Named. A medallic item bearing the name of the recipient. The name can be incuse – as inscribed, acid etched or machine engraved – or it may be raised, as in cutaway engraving or by insert die; it may appear on either side of the medal or on the edge; it may be in the field or often within a cartouche. The intent of the designer is always considered when a piece is later inscribed; the design will usually indicate where a name is to be located – a reserve – the style of lettering, and the length, as some long names need to be abbreviated. Names on decorations and some award medals, particularly British, are engraved on the edge; the style of such lettering is such to identify the period, as almost which engraver did the work.

Where the recipient has removed his name – called obliterated name – as if he is embarrassed for prosperity to know that he won the award, this is also the first step for a piece to be renamed – where a second person (entitled to the award) replaces the original name with his own.

In addition to the medallic item being named, presentation cases are sometimes named, usually gold or silver stamped on the lid; such an item is called named case.

While ribbons support medals, they are never named, but often they are attached to a header which will have a means of inserting a card upon which a name can be typed or handwritten; such an item is called a named header or name card holder. It usually has the pinback to be attached to a garment, the ribbon and pendant medal are suspended from the pinback.