I’m sure you remember the tireless days, weeks, and months you spent picking out the perfect name for your baby.
The hundreds and thousands of names you considered before finding exactly the right one.
Not just any name puzzle will do. For your child’s name — you deserve the best!
Get ready for a coast-to-coast road trip exploring only the best personalized name puzzles made in USA.
If you’ve been disappointed by other reviews, let me show you America’s most unique name puzzle styles and top-quality name puzzle companies.
Scout’s honor — we’ll find you the most memorable gift you’ll ever give your baby or toddler — a name puzzle that perfectly matches your little one’s personality!
For the best wooden toys made in America — you’ve come to the right place.
Rainbow letters are just the beginning. Let’s jump right in!
Affiliate Link Disclosure – If you see a product you like and click through to buy it, I would genuinely appreciate it. I may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you. It would mean a lot, thanks!
Who makes the best wooden name puzzle?
For those of you in a hurry — here’s your fast track to a top-quality American made personalized wooden name puzzle:
- South Bend Woodworks – Best Name Puzzle With Pegs
- Fat Brain Toys – Budget Name Puzzle Made-In-USA
- Smiling Tree Toys – Best Natural Wood Name Puzzle
- From Jennifer – Best Hardwood Name Puzzle
- Bloom Owl – Best Floral Letters Name Puzzle
- Made To Cut – Best Name Puzzle With Animals
- Little Wooden Wonders – Stand-Up Wooden Name Puzzle
- Damhorst Toys – Best Wooden Name Puzzle Stool
1. South Bend Woodworks – Best Name Puzzle With Pegs
Made in Indiana
Featured Product: Custom Wooden Name Puzzle With Pegs (Check price on Amazon & Etsy)
- Price: $$$ (Average)
- Number of letters: Up to 12
- Number of lines: 1 to 3
- Colors: Primary, Pastel, Pinks & Whites, or Blues & Whites
- Wood: Baltic Birch
Affordable, quality, colorful, and American-made in the heart of the Midwest — South Bend Woodworks comes highly recommended. They offer simply amazing wooden name puzzles with pegs — but to say that’s all they’re good for would be a gross misrepresentation.
Search far and wide for a company whose core product is name puzzles — and you’ll still only come up with South Bend. Located in Indiana, it’s a small collective of passionate craftsmen with hundreds of years of combined woodworking experience.
Technically, their puzzles are handmade — because a South Bend woodworker sees the toy through from start to completion — but their sizable local shop is stocked with modern woodworking equipment to deliver the high-precision heirloom-quality results.
Truly, it’s the sweet spot between a personal touch and industrious ingenuity.
Southbend takes one-of-a-kind to the next level with virtually every facet of personalization you’d ever think of from a name puzzle.
Choose a wooden name puzzle with knobs — or none. With a whimsical or sports-themed emblem piece — or none. With one, two, or three separate lines — think first, middle, and last name! With a custom engraved message on the back — to make a lasting memory. And in the color palette that tickles your fancy — primary colors for boys, pastel colors for girls, and other contemporary color combinations for a modern feel.
All that at a reasonable price! For just pennies or dollars more — compared to Fat Brain Toys’ budget option (below) — you just get a higher quality product, from a company with deeper name puzzle expertise, and a customization experience that’ll make your purchase truly one-of-a-kind.
South Bend is a trendsetter in the personalized wooden name puzzle space — and they deserve their place as my first recommendation.
→ See more toys from South Bend Woodworks on Amazon & Etsy.
→ See what other toys Indiana has to offer.
2. Fat Brain Toys – Budget Name Puzzle Made-In-USA
Made in USA
Featured Product: Personalized Wooden Name Puzzle (Check price on Amazon & Etsy)
- Price: $$ (Somewhat inexpensive)
- Number of letters: Up to 9
- Number of lines: 1 only
- Colors: Rainbow
- Wood: Undisclosed
Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska — Fat Brain Toys is almost a household name when it comes to educational toys, games, and gifts. As a toy retailer, manufacturer, and designer with both online and offline storefronts, they do it all. They boast one of the largest selections of American-made toys, and stock toys made all around the world, too. Fat Brain Toys is huge.
As far as business success goes, Fat Brain Toys is a case study some C-level MBA program is raving about. That’s all good and well, but out of tens of thousands of toys — they only offer one personalizable wooden name puzzle.
So, for some shoppers — you lose out on that magical story of a small handmade toy company you connect with. While they do promise their toys are made in America — when a toy company gets this big, it’s quite likely they outsource their manufacturing and package it under the Fat Brain Toy brand.
Fat Brain Toys’ personalized wooden name puzzle is pretty much the standard — uppercase-only rainbow letters with a plain wood base. It’s made from high-quality wood — yet, exactly what kind of wood remains undisclosed.
The letters come in a random assortment of colors — and are coated on both sides of each letter, which is nice. A deal-breaker for some: you can’t choose your colors — you just get a “random rainbow”.
→ See more toys from Fat Brain Toys on Amazon & Etsy.
→ See other toys from Nebraska.
3. Smiling Tree Toys – Best Natural Wood Name Puzzle
Made in Minnesota
Featured Product: Natural Wood Custom Name Puzzle (Check price on Amazon & Etsy)
- Price: $$$$ (Somewhat pricey)
- Number of letters: Up to 9
- Number of lines: 1 only
- Colors: (N/A, natural wood)
- Wood: Maple letters with walnut base
Smiling Tree Toys is a fun-loving, tree-hugging family business — operating out of a red barn woodshop in rural Minnesota — where their team of four designs, makes, and ships every single toy.
The brand focuses solely on all-natural wooden toys and uses organic camelina oil and beeswax to finish their products the natural way. From baby teethers to toddler blocks and beyond, Smiling Tree Toys takes a refreshing back-to-basics approach — with unpainted hardwood toys, personalized engravings, and creative customizations.
You can tell Smiling Tree Toys’ personalized name puzzles are different at first sight. Its letters are made of light-colored maple, and its base is made of dark-colored walnut — making for a bold contrast emphasizing the wood’s natural beauty.
Even beyond spelling your child’s name, you can add a custom engraved message on the back of the puzzle — to send loving words your child will remember into adulthood. You can even add a custom puzzle shape — like a truck, airplane, or dinosaur — whichever fits your little one’s personality.
→ See more from Smiling Tree Toys on Amazon & Etsy.
→ See other toys made in Minnesota.
4. From Jennifer – Best Hardwood Name Puzzle
Made in Missouri
Featured Product: Hardwood Personalized Name Puzzle (Check price on Etsy)
- Price: $$$$ (Somewhat pricey)
- Number of letters: Up to 15
- Number of lines: 1 only
- Colors: (N/A, natural wood)
- Wood: Walnut Letters with maple base, Maple Letters with walnut base, Cherry Letters with maple base
From Jennifer’s line of quality-crafted Montessori-inspired toys carry a similar natural appeal as the Smiling Tree Toys we looked at just a moment ago.
What sets them apart? Made in Missouri, From Jennifer focuses on educational value and hardwood variety — perfect for environmentally-conscious at-home educators who love the luster of unpainted wood.
From Jennifer lets you select exactly the kind of wood you want to be used for your name puzzle — black walnut, light maple, reddish cherry. A smidge more pricey than Smiling Tree Toys’, but for true wooden toy connoisseurs, it’s a small price to pay.
That means you can pick light wood letters a with dark wood base — or dark wood letters with a light base.
For names longer than 9 letters long, you’re out of luck with Smiling Tree Toys’ — but From Jennifer’s got you covered for up to 15 letters. So, if your little boy’s name is Christophermich, you’re in luck!
Furthermore, with From Jennifer, both lowercase and uppercase letters are fair game. By contrast, the other name puzzles we’ve looked at so far only allow for uppercase. So if your little girl’s name is McKenna, you’ve stumbled on gold!
→ See more toys From Jennifer on Etsy.
→ See what other toys Missouri has to offer.
5. Bloom Owl – Best Floral Letters Name Puzzle
Made in New York
Featured Product: Floral Pattern Personalized Wooden Name Puzzle (Check price on Amazon & Etsy)
- Price: $$ (Somewhat inexpensive)
- Number of letters: Up to 11
- Number of lines: 1 only
- Colors: Pick your favorite floral pattern (Pink, Purple, or Grey)
- Wood: Baltic birch
Once in a while, a wooden toy maker comes around — who takes a classic toy and adds an ultra-modern touch. Hailing from New York — that’s Bloom Owl with a line of contemporary custom name puzzles with delightful floral pattern letters.
Whether you fancy classic roses or vibrant tropical flowers — Bloom Owl’s letters are shaped with a unique font and finished with a trendy floral print — from a mix of non-toxic paint, eco-friendly ink, and a food-grade wood sealer.
With Bloom Owl, you’ll miss out on the add-ons other name puzzle makers offer — like custom engraving, lowercase letters, and hardwood options — but for a design-centric mommy and baby pair — that probably doesn’t matter.
For a trendy toddler gift or nifty nursery warming present — Bloom Owl’s bringing the high style of Upstate New York to the world of personalized wooden toys.
→ See more toys from Bloom Owl on Amazon & Etsy.
→ See other toys from New York.
6. Made To Cut – Best Name Puzzle With Animals & Nature Theme
Made in Arizona
Featured Product: Kids’ Dyed Animals Name Puzzle (Check price on Etsy)
- Price: $$$ (Average)
- Number of letters: Up to 11
- Number of lines: 1 only
- Colors: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, Rainbow
- Wood: Birch
It’s no coincidence that families who love wooden toys also tend to extra-appreciate the wonders of the natural world. What is peculiar is how Made To Cut — a wooden toy company based in the Arizona desert — created an entire line of animal-themed name puzzles!
I guess we all want what we can’t have — right? From farm animals to zoo animals, sea creatures, dinosaurs, flower petals, and more — Made To Cut makes toys featuring all the animals they’re missing out on in the barren desert.
You’ve probably noticed this birchwood toy’s unique color characteristics already. Made To Cut’s puzzles are stained with furniture-grade non-toxic dyes (not paint) — and the result just makes the toy feel all-the-more natural, doesn’t it?
You can pick your primary color — or go wild with a colorful rainbow! That’s just another thing that makes Made To Cut an attractive option.
Not to mention the tiny pegs to make picking up puzzle pieces that much easier for tiny hands. With animal puzzle shapes literally “made to cut” and dyed with your favorite color — Made To Cut’s nature-inspired name puzzles are a one-of-a-kind find.
→ See more toys from Made To Cut on Etsy.
→ See other local made Arizona toys.
7. Little Wooden Wonders – Stand-Up Wooden Name Puzzle
Made in Minnesota
Featured Product: Personalized Stand-Up Wooden Letter Puzzle (Check price on Amazon & Etsy)
- Price: $$$$ (Somewhat pricey)
- Number of letters: Up to 20
- Number of lines: 1 only
- Colors: (N/A, natural wood)
- Wood: Maple, Cherry, Walnut, Aspen
Here’s a curveball for you! If you thought that wooden name puzzles only laid flat — behold Little Wooden Wonders’ refreshing stand-up wooden name puzzle.
Out of frigid Minnesota, Little Wooden Wonders makes organic wood baby and toddler toys — safe, creative, and beautifully simplistic.
Just in general — wooden puzzles are so visually appealing, that after your little one puts the pieces together, they’re going to want to admire the finished work! Little Wooden Wonders’ stand-up puzzle makes just as good a play toy as it does a decoration in your child’s bedroom!
Handmade to order fine scroll-saw detailing — in your choice of fine-selected aspen, cherry, maple, or walnut wood — Little Wooden Wonders’ personalized wooden letter puzzle is a breath of fresh air — that’ll make an unforgettable nursery gift!
Plus, since you pay per letter — you might think about getting a set for the entire family to display on your living room mantle.
→ See more toys from Little Wooden Wonders on Amazon & Etsy.
→ See other toys Minnesota made toys.
8. Damhorst Toys – Best Wooden Name Puzzle Stool
Made in Missouri
Featured Product: Personalized Wooden Name Stool (Check price on Amazon & Etsy)
- Price: $$$$ (Somewhat pricey)
- Number of letters: Up to 14
- Number of lines: 1 only
- Colors: Rainbow, Pastel
- Wood: Ponderosa pine
Damhorst Toys is a second-generation Missouri family-owned business focusing solely on personalized wooden name stools, chairs, and step ladders for your little one’s formative early years. And in 2021, they’ve been in the business for exactly half a century.
One thing to take notice of — Damhorst Toys’ puzzle letters are patterned like a jigsaw puzzle. You’ll notice from the name puzzles we’ve looked at so far — the letters fit into the base individually, without overlap between the letters.
Jigsaw-style puzzle letters mean the letters are interlocking, like the table-top 1000-piece puzzles you’re used to. It takes a higher-level of hand-crafted care to make — that consequentially adds to the price tag.
Name puzzle stools run significantly more expensive than their name puzzle cousins — but considering the cost of heavy-duty materials — it comes at no surprise. Made from sturdy ponderosa pine with chunky 1.75 inch-thick jigsaw-style letters, Damhorst Toys’ toddler-sized furniture pieces are built to last.
The regular-sized stool is just the right size for your little one’s hiney — so that means a little less space for custom puzzle letters — you’re limited to a maximum of eight. Not all is lost, however — for kids with longer names, they’ve got a larger stool that can fit up to fourteen letters. Little Christofferson can rejoice!
The seat and legs are left unpainted and the letters are available in your choice of primary or pastel colors — non-toxic and water-based paint, of course. They’ll add a custom engraved message to the bottom of the stool for you, too!
→ See more from Damhorst Toys on Amazon & Etsy.
→ See what other toys Missouri has to offer.
Personalized Name Puzzles 101 – What To Look For
For a toy characterized by its simplicity — most people would have never guessed there’d be so many name puzzle styles, options, and extras
Shopping for a personalized wooden puzzle doesn’t need to be a “puzzling” endeavor.
Here’s a simple checklist so you can see how the pieces fit together.
Appropriate Age
Parental supervision is always advised — and most wooden toys are play-ready for ages 6 to 36 months. But when you buy is another story — custom wooden name puzzles are a particularly timely gift for a baby shower or first birthday.
Price Range
Depending on the wood type and the number of letters, expect a range between $25 and $100 for a good-quality puzzle. Top-quality hardwood — more durable and visually pleasing — may cost more.
Any lower than $25, and I’d avoid it. Remember, you’re child’s name is here to stay — shouldn’t the puzzle you choose to be built to last?
Type of Wood
As a wooden connoisseur, my top personal favorite puzzles are those made with different types of hardwood crafted into a single puzzle. For most families, most types of wood the toy company uses are do just fine.
It’s a red flag, however, when the toymaker neglects to disclose the wood type altogether. If the exact wood type is omitted from the product description, then “natural wood” usually means “low-quality wood you should avoid”.
Number of Lines
Most wooden name puzzles come with a single line — fit for your child’s first name. But you can also find puzzles with two or three lines — fit for your child’s middle and last names.
Number of Letters
Most name puzzles range from 6-11 letters per line — which makes sense since the average first name in America is about 6 letters long.
Number of letters is an important consideration regarding name puzzles — because it’s usually the longer the name, the more it will cost. The highest letter limit I’ve ever seen is up to 20 letters. Hint! That puzzle’s in the list.
Letter Case
Most name puzzles are limited to capital letters only. If you search hard enough, however, you can find some models that incorporate both uppercase and lowercase letters. Hint! I listed one in this post.
Letter Size
It’s more important than most people would think. Letter size dictates the height of the puzzle, and the number (and width) of letters dictates the width of the puzzle.
Since you’re shopping online, it’s not easy to determine how big the puzzle is from the photo. Especially for babies, avoid puzzles with tiny letters. A good size (which is about average) is 3 to 4 inch-tall puzzle letter pieces.
Letter Font
Letter font is the unspoken decision-maker when it comes to wooden name puzzles. Have you ever turned in a paper typed-up in a font you don’t like? Unless reluctantly, by requirement — probably not.
The trend I’ve seen is most puzzle makers offer just one font style. So it’s up to you to discover a brand with a puzzle letter typeface you appreciate.
Colors
Color comes down to preference. “Rainbow” is a popular color scheme for wooden name puzzles, and some sets offer pastel or designer color palettes to pick from. Hardwood name puzzles tend to remain unpainted in appreciation of the wood’s natural beauty. Certain puzzle makers let you choose your favorite primary color. Hint! I listed puzzles of all kinds of colors above.
Peg Handles
Name puzzles with pegs aren’t very common, but puzzle pegs (or knobs) do offer developmental benefits. They give your little one something to grasp, so it’s appropriate for older toddlers whose fine motor skills have developed to a point — for example — they’re beginning to be able to hold a kid’s spoon.
Engraving
Engraving one of wooden toys’ main attractions. An “I love you” message that’ll stay with your child into adulthood? What’s not to love?
In addition to spelling your child’s name with wooden puzzle pieces — an engraving on the back of your puzzle makes it an even more personalized heirloom item to be cherished for a lifetime. A few puzzles I mentioned above are ready to be custom engraved!
Puzzle Shapes
Beyond letters of the alphabet — some wooden puzzles let you pick from a set list of cutesy puzzle shapes to append on the beginning or end of your child’s name. It’s an added little something that makes the puzzle match your kiddo’s personality and interests — like animals, flowers, or vehicles. Whatever your little one likes!
Size of Company
Yep, lots of companies — both big and small — make wooden name puzzles.
It comes down to preference, but I tend to prefer small companies who’ve grown slightly beyond the family-only operations. It’s a good sign they make high-quality toys, yet still maintain the charm that made them unique in the first place.
Call me somewhat anti-cooperation — and you’d probably be right.
Place of Manufacture
No qualms here — we’re looking for American-made toys!
In Wooden Toys We Trust
Thanks for coming along with me on a grand tour of America’s best custom wooden name puzzles!
I understand how much time, effort, and love you put into picking your child’s name — and I hope today, I’ve made your search for the perfect name puzzle a little less puzzling.
I’d love to hear about your shopping journey, and I’m happy to answer any questions you might have. Let me know in the comments below!
