Bermudians are showing off family pride and team spirit with the introduction of personalised license plates for private cars in 2001.

Most of the personal license plate applications involve the names, initials or nicknames of the private car owners, said Director of the Transport Control Department Kevin Monkman.

Some people shortened their last names to fit on the plates. For example there are plates that read "ABBA", or "OB1" for Outerbridge. Others include their first initials with their last names, such as "ZGEVE". Others only use their initials, "DMK", or their first names, "EMMA".

Not all the license plates are completely devoid of numbers, however. One example lists not only the family name, but the number of people in the family: "EVANS 4". Others include lucky numbers, such as this example that also contains the owner's initials: "CC 37".

Nicknames such as "MONTY" are often present amongst the license plates. And some Bermudian men are telling the Island of their devotion to their wives by putting their wife's name on their plate, such as one reading "DEBZ".

But, as the license plates prove, Bermuda's car owners are proud of more than simply their wives, and believe in more than the power of lucky numbers.

Tributes to sports teams can be seen flashing on car bumpers, such as a plate reading "CELTIC" in honour of Scottish football champions Glasgow Celtic.

And others are taking a scientific approach to the personalising of their license plate by choosing registrations such as "QUANTUM".

Personalised license plates can be applied for through TCD. There is an initial fee, says Mr. Monkman, of $103 ($70 for the license fee, and $33 as a registration fee).

There is also an annual fee after that of $70, though it should be noted that there is no fee after the initial fee for regular license plates. Gift certificates for personalised plates, Mr. Monkman added, are also available through TCD.