The Language of Number Plates

The Language of Number Plates

There are many different types of languages when looking at number plates. They include

1) Roman numerals

2) substituting letter or digit combinations with something that looks similar to words or

3) a combination of both techniques. Doubles or triples can also be used to great effect see (77 instead of 7 or AAA instead of A) to create appropriate combinations of number plates.

The use of Roman Numerals in Plate Design

Roman numerals are a numeral system of ancient Rome based on letters of the alphabet, which are combined to indicate the sum of their values. The main Roman numerals used when creating a car registration include V, X, L, and M. V, is the Roman symbol for 5, X means 10, L means 50, and M is 1,000. The Roman numeral that cannot be used in the language of plate speak is I meaning 1. However, in the language of number plates, I is replaced with 1 due to there visual similarity and meaning, this allows you can to create a larger range of birthday ages and lucky number combinations.

Substituting letter or Digit Combinations

The main idea behind substituted letters and numbers when designing a private number plate and vise versa is to trick the brain into seeing combinations of recognisable symbols. This happens because typically a person goes briefly blind up to 200 times a minute, each time the eyes move while looking at a scene as if in strobe light, with objects jumping around, the mind blends the images so they seem continuous. This is how the process of substituting letter or digit combinations works and the language of number plates was born.

The main list of replacements in plate design is shown below, but like any list it is not completely definitive. For example, the number 11 can represent the letters H, M, N or U and the number 2 can represent the letters R or Z.

You can create some excellent combinations of names and ages.  For example, a primary number plate of X1 JON has been sold or is currently not available, but by replacing O for D. You can create the combination X11 JDN .

Please use the below list and then complete our online search to see if your combination is available.

A list of Common Substitutes of Letter or Digit Combinations

•A » 4

•B » 8 or 13

•D » 0

•E » 3

•G » 6

•H » 11

•I » 1

•L » 1 or I

•N » 1V

•O » 0

•Q » 0 or O

•R » 12

•S » 5

•T » 7

•U » V

•V » U

•W » VV

•Y » 7

•0 » D or O

•1 » I or L

•3 » E

•4 » A

•5 » S

•6 » C or G or B

•7 » T or Y

•8 » A or B

•9 » G