg, shipping across Canada, and ship the day it’s finished (usually within 1–2 business days).