Nantucket Sign News ·
How to Name Your House: Quarterboard Sign Naming Tips From a Nantucket Sign Maker
By Kelly Emery, Nantucket Quarterboard Company
On Nantucket, nearly every house has a name, and half the fun of walking the island is reading them. Some are playful, some are sentimental, and some will make you laugh out loud. But when it's your turn to choose one, naming a house can be surprisingly hard.
Some people know their house name right away. Others agonize over it and change it many times. Either way, hearing the stories behind the names is one of the best parts of making these signs.
Kelly's Tips for Naming Your House
- Start slow. There's no rush. Live with a few ideas for a while before committing to a sign.
- Get the family on board. The name will hang over the front door for years, so make sure most of the household likes it.
- Begin with a thing, a person or a place. Those make great starting points: a favorite beach, a grandparent, a boat, a pet, the land's old name.
- Play with words. Puns and other literary devices are a Nantucket specialty — just look at how many signs work in “ACK,” the island's airport code.
- Stay flexible. Most people arrive unsure, and plenty change the name partway through. Kelly has seen names change after 30 emails — and that's fine. Make it a fun conversation and a chance to get creative.
Real House Sign Names We've Made
A few of the house signs we've made or refurbished in recent years: Sanktuary, Low Tide, Ack Shack, East Meets West, Never Say Never, Caught in the Ack, Far and Away, Summer Wind and Cloud Nine.
The Best Names Come With a Story
Kelly's favorite part of the job is hearing the story behind each name — and he's been collecting them. A few that show how much a name can hold:
- BACKSTER. A family designed this one in our online studio. Baxter was the name of the teenager who saved the customer's brother from nearly drowning at Surfside Beach when he was little.
- Cailíní Coastal. Gaelic for “Coastal Girls,” named for a family's young daughters, who have grown up on the coasts of California, Connecticut and now Nantucket.
- Jackpot. A customer commissioned a quarterboard for a friend's horse barn to honor their beloved horse, Jackpot.
- A 1700s property name. One customer in Pennsylvania revived the original 1700s name of her property on a quarterboard — a nod to the history of her land and to her love of Nantucket.
Try Your Name on a Sign
Once you have a shortlist, type each name into the Quarterboard Design Studio to see it on a 3D sign in different styles and colors — seeing the words on a board often settles the debate. For more inspiration, browse the Sign Name Registry and the gallery, or read about where the tradition comes from in our history of Nantucket quarterboards.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I come up with a name for my house?
Start slowly and make sure most of the family is on board. A thing, a person or a place is a good starting point; from there, try a pun or another bit of wordplay. Stay flexible — plenty of people change the name several times before the sign is made.
What makes a good quarterboard name?
A good name means something to the people who live there and reads well from the street. Names tied to a family story, a place, a beloved person or animal, or a clever play on words (Nantucket names often play on ACK, the island's airport code) tend to last.
Can I see my house name on a sign before ordering?
Yes. Type the name into the online Quarterboard Design Studio at quarterboards.com to see it on a 3D sign in different styles, fonts and colors, with a live price.