How to Choose a Name for Your Name From Orbit Print

The whole idea of a Your Name From Orbit print rests on one small decision: which word the Earth is going to spell. Every letter is a real river bend, coastline, delta or ridge photographed from orbit, so the name you type is the only thing that turns a set of landscapes into something personal. Get that word right and the print reads instantly from across a room.

This guide walks through exactly what the customiser accepts, how many letters suit the layout, how two-word names arrange themselves, and which kinds of names tend to look best on the wall. If you are new to the product, our explainer on what "your name in Landsat" really means is a good place to start, then come back here when you are ready to choose.

The Naming Rules in One Minute

Before thinking about which name, it helps to know what the print can take. These are the rules Skylit Studio's customiser applies to every Your Name From Orbit order:

• One name or two words. A single name such as LUNA, or a two-word phrase such as THE BENNETTS.
• Up to 12 letters. Spaces do not count towards the 12, so a two-word name can use all twelve letters between its two words.
• Letters only. Punctuation, apostrophes, hyphens, ampersands and numbers are removed automatically.
• Always capitals. Whatever you type is shown in upper case, because every letter is a landscape shaped like a capital.
• Landscape orientation. The print is always wider than it is tall, and a two-word name sits on two rows.

That is the full set. Everything else in this guide is about choosing well within those limits.

One Name or Two Words?

This is the first real choice, and both options work beautifully in different ways.

A single name

One name, such as LUNA or BENNETT, gives you a single confident line of landscapes running across the print. Each letter gets plenty of room, so the individual places are easy to study up close: you can see the curve of a coastline in the L or the braided channels of a river in the A. A single first name is the natural choice when the print is for one person, such as a child's bedroom or a gift for a friend.

Two words

Two words open up a wider set of ideas. A couple's shared surname with "THE" in front, such as THE BENNETTS, turns the print into a family piece. A title and surname, such as MR JONES, has a gently playful feel that suits a teacher, a retiring colleague or a new husband. First name plus surname works too, as long as the combined letter count stays within twelve.

Because a two-word name sits on two rows, it gives the print a more balanced, block-like shape, which can suit a wall where the print hangs on its own above a sofa or bed.

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The name you type is the only thing that turns a set of landscapes into something personal.

How Many Letters Work Best

Twelve letters is the ceiling, but shorter names tend to make a stronger print. Here is why.

Every letter is a photograph of a real place, full of texture and colour: sandbanks, forests, ice, desert. When there are fewer letters, each one is shown larger on the paper, so that natural detail has more space to breathe. A four-letter name such as LUNA reads as four bold landscapes. A twelve-letter name still works, but each letter is a little smaller and the eye takes in the overall word before the individual places.

A useful rule of thumb:

• 3 to 6 letters: the most striking, poster-like result. Ideal for first names and short surnames.
• 7 to 9 letters: a comfortable middle ground. BENNETT and MR JONES both sit here.
• 10 to 12 letters: works well, especially split across two rows. THE BENNETTS uses eleven.

If the name you want runs past twelve letters, shorten it rather than squeezing it. A surname alone, or "THE" plus the surname, usually carries the same meaning in fewer letters.

What Happens to Accents, Punctuation and Numbers

The print only spells letters of the alphabet, so a few characters are converted or dropped as you type. It is worth knowing how this works so nothing surprises you when the preview appears.

• Accents become the plain letter. CHLOÉ becomes CHLOE, Ø becomes O, and ß becomes SS (which counts as two letters).
• Apostrophes are removed, so O'Brien becomes OBRIEN.
• Hyphens are removed, so a double-barrelled surname runs together as a single word.
• Ampersands are dropped rather than replaced, so "Mr & Mrs" becomes MR MRS.
• Numbers are removed, so a name followed by an age or year shows just the name.
• Extra spaces collapse to a single space between your two words.

For most names this changes nothing at all. Where it does, have a look at the preview: if a converted name looks odd to you, a simpler version such as the surname alone is often the cleaner choice.

Name Ideas That Print Beautifully

Short and clean tends to beat long and fussy. With that in mind, here are the kinds of names that work well, grouped by the feel they create.

First names

The simplest and often the most moving option. A first name such as LUNA spelled out in rivers and coastlines makes an unusual nursery or bedroom print that grows up with the person. Nicknames work just as well, and are often shorter, which suits the layout.

Surnames

A surname alone, such as BENNETT, has a quietly classic look. It suits a hallway or a study, and works as a gift for a whole household without singling anyone out.

"The" plus a surname

THE BENNETTS works so well because it immediately reads as a family. The short "THE" sits on its own row above the surname, which gives the print a pleasing shape.

A title and surname

MR JONES brings a touch of personality. Titles like this are lovely for weddings, for a favourite teacher, or for a desk at work.

Matching the Name to the Occasion

The right name often follows from the moment you are marking. Here are a few pairings that tend to land well.

A new baby

A newborn's first name is the obvious starting point. It is usually short, it is brand new to the family, and it gives the nursery a piece of real Earth imagery rather than another cartoon print. For more ideas along these lines, see our guide to gifts for new parents.

A couple's first home

A shared surname, or THE plus the surname, makes a thoughtful wall piece for a couple who have just moved in together. It celebrates the household rather than the address, which keeps it personal wherever they live next. Our housewarming gift guide covers how it sits alongside other personalised options.

A milestone birthday

For an 18th, 40th or 70th, the recipient's first name is the strongest option. Because numbers are not printed, mark the age in your card or gift message instead.

A wedding or retirement

MR JONES, or the couple's new shared surname with THE in front, suits a wedding. For a retirement, a title and surname has the right mix of warmth and ceremony.

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Short and clean tends to beat long and fussy: fewer letters means each landscape is shown larger.

Landscape Layout and Two Rows

Every Your Name From Orbit print is landscape, so it hangs wider than it is tall. A single name runs in one line across the centre. A two-word name stacks onto two rows, the first word above the second, which is why short-plus-long pairs like THE BENNETTS and MR JONES look so balanced.

The imagery itself comes from two of the world's great Earth-observation programmes: NASA and USGS Landsat, and ESA's Copernicus Sentinel-2. Each print carries the credit NASA/USGS · ESA Copernicus. If you would like to know more about the satellites, read what Landsat satellite imagery is and how it works, or browse five places Landsat changed our understanding of Earth.

One thing worth being clear about: each letter shows a natural feature somewhere on the planet, and any coordinates relate to that feature, not to the recipient's home or town. This is a gift about a name. If you would rather celebrate a particular place, a personalised location map is designed for exactly that.

Because the print is landscape, it works well as a single statement piece above furniture, or as the wide anchor in a mixed arrangement. Our gallery wall layout ideas show how a landscape print can sit alongside portrait pieces.

A Quick Check Before You Order

Run through these five points and you will be confident in your choice:

1. Spelling. Check it letter by letter, especially for names with unusual spellings.
2. Letter count. Twelve letters or fewer, not counting the space.
3. Two words maximum. Trim any three-word phrase down to two.
4. Letters only. Anything else will be removed, so check the preview reads the way you expect.
5. Who it is for. A first name for one person, a surname or THE plus surname for a household.

Once you are happy, you can design your Your Name From Orbit print and check the preview before you order.

Sizes and Prices

Your Name From Orbit comes in five sizes: A4, 30 x 40 cm, 40 x 50 cm, 50 x 70 cm and 60 x 80 cm. Unframed prints range from £21.99 to £69.99, framed prints from £36.98 to £119.98, and canvas from £49.99 to £99.99 (canvas is available from A4 up to 50 x 70 cm). Frames come in Black, White and Natural at every size, with Dark Brown at A4, 30 x 40 cm and 40 x 50 cm.

Framed prints are wrapped and boxed, canvas is boxed ready to hang, unframed A4 ships flat in a rigid cardboard mailer, and larger unframed sizes are rolled in a sturdy cardboard tube. Orders placed by 3pm on a working day (Monday to Friday) are dispatched the same day, with canvas usually leaving the next working day. UK delivery by Royal Mail Tracked 48 is free, and you can check typical arrival times on our delivery times page.

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