There’s something about naming your camper van that makes it feel official — like the moment your family road trips stop being “just trips” and start becoming a story.
When we first brought home our Winnebago Solis 59PX, we were giddy. The kids explored every drawer like it was treasure, my husband was already figuring out how to fit the bikes in the back, and I was thinking about what to stock in the little kitchen. But as we parked it in the driveway for the first time, we all said the same thing:
“This thing needs a name.”
That’s how our journey to choosing the perfect personalized license plate began — a small detail that somehow captures the spirit of the adventures ahead.
🧠 Step 1: Brainstorm What Your Van Means to You
Before you start playing with letters and abbreviations, think about what your camper van represents.
For some, it’s freedom. For others, it’s family. For us, it was a mix of both — the chance to slow down, explore, and rediscover the joy in small, everyday adventures.
We asked ourselves:
- What do we want this van to remind us of?
- What feeling do we get every time we turn the key?
- How do we want others to see our travels?
That conversation became our compass.
📝 Step 2: Make a List of Keywords That Capture That Feeling
Here’s the fun part — gather words and phrases that reflect your van’s story. It helps to involve the whole family (kids are shockingly creative when it comes to names).
Our first list looked something like this:
- Adventure
- Wander
- Joy
- Freedom
- Road
- Magic
- Family
- Home
Then we started playing around with mash-ups, shortening words, and imagining how they’d look on a plate.
Example ideas:
- WANDRLY – for those who live by curiosity.
- LIVFREE – simple, bold, and timeless.
- CAMPJOY – equal parts cozy and cheerful.
- ONTHERD – the perfect double meaning for vanlifers.
- FAMVIBE – for those traveling with laughter and snacks in tow.
We quickly realized: the right plate makes people smile when they see it. That became our goal.
💡 Step 3: Check Availability (and Get Creative!)
Here’s where reality hits — most short, catchy ideas are already taken. But don’t give up! You can tweak words, swap vowels, or combine concepts.
For example:
- “Adventure” might become ADVNTRE or ADVNTRS.
- “Van life” could become VNLYF, MYVAN, or LVNTHEVAN.
- “Road trip” turns into ROADTRP, TRIPIN, or ROAMON.
Many states have online search tools that let you test plate availability before submitting. We spent a few evenings playing with combinations, laughing over the bad ones, and saving the good ones. In Colorado, you can use: https://coloradolicenseplate.com.
When you go to the DMV to register for the name, be prepared that you might need a few options. For example, in Colorado we were required to provide a minimum of 2 options.
🚐 Step 4: The One That Stuck — RADVNRT
After weeks of debate and a few too many coffee-fueled brainstorming sessions, we finally landed on RADVNRT — short for Rad Adventurer.
It felt like us.
It’s fun and a little bold, like the mix of hiking boots and flip-flops that always seem to pile by the van door. It also captures the spirit we wanted to pass to our kids — that life is meant to be explored with curiosity, gratitude, and a little bit of edge.
Now, every time we pull into a new trailhead or campground, RADVNRT gets a nod or a smile from another traveler. It’s a conversation starter, a marker of who we are on the road, and a tiny piece of our story — etched in metal.
💭 Step 5: Make It Personal to You
If you’re thinking about getting a personalized plate for your own camper van, here are a few tips to make it meaningful:
- Keep it short & readable: You only have 6–8 characters — make every one count.
- Think about longevity: Will this name still make sense 5 years from now?
- Avoid overused terms: “WANDR” and “CAMPER” might already be taken. Try something playful or unique to your family.
- Test it out loud: If it sounds awkward when you say it, it might not feel right on the road.
- Make it a family decision: Kids love helping choose — and it makes them feel part of the adventure.
🌄 The Eve of Adventure Moment
When the plates finally arrived in the mail and we bolted them onto the camper van, it felt like the van was officially ours.
That’s the power of a name — or in this case, a plate. It turns a vehicle into a memory maker, a reflection of your family’s story on wheels.
Your turn: What name or phrase would capture your family’s adventures?
Drop your ideas in the comments — because I’d love to see what stories are waiting to hit the road next.
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