Back-of-shirt nicknames for pairing up with friends: a roundup of recommended class T-shirt ideas

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

When making class T-shirts for sports festivals or cultural festivals, many people also add a name on the back.

Speaking of back names, the classic style is to put a name above the jersey number.

Recently, though, it’s become common to use nicknames, catchphrases, or even little jokes that make people chuckle.

There are surely many who want matching back names that pair up with close friends, too!

In this article, we’ll introduce ideas for paired back names that friends can use together.

Use them as inspiration to create class T-shirts that will make lasting memories.

Back-of-shirt pair nicknames for friends: Top class T-shirt ideas (1–10)

I love you / I know

These are paired phrases: one person expressing deep affection and the other responding calmly.

The gap in their emotional intensity comes through clearly in just a few words, which is a key source of humor.

The cool reply “I know” suggests they fully register the other’s affection and highlights the strength of their trust.

By contrasting the tones, the phrases convey a fun atmosphere between the two while also hinting at their personalities and the nature of their relationship.

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Character name

How about using back names borrowed from popular characters? For this idea, it’s good to choose characters who are depicted as a pair—like Woody and Buzz Lightyear as best friends, Goku and Vegeta as rivals, or the twin duo Guri and Gura.

It also sounds fun to spend time discussing together which characters to choose.

These back-name ideas can reveal the relationship between the two of you through the names on your backs.

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I’m trembling because I want to see you / Tremble on your own (for all I care)

It’s a phrase that quotes a famous lyric from a certain song and then delivers a biting retort to it.

The rising excitement—so intense it makes you tremble—gets undercut by a cold, dismissive line that draws laughter.

The stark contrast in the “temperature” of the two lines creates a light, playful mood and suggests an easygoing relationship between the two speakers.

Using this back-and-forth as a reference, it could be fun to put a bold phrase at the center and come up with laugh-inducing comeback words, or to develop it by linking phrases together in a flowing progression.

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Back-of-shirt nicknames to pair with a friend. Recommended class T-shirt ideas (11–20)

◯◯ is oxygen

This phrase compares a trusted, beloved person to oxygen—something essential for human life—to emphasize that they’re an indispensable part of your own life.

You can keep it short and simple by pairing it with a nickname, or use their full name to convey the weight of your love.

Because it evokes the feel of cheering for an idol, it’s important that the phrase communicates your enthusiasm for the event and a sense of strength directly.

If you structure it so that you both say this phrase to each other, it can embody the strong trust between you two.

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If you give up, the game is over right there.

This design is inspired by a famous line from the popular basketball-themed work Slam Dunk.

The key point is that the quote is deliberately split into two parts, expressing a bond in the way the line is only completed when the two come together.

You could also imagine variations where each person’s segment still makes sense on its own, or versions split into smaller parts for larger groups to make it more intricate.

Your taste will really be tested by which other lines you choose to include.

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I swore I’d be happy / I don’t care about the age gap! ♡

How about appealing your cuteness with phrases that evoke love? If the two of your phrases are connected, your feelings for each other will come through in the words, clearly showcasing your relationship.

If you can’t come up with your own phrases, quoting lyrics from your favorite love song could be a good idea.

Wearing a long sentence on your back will also effectively express your worldview and the strength of your feelings.

Using a love phrase that conveys determination will help show your enthusiasm for the event as well.

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my friend’s nickname

In sports, it’s standard to include a name and jersey number, but for events like school sports days or cultural festivals, you might want a more easygoing vibe.

In that case, we recommend a design with a nickname printed above the number.

A nickname written in hiragana gives off a laid-back feel and conveys a relaxed attitude toward the event.

You can use your own nickname, or wear each other’s with someone important to you to highlight your mutual trust.

To make it clear you’re a pair, it would help to add a shared accent besides just the text and number.

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