What Should You Engrave On A Personalised Christening Gift?

Picking a personalised christening gift is usually the easy part. You only need to find something that the parents will love and the baby can keep forever. The harder part is deciding what to engrave on it. Should you use the baby’s full name, nickname or middle name? This can sound like a small detail, but it is crucial because engraving is permanent.

When should you engrave the baby’s full name?

The baby’s full name is usually the safest choice if you are not confident about what to engrave. A full name looks formal and traditional, which fits perfectly with the whole christening vibe. So if you are engraving something like a silver spoon, bracelet/bangle, money box, photo frame or keepsake box, you can use a full name. 

A full name also ages well. A name that sounds cute on a baby gift now will still be appropriate when the child becomes a teenager or even an adult.

When is it okay to use the baby’s nickname instead of their full name?

Using the baby’s nickname makes the gift feel more personal and heartfelt than a formal full name in the right situation. This option usually works wonderfully when the nickname is official in the family and everyone naturally uses it for the baby. Nicknames also match certain gift styles like soft keepsakes (blankets, teddies) or small trinkets/charm-style gifts.

You should be careful, though, because nicknames don’t always last. The baby may grow into a different nickname. Families sometimes naturally stop using certain nicknames as well.

A good option here is to engrave the full name as the main name and then use the nickname in the message line below it. For example, you could engrave “Oliver Thomas Brown” at the top, then add something like “Welcome to the world, Ollie” below it.

You can follow the same engraving rules if you are also looking at personalised golden anniversary gifts.

Need help choosing the perfect engraving for a christening gift? If so, call Engraveitnow Ltd at 01603 616344 today.