My Nametags blog about name labels, name tags and other important matters

Yearly archives "2020"

20 Articles

My Nametags Reveals Its 2021 Baby Name Predictions

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At My Nametags we have a unique insight into trends in children’s names and are always curious to identify what is influencing the names of new babies born in Britain. So, using our knowledge, we decided to put together a list of our 2021 baby name predictions based on the names we saw rising in popularity in 2020.

Unsurprisingly, given that so many of us spent additional time at home during 2020, the year’s most-viewed TV shows are set to have a substantial influence on baby names throughout 2021 as the UK’s lockdown generation is born. Sporting stars, musicians and some of the most celebrated heroes of 2020 are also likely to have a significant influence.

Connell

After becoming the most searched for programme on iPlayer of all time, the TV adaption of Sally Rooney’s novel Normal People has had a huge cultural influence in Britain. As a result, our insights suggest that the name ‘Connell’, after the main character, is soaring in popularity for the first time since the 1950s.

Billie

For baby girls, we predict that ‘Billie’, after the Grammy award-winning singer, Billie Eilish, will become popular. Billie exploded onto the scene in 2019 with her hit single Bad Guy and continued to rise in popularity throughout 2020 after being announced as the singer of the latest James Bond theme tune.

Tom

Tom also features in our 2021 baby name predictions, after former army officer, Captain Sir Tom Moore, stole the nation’s heart by raising over £32 million for the NHS. Tom was successful in completing 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday and went on to receive a Knighthood from the Queen. The national treasure has already had a significant impact on baby name trends, with ’Tom’ shooting up the ranks in 2020, according to analysis by BabyCentre.

Marcus

Similarly, Marcus, inspired by Manchester United striker turned Government lobbyist, Marcus Rashford MBE, is set to soar in popularity after the footballer campaigned for free school meals during the holidays throughout the pandemic.

Maeve

The name Maeve also joins our 2021 baby name predictions. Inspired by the female lead in the critically acclaimed Netflix show, Sex Education, the Irish name is likely to be favoured by parents looking for more unusual names 2021.

Top male baby names:

  1. Connell – Lead character in the BBC smash-hit, Normal People
  2. Tom – Charity fundraiser, Captain Sir Tom Moore
  3. Marcus – Footballer turned Government lobbyist, Marcus Rashford MBE
  4. Lewis – World record-breaking Formula 1 driver 
  5. David – The nation’s favourite broadcaster, Sir David Attenborough

Top female baby names:

  1. Billie – Five-time Grammy award-winning artist, Billie Eilish
  2. Maeve – Lead character in the Netflix original series, Sex Education
  3. Anya – Star of Emma and The Queen’s Gambit
  4. Diana – The late Princess of Wales and a main character in the Netflix hit, The Crown
  5. Jodie – Star of TV smash-hit, Killing Eve

To read more about My Nametags’ research into name trends, visit our blog.

Thank You, Teacher

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It’s been a hard year… but it has also been a year of growing, helping and appreciating not only what we normally take for granted but one another. One of the things you may have been reminded of is just how important teachers are – sometimes it takes walking in someone else’s shoes to understand how things really are. So if you are wanting to say a special ‘thank you’ to your children’s teacher this Christmas you’re in the right place. We have gathered some suggestions that you and your children can do together (or your child can do with some supervision) to show their teacher you appreciate them.

1 – Homemade Biscuits

Even teachers have a sweet tooth and some homemade biscuits is a lovely way to cure it. It’s also no secret that baking is a great way to keep children entertained. Look for recipes that seem not only delicious but fun to make! You can find so many options online, such as CupcakeJemma on Youtube.

Biscuit recipes

2 – Christmas Tree Ornament

Help your child’s teacher decorate their Christmas tree! You can of course buy one or you can make it with your child. They can be quick and easy to make with things you have at home.

59 Unique DIY Christmas Ornaments - Easy Homemade Ornament Ideas

3 – A Sculpture

It is so easy and fun to get some clay and make something unique. Who knows… maybe your children is a gifted sculptor!

4- Homemade Jam or Chutney

Jam and Chutney are always great to have at home and while the store brought ones are fine there is definitely something to be said for homemade. It’s also a great little gift because it’s one of those things everyone likes to have but very few can be bothered to make!

Delicious Homemade Chutneys for Boxing Day - Hartley Farm Shop and Kitchen

5 – A Postcard

Sometimes it’s as simple as that. Write a few words to show them you see and value the work they are doing – maybe tell them the story about your little one coming home from school enthusiastically chatting about something the teacher did in class. It’ll make their day.

Four Simple Cards Kids Can Make | Homemade Thank You Cards from Toddlers and Kids

6- A Set of Labels!

Teacher, like children, are prone to losing their stationery or getting it mixed for someone else’s so some labels may come in handy. Head to our site and you’ll be able to find a combination that fits your child’s teacher!

And if you are not the type to give a gift, sometimes a smile and a genuine ‘thank you’ can come a long way. Whatever you decided, just make sure you don’t forget to show your appreciation. They do put up with your children after all!

My Nametags Reveals 2020’s Most Heroic Names

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2020 has been a challenging year for us all, but as is often the case in difficult times, communities have pulled together and many people have been doing amazing things to support those around them and inspire the nation.

At My Nametags, our work is centred around names and we are always curious to identify patterns in the names we are given and the subsequent paths we take in life. So, we decided to explore 2020’s heroes in more detail to find out which names appear most frequently amongst the year’s most inspiring and courageous individuals.

David                                                                

Our analysis revealed that David is 2020’s most heroic name. From actor David Suchet and politician David Hanson who were both awarded Knight Batchelor Awards in the 2020 Queen’s Birthday Honours List, through to David King who won gold in the 110 meter hurdles at this year’s British Athletic Championships, the name David is common amongst heroes from all walks of life.

Paul

The name Paul came in a close second, appearing regularly amongst have-a-go heroes and world-renowned names. Paul R. Milgrom hit the headlines after he was awarded a Nobel Prize for economic science this year. Biker Paul Redfern won a Pride of Britain Award for leading a group of lifesaving volunteers who deliver vital blood supplies to hospitals. Meanwhile, paramedic Paul Henry was awarded the Queen’s Ambulance Medal for his 40 years of service caring for patients.

Jessica

Jessica is at third place and is the name that appears most frequently amongst heroines. The name Jessica is particularly popular amongst sporting icons, with four Jessicas taking home medals at the 2020 British Athletics Championships. Jessica is also common amongst community heroes, such as Jessica Thompson, founder of Migrateful, who was recognised in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneurs list for her work supporting refugees.

Katie

Katies make a regular appearance in 2020’s heroes list, with two being recognised at this year’s Pride of Britain Awards. Katie Holmes, a young woman with cerebral palsy, took the Teenager of Courage award for raising money to help others suffering with the illness, whilst her namesake, Katie Smith, was awarded the Stephen Sutton Inspiration Award after raising thousands to help fund research into brain tumours.

Tom

Tom also features in the top 10 most heroic names. This is partly due to the successes of Captain Sir Tom Moore who raised an incredible £32 million for the NHS after pledging to walk 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday. In addition, the name appeared frequently amongst sporting heroes.

Conclusion

Despite a difficult year, we have been hearted to see so many people doing incredible things to raise the nation’s spirits and help others. As we head into 2021, we hope that our heroes list will provide an opportunity to reflect on these individuals’ fantastic achievements and provide some positivity and inspiration for the year ahead of us.

2020’s Top 5 Most Heroic Male Names

  1. David
  2. Paul
  3. George
  4. Michael
  5. Tom

2020’s Top 5 Most Heroic Female Names

  1. Jessica
  2. Katie
  3. Amelia
  4. Rebecca
  5. Hannah

To read more about My Nametags’ research, visit our blog.

The End of Lost Property

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90 Million Items at Risk of Being Thrown Away in the UK This Year

Like many things in life, going to school is a little different in 2020. A lot has changed due to the ongoing pandemic; classes are now in bubbles, lunchtimes are staggered, and even lost property boxes cannot operate in the usual way. At My Nametags, we know how easy it is for children to lose things and the turnover of clothing in families can feel very high. So, we were intrigued to find out how the changing regulations are affecting the amount of lost property that is thrown away in schools each year.

The Findings

Staggeringly, our research found that the average child permanently loses nine things per school year. With 10 million school-aged children across the UK, this adds up to an eye-watering 90 million lost items every single year. This is more of a concern than ever before as the lost property box can no longer store lost items in the same way due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Consequently, more lost items are being thrown away instead of being reunited with their owners.

In addition to the environmental impact of lost property ending up in landfill, the financial strain for parents is also considerable. We found that the average parent spends an additional £139 per year replacing things their child has lost, which equates to an astonishing £1,957 throughout their school life.

It came as no surprise to us that school jumpers are the most commonly lost item. Whether they are being used as goalposts on lunch breaks or left in the changing room after PE, jumpers can be easy for children to lose track of. They are lost so regularly that a quarter of parents have bought more than one, so they always have a back-up. Parents also said that school books, stationery and socks were among the most commonly lost items.

10 MOST COMMONLY LOST ITEMS

1.         School jumpers

2.         School books

3.         Stationery

4.         Socks

5.         Gloves

6.         Toys

7.         Shoes

8.         Gym kits

9.         Hats

10.        Phones

Preventing Lost Items

With the growing awareness of the environmental impact of unnecessary waste, we all need to consider how we can avoid adding to the problem. Our research shows that only a third of parents use name labels to prevent their child from losing items and a fifth buy new instead of looking for things they have misplaced. Whilst the lost property box may have changed, with a little help from a name tag children can be spared the heartache of losing treasured items, whilst parents can be safe in the knowledge that they are benefiting both their wallets and the planet.

Metallic Ministickers

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Match your labels to the season and your spirit!

When the Christmas lights start being put up, the trees start being decorated, the carols start being heard you know it is time for our metallic ministickers to come out again. Everything looks better when it’s shinny and our stickers are no exception! Our range of Metallic Ministickers will add an extra layer of class and sophistication to your items.

  • Frosted
  • Active
  • Aurora
  • Christmas

We have four sets for you to pick from. Christmas in christmassy colours like red, green, gold and silver. Active, our set in cooler colours in a range of greens and blues. Our warmer, rosier set Aurora in pink, purple, blue and green.
And, of course, the shiniest of them all: Frosted in pinks, silver, purple and light blue with a silvery tint throughout.

Show us how good your Metallic Ministickers look – tag us in your pictures on Instagram and Facebook!

Five Great Games For Kids

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This blog post is a shorter version of an article written by Cristin Howard on the blog Smart Parent Advice, find the full article here

Playing games is one of the best parts of being a child. Here are some easy to play ones that you can teach your kids. If you’re lucky, they might even let you join in with the fun. Otherwise, you can sit back and listen to the happy giggles.

Marco Polo

It’s an oldie but a goody. This game has probably been played since the 1700s. Just in case you need a refresher, here’re the rules.

One person is ‘it’ and has to try and tag another player. However, they have to do this with their eyes shut. They, instead, must rely on hearing where the other players have gone. To help, they can shout ‘Marco.’ On hearing this, all the other players must respond with ‘Polo.’ Once they tag someone, that player becomes ‘it.’

We use an extra rule to keep things moving. It’s the 5-minute rule. If no one has been tagged after 5 minutes, whoever is closest to the hunter is now ‘it.’ If you’ve got younger kids, you might want to get them a pool float so they can be involved in the game too.

Capture The Flag

If you’ve got ample open space to play in and enough kids to form two teams, then capture the flag is a great game. It gets kids running around and encourages them to think strategically.

All you need is two items to act as your flags. You really can use anything at all as the flag, so get creative.

To play, you divide the space into two territories. When a player is in ‘enemy’ territory, they can be tagged. If so, they must perform a penalty before returning to their base. The winning team is the first to get the enemy flag into their territory.

If you want to spice things up, why not bring along some walkie talkies. This can let the kids roam over a larger area and encourage them to work as a team. With walkie talkies in play, the strategies can get even more intricate.


What’s Missing?

For a bit of mental exercise, why not give this memory game a try. All you need is a tray, a cloth, and a random selection of small items.

You arrange your selection of items on the tray and give the kids one minute to look. Then you cover the tray. Without the kids seeing you, take something away. The winner is the first kid to identify what’s missing.

You can make it as hard or as easy as you need to. The more objects, the harder it is. The bigger the items, the easier it is.

If you want to make it extra challenging, you can rearrange the objects on the tray after you take one away. This means they need to actually remember everything on the tray, not just look for the gap.

Charades

Games that encourage kids to be silly are always great fun. Charades is a good one to play with kids because if you’re good at it, you feel good about yourself. If you’re bad at it, it can be even more fun. It also encourages turn-taking, which is skill kids always need to be practising.

Here’s a quick rules refresher:

1. Pick a song, movie, or book title

2. Mime which option you’ve chosen

3. Indicate the number of words in the title

4. Start miming

Once the title is guessed, someone else has a go at miming. It’s good fun, with plenty of opportunities for silliness. It is worth having some suggested titles on hand for any kids who can’t think of anything. Try and pick easy to mime titles like Up, Jaws, Cars, or Little Women.

Board Games

There are so many great board games out there for kids to play that we’d be here all day if I started listing them. Board games are great for encouraging kids to get thinking. They develop logic and problem-solving skills. Also, they’re fun! So, here are a few to consider for different situations.

Dixit is an excellent game for any number of kids, it’s pretty and creative. It gets kids thinking.

Ticket to Ride is a board game that makes kids fall in love with board games. It’s easy to learn even for young kids. There’s a nice mix of luck and strategy, plus you get to build a train empire across Europe.

Finally, Spaceteam is a fun, frantic five-minute game that gets kids working together and shouting at each other at the same time.

All that’s left is to wish you fun.

Author Bio: Cristin Howard runs Smart Parent Advice, a site that provides parenting advice for moms and dads. Cristin writes about all of the different ups and downs of parenting, provides solutions to common challenges, and reviews products that parents need to purchase.

The New Classrooms

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Going back to school this year will be different – but that doesn’t mean we can’t make the best of it!

Have a look at the different ways in which classrooms around the world are innovating and making an unconventional situation fun.

  • By making social distancing fun with cool hats:
  • By transforming the scary looking desks with protections shields into trucks:

  • By reminding the children how nice it is to see them and each other again. And each pupil getting their own materials means no more fight over who gets to use what first!

We all want to go back to normality: going out as we please, hugging, breathing without worry. But seeing as this might take a little longer than expected the next best thing is to be prepared for the new circumstances.  

People have an amazing ability to adapt – children in particular excel at this. So on this back to school don’t panic and don’t worry about what you can’t control, simply adapt and make the best of an odd, unexpected, unpredictable situation. 

Do you have any ideas to make the start of school this year easier and more fun for children? Let us know!

MY NAMETAGS’ RESEARCH FINDS BRITS BIN 1.4 MILLION WEARABLE SCHOOL UNIFORMS EVERY YEAR

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At My Nametags, we know how quickly children grow and how fast families can get through clothes. Whether it’s stubborn stains or growth spurts, the turnover of clothing in families can feel very high.

However, recent figures from WRAP suggest that extending the lifespan of clothes by just three months could result in a 5-10 percent reduction in carbon, water, and waste footprints. So, to try to understand this issue a little better, we conducted research into parents’ attitudes towards second-hand clothing for their children.

THE FINDINGS

To our surprise, our study found that more than one in 10 UK parents throw their children’s uniforms away once they have outgrown them, even if they are still in a wearable condition.

When it comes to damaged items, almost half of parents said they would prefer to throw the garment away than attempt to fix it. What’s more, over half of families own clothing that they have never worn.

It seems parents still consider new to be best as 81 percent always buy their children’s school uniforms new. There are several reasons behind this, with many suggesting it is easier (31 percent) and that they want their kids to have the latest things (19 percent). In addition, nearly half (41 percent) said they don’t like the thought of their children wearing previously owned clothes.

While it seems that some proactive measures are being taken to make clothing last longer, with almost a third of parents buying uniforms in bigger sizes so their kids can grow into them, our study found that school uniforms are still being replaced, on average, every 10 months – the equivalent to one uniform for every school year.

Interestingly, despite some parents in the UK adopting a throwaway attitude to uniforms, the research did suggest that parents are more likely to donate their old clothes to charity shops than they are to purchase second-hand clothing. In fact, over half of parents donate uniforms to charity shops once they have been outgrown, suggesting that there is a disconnect between the number of people who want to give clothing a new life, and those that actually do.

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY

Commenting on parents’ attitudes towards buying second-hand, Dr Jo Hemmings, Behavioural Psychologist, said: “There are a number of reasons why parents are reluctant to purchase second-hand uniforms for their children and continue to buy new year on year.

“Firstly, the word ‘second-hand’ has the connotation that somehow parents are not doing the best by their children. ‘Brand new’ has much more positive connotations. In addition to this, parents know that children can be very judgemental of each other in terms of clothing.

“In both instances, the parents’ attitudes towards second-hand clothing stem from their inherent sense of pride – a fear that people will assume that they can’t provide for their child effectively if they can’t dress them in a brand-new school uniform. This type of pride, which is primarily driven by other people’s opinions, is known as ‘hubristic pride’ and adds very little positive value to life.

“However, there is a second type of pride, ‘authentic pride’, which is centred around the fulfilment and achievements of yourself and those around you. This has a much more positive value and, importantly, cannot be achieved by wearing a new blazer. It can, however, be achieved by teaching children valuable lessons about the environment and the fact that the clothes they wear have no impact on their ability to ‘fit in’ or to be successful in life.”

STRETCHING THE LIFESPAN

With awareness of the environmental impact of our clothing growing, it is important for us all to consider how our attitudes towards the disposal and re-use of clothes could be affecting the planet. Clothing which has been cared for can and should be reused, and with a little help from a name tag, can become another child’s personalised piece.

Back to School – The Importance of Labelling

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This year’s back to school, while long awaited, may also be the cause of some concern. How many measures against covid-19 will schools realistically be able to implement – will children respect social distancing? Will they bother sanitising when you know at times you struggle to make them wash their hands?

It will most certainly be a whole new experience for both you and your children. People have become increasingly aware of how quickly and easily germs can spread. With that in mind, we start to think about what exactly our children do that could be putting them at risk, and sharing items is at the top of the list. Stationery items children bring to school: pens, colouring pencils, rulers, calculators are amongst the most commonly shared items between children. But sharing is no longer caring, now it means circulating more germs.

Back to School- Labelling all of your children’s school supplies is vital

Labelling your children’s things has always been useful to help reduce lost property, but now using name tags can help in another, more important way. Being easily able to identify one’s items will encourage children to keep to their own things and help reduce the spread of germs. They can be fun and colourful while also helping your children be safe.

This pandemic has bought with it a new perspective on things, it has made us aware of the places we really cannot go without visiting, the people we really need around us. Shown us how nice slowing down can be and how resourceful we are coming up with alternatives to make sure we can continue. Chances are that as a parent, you cannot wait for your children to go back to school but we cannot forget that we still need to be prudent and do the best we can to care for our parents, siblings, children, friends, neighbours and everyone around us. If something as simple as labelling things can help, do it!

Family Summer Staycations – Why they are great!

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Staycations are currently rising in popularity for reasons beyond our control… We mean that quite literally, it does not seem to be something one is actively opting for but the default option this year. But do not panic, holidaying at home rather than going abroad can be just as good! We want to share with you the top reasons why we love Staycations – and why you should too!

ECO Friendly

With lockdown people were able to see how much what we do affects the environment which may have got you thinking about being more eco conscious. Staycations are a great way to be more eco friendly. Travelling by train, bus or car will have a much lower impact on the environment. You’ll be able to walk around your city and take comfort in knowing that you are helping the air become a little less polluted.

Supporting Local Businesses

Covid-19 has surprised us all and while for some people this meant working from home, some businesses were not able to continue operating and have been greatly affected. Supporting small and local businesses is a small, simple way for you to help those struggling to keep their businesses afloat. Go to that restaurant just round the corner you always said looked nice, treat yourself to that beautiful dress displayed in the boutique’s window you’d been eyeing. Make sure that bakery you love to get breakfast from is able to stay open by continuing to enjoy their baked goods – now you’ll actually have an excuse – ‘I’m helping the business, they need it!’

Less Stress

Packing for the entire family can be a nightmare. Airline restrictions such as luggage size and liquids you’re allowed to take make the thought of travelling, even for a holiday, a lot less exciting and relaxing. Not to mention getting everyone to the airport, getting everyone through Airport Security, entertaining everyone while you wait to board, entertaining everyone while you’re on the plane, getting to the hotel, unpacking… The list is endless. Having a Staycation means none of this, you won’t even have to worry about all that for a second time on the return!  

Cost Effective

No expensive airline tickets, Visas or taxes means you end up saving more than a few pennies! You can also search for some great family deals and packages that are available at the moment and discover the beauty in the place you live in. 

Pets can come too

Nobody likes saying goodbye to their beloved pet when they go away, or leaving them in the care of someone you don’t know that well. With a Staycation this won’t be a problem! Many campsites, holiday homes and hotels are pet friendly so they can come along on the family holiday…they deserve a treat too! It’s nice when the whole family gets to be there.

Have we convinced you family Staycation can be amazing too? Let us know if we have and what other perks you can think of!

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