Vanities

Vanity plates, also called personalized plates, give motorists the chance to share words on the road.

I. Special Designs

Some states have issued or continue to issue vanity plates on bases with different designs than the regular passenger counterparts. Alaska issued this plate and another variant starting in 1995; EX 07 may be a reference to a model of a car. Kansas has had a special design for vanities since the 1980s; the creative examples here include “Mom’s Wagon,” “You can do it,” “Buffalo Bill,” “Love to cheer,” and “Too unique.” South Carolina is a somewhat odd case, as it offered three types (two pictured here) in 1989; then in 1991 the “Nothing Could Be Finer” base debuted and has remained the vanity base ever since; WES HMS is likely a couple, a frequent use of vanity plate owners, USWCV6 refers to a U.S. Navy vessel, and ULTFNTC is probably “Ultimate fanatic.” Washington offered a green-on-yellow optional for vanities starting in the 1970s, but it ceased being issued to new registrants when the Centennial base was introduced.

Some states have issued or continue to issue vanity plates on bases with different designs than the regular passenger counterparts. Alaska issued this plate and another variant starting in 1995; EX 07 may be a reference to a model of a car. Kansas has had a special design for vanities since the 1980s; the creative examples here include “Mom’s Wagon,” “You can do it,” “Buffalo Bill,” “Love to cheer,” and “Too unique.” South Carolina is a somewhat odd case, as it offered three types (two pictured here) in 1989; then in 1991 the “Nothing Could Be Finer” base debuted and has remained the vanity base ever since; WES HMS is likely a couple, a frequent use of vanity plate owners, USWCV6 refers to a U.S. Navy vessel, and ULTFNTC is probably “Ultimate fanatic.” Washington offered a green-on-yellow optional for vanities starting in the 1970s, but it ceased being issued to new registrants when the Centennial base was introduced.

II. Occupations & Hobbies

Occupation and hobby-related vanities above: KWGRL = Cowgirl; TRLGAL = Trail Gal; HOOK UMM = Hook ’em (almost certainly owned by a fisherman, as many fly fishers use Montana rivers); HOOPDRM = Hoop Dream; IWRK2HRD = I work too hard; PRN8L = Prenatal; 2DECOR8 = To decorate.

Occupation and hobby-related vanities above: KWGRL = Cowgirl; TRLGAL = Trail Gal; HOOK UMM = Hook ’em (almost certainly owned by a fisherman, as many fly fishers use Montana rivers); HOOPDRM = Hoop Dream; IWRK2HRD = I work too hard; PRN8L = Prenatal; 2DECOR8 = To decorate.

III. Names & Initials

“KG is before you” (these were on my mother’s cars) and other names on plates (I can’t confirm “HAKAS” is, but it’s an educated guess).

“KG is before you” (these were on my mother’s cars) and other names on plates (I can’t confirm “HAKAS” is, but it’s an educated guess).

IV. Other

Vanity plates abound, with some being straightforward and others leaving to one’s imagination. Plates that seem clear or whose background I’ve learned: I DV8 = I deviate; LU1SA = Luisa; LAXMIJI = Laxmiji, a spelling of a goddess in Hinduism; AHPAREE = Ah, Paris!; 1ZTOFAN = One Zito Fan (Barry Zito, former MLB pitcher); MINNIMOI = refers to a French term; HI-HO = Hi-Ho; SNCRZR = Sun cruiser (was on a convertible); FXYLASS = Foxy lass; BLK WIDW = Black Widow, referring to a Chevy truck model; DBLPLAY = Double Play; SGBRUSH = Sagebrush; MOTEL = Motel; RSHARKEY = Our Sharkey; GRYLDY = Gray Lady; RUFRYDR = Rough Rider (the Rough Riders were a band of volunteer cavalry led by Theodore Roosevelt during the Spanish-American War; Roosevelt spent meaningful time in North Dakota); KARE = Care.

Plates that are difficult to discern or have a generic unknown reference: SBA2DAY = reference to Small Business Administration?; SWELL 70 = 70 years old?; LIVE 31; PINK86 = pink likely refers to breast cancer (as does the plate, a specialty benefiting breast cancer research); KINE 220 (note that these were on the same car, found in a junkyard); LC 66.

Vanity plates abound, with some being straightforward and others leaving to one’s imagination. Plates that seem clear or whose background I’ve learned: I DV8 = I deviate; LU1SA = Luisa; LAXMIJI = Laxmiji, a spelling of a goddess in Hinduism; AHPAREE = Ah, Paris!; 1ZTOFAN = One Zito Fan (Barry Zito, former MLB pitcher); MINNIMOI = refers to a French term; HI-HO = Hi-Ho; SNCRZR = Sun cruiser (was on a convertible); FXYLASS = Foxy lass; BLK WIDW = Black Widow, referring to a Chevy truck model; DBLPLAY = Double Play; SGBRUSH = Sagebrush; MOTEL = Motel; RSHARKEY = Our Sharkey; GRYLDY = Gray Lady; RUFRYDR = Rough Rider (the Rough Riders were a band of volunteer cavalry led by Theodore Roosevelt during the Spanish-American War; Roosevelt spent meaningful time in North Dakota); KARE = Care.

Plates that are difficult to discern or have a generic unknown reference: SBA2DAY = reference to Small Business Administration?; SWELL 70 = 70 years old?; LIVE 31; PINK86 = pink likely refers to breast cancer (as does the plate, a specialty benefiting breast cancer research); KINE 220 (note that these were on the same car, found in a junkyard); LC 66.

%d bloggers like this: