Personalised Birthday Gifts: Phone Cases and Tote Bags With Their Name On

Four finished decorated phone cases in open gift boxes

Birthday gift guide

A birthday gift with her name on it.

The best personalised birthday gifts are the ones she carries every day. At The Charmé Edit there are two ways to do it: a charm phone case with her initials, birth date or star sign set in by hand, or an organic cotton tote bag with her name spelled out in patches. Both are made to order in London, and both say you thought about her, not just the date.

Design a birthday case

Flowers last a week and candles burn down. A phone case or a tote bag gets used every single day, and when it has her name, her initials or her star sign on it, it reminds her of you every time. Here's how to choose between the two, what to put on each, and ideas for every age.

Phone case or tote bag?

  • Choose a phone case if…she loves jewellery, sparkle and small details, and you know her phone model.
  • Choose a tote if…she's always carrying a laptop, gym kit or shopping, or you don't know her phone model.
  • Choose both if…it's a big birthday. See our guide to a matching phone case and tote gift set.

How to put together a matching phone case and tote gift set

White charm phone case with gold hearts, a key and initial charms

How to personalise a phone case

Our charm cases are decorated by hand with charms, pearls, shells and pendants set into gel. To make one personal, add:

  • Her initials in gold letter charms.
  • Her birth date or age in number charms, a nice touch for a 21st, 30th or 40th.
  • Her star sign with a zodiac charm.
  • Her favourite things, from cherries and bows to moons, shells or a little heart.

Our beginner’s guide to charm layouts shows how to place them.

Charms that make it hers

Gold letter charms for adding initials to a phone caseLetter charmsNumber charms for a birthday or anniversary dateNumber charmsZodiac star sign charms for a personalised phone caseZodiac charmsHeart and bow charms for a pink phone caseHeart & BowLover Girl charms in soft goldLover GirlGold moon, star and sun charmsGold Moon, Star, Sun

Design their phone caseBrowse all charms

Cream tote bag personalised with the name FRAN in letter patches

How to personalise a tote bag

Open the tote customiser, choose Cream White, Olive Green or Deep Navy, then drag and drop patches onto the bag. Spell her name in A to Z letter patches across the front pocket and add five to nine patches around one theme she loves. We heat-press everything for you, so it arrives finished.

For themes to copy, see our custom tote bag ideas.

Patches for her name and her hobbies

A to Z letter patches for a name on a tote bagLetter patchesHot matcha drink patchHot MatchaTennis ball and racket patchTennis Ball & RacketTravel suitcase patchTravel SuitcaseDapper dachshund dog patchDapper DachshundCherries and bow patchCherries & Bow

Design their toteBrowse all patches

Birthday ideas by age

  • Teens.A phone case with her initial and a few pink charms, or a school tote with her name on it.
  • 18th and 21st.Her age in number charms on a sparkly case. Our Strawberries & Cream and Eros Light designs are popular starting points.
  • 30th.A jewelled case with her star sign and gold pendants, plus a pearl phone strap.
  • 40th and beyond.A tote with her name and patches for the things she loves, like tennis, coffee, travel or her dog.
  • Any age.Her best friend's initials next to hers, as a reminder of who it's from.

Ready-made designs you can personalise

Not sure where to start? Pick a curated design and add her initials to it:

Strawberries and Cream pink charm phone caseStrawberries & CreamEros Light pink romantic charm phone caseEros LightCeleste Key gold celestial charm phone caseCeleste Key (Gold)Sea Treasures shell and pearl charm phone caseSea Treasures

Shop curated designs

The one thing to check first: their phone model

A charm case is made for one exact phone model, so you'll need to know theirs. Check a photo of their phone, ask a friend, or look at their phone's settings next time it's on the table. If you can't find out without spoiling the surprise, a tote has no size to guess, or a gift card lets them pick the case themselves.

Making times to plan around

  • Charm phone casesMade to order by hand in London in 4 to 7 working days, then shipped.
  • Personalised totesMade to order in London in 2 to 5 working days, then shipped.
  • DeliveryAdd shipping time for your country on top. If you're ordering both, plan around the longer one.
  • Short on time?A gift card is sent by email, and they choose their own design.

More gift ideas

Planning a different occasion? Read our personalised anniversary gift ideas, our gift ideas for a new mum or our leaving and thank-you gift ideas.

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What's a good personalised birthday gift for her?

A charm phone case with her initials, birth date or star sign, or an organic cotton tote with her name in letter patches. Both are things she'll use every day.

Can I add a name to a phone case?

Yes. Letter charms can spell initials or a short name. Number charms can add a date or age.

Do I need to know her phone model?

Yes, for a phone case. If you don't know it, choose a tote or a gift card instead.

Do I have to iron the patches onto the tote?

No. We heat-press every patch for you, so the tote arrives finished.

How long do personalised gifts take?

Phone cases are made in 4 to 7 working days and totes in 2 to 5 working days, then shipped.

Cream charm phone case with gold and red charms on a gold tray

Make her birthday gift personal

Design a phone case

Or design a tote bag