Ahhhh monograms. Most girls delight when hearing this one simple word. For us, it leads to images of purses, towels, hats, shirts, etc. personalized with our initials in our favorite fonts and colors. A popular trend over the past few years, monograms can be found everywhere from clothing to household items to accessories- even to shoes!
While nowadays it seems that these gems are popping up on everything, there is great historical relevance in monograms. Early Greeks and Romans used monograms on their coinage. It was usually personalized for the ruler of the period. The image below is a picture of an early Roman coin with the monogram of Emperor Theodosius II (402-450).
Fast forward to the Middle Ages, and monograms became a way for artisans to personalize their work. As the years progressed into the Renaissance, many monarchs and other rulers began to adopt variations of monograms into their coats of arms. Henry VIII, for example, had a different monogram inscribed in his palaces for each of his six wives. Well, the ones who lived long enough anyways. Below is an example of his initial intertwined with that of his second wife Anne Boleyn.
The Victorian Era began the prevalence of the modern monogram with three letters. This time period saw monograms becoming a sign of the upper class and aristocracy. These people started monogramming everything, from table linens to silverware, glasses, and china. Having this ability to personalize such everyday objects gave prestige to the upper classes. The image below is a Victorian Era Tiffany and Co. silver cuff bracelet with the three-letter monogram.
This brings us to the present use of the monogram. Traditional etiquette states that when using one single letter, you are to use the first letter of your last name. When forming a traditional three-letter monogram as a single person, the order is first name first initial, last name first initial then middle name first initial. Some people, however, choose to do a three-letter monogram first name first initial, middle name first initial then last name first initial, this is also correct.
When it comes to marriage, even more options are available. Some people will replace their middle name first initial with that of their maiden name, either way is seen as correct. When creating a joint monogram, there are two ways that are correct. The first is to do the bride’s first name first initial, groom’s last name first initial then the groom’s first name first initial; this is commonly found on table linens. The second way is to do the groom’s first name first initial, groom’s last name first initial then the bride’s first name first initial; this is the style typically used on tableware.
The best thing about monograms is that you can create them in any order you like. This just adds an even further depth of personalization to something that is used to personalize your belongings. While some may see monograms as a waste of time and unnecessary, others see them as a way to express themselves. Whatever your reason for loving monograms is, just know you’re in the company of royals, aristocracy, and the upper class.
