Button, Badge, Pin Badge or Round Badge — What Are They Actually Called Around the World?
Search for a button in the USA and you'll find a round pinback disc. Search for a badge in the UK and you've found the exact same thing. Ask in Australia for a pin badge — identical product, different name on the label.
That small circular disc with a pin on the back is probably the most universally recognised, yet most differently named, personalised item in the world. If you've ever been confused by why the same object goes by so many names depending on which country's websites you're browsing — this post clears it all up.
And if you're looking to design your own — My Badge Studio offers fully adjustable, ready-to-use badge templates so you can get your design exactly right before sending it to any printer, anywhere in the world.
In the USA: It's Called a Button
In the United States, the classic circular pinback item is called a button — full stop. Campaign buttons, band buttons, protest buttons. Americans have used this word since the 1890s when early celluloid pinback discs were first manufactured and marketed as "buttons."
The name never changed. US print shops, Etsy sellers, and promotional suppliers all list them as buttons. If you told someone in Chicago you wanted "badges," they'd likely picture a police credential or an ID lanyard — not the little round pins you had in mind.
In the UK and Europe: It's a Badge
Cross the Atlantic and the language flips entirely. In the United Kingdom and across most of Europe, the same pinback disc is a badge — always has been.
British kids collect badges. Bands sell badges at gigs. Political campaigns hand them out by the thousand. Saying "button" in this context would genuinely confuse most people in Birmingham, Belfast, or Berlin.
There's no technical difference whatsoever. A UK badge and a US button are made on the same type of press machine, with the same components, to the same dimensions.
The Bridge Term: Button Badge
Because so much shopping and designing now happens across borders, many suppliers and template platforms use the combined term button badge.
It's a deliberate middle ground. "Button badge" is understood clearly in the UK, USA, Australia, Canada, and beyond. It removes the ambiguity — you won't accidentally land on ID badge holders or sheriff stars when you search it.
My Badge Studio uses this term across its template library precisely because our users come from all over the world. Whether you're designing in Dallas or Dublin, button badge template means the same thing to everyone.
Pin Badge: Emphasising the Fastening
Pin badge is particularly popular in the UK, Ireland, and Australia. The word "pin" highlights the fastening mechanism — the butterfly clutch or safety pin on the back that attaches the badge to clothing or a bag.
In the collector and fan merchandise world, "pin badge" is especially common. Enamel pin badges, printed pinback badges, acrylic pin badges — all variations of the same circular format.
Round Badge: All About the Shape
Round badge is used mainly to distinguish the circular format from square, rectangular, or custom-shaped alternatives. When a product listing says "round badges, square badges, and heart-shaped badges," the round version is simply the classic circle.
Round badges are by far the most popular format globally — circles are the easiest to press, the most comfortable to wear, and the most forgiving shape for artwork and logos. My Badge Studio's round badge templates come in all standard sizes and are fully adjustable — resize, recolour, swap fonts, and drop in your own artwork without needing any design experience.
| Name | Where It's Common | What It Emphasises |
|---|---|---|
| Button | USA, Canada | American English tradition |
| Badge | UK, Europe, Australia | British English tradition |
| Button badge | Global / international | Works everywhere |
| Pin badge | UK, Ireland, Australia | The pin fastening on the back |
| Round badge | Global | The circular shape |
Why It Matters When You're Designing
It matters most when you're searching for templates or inspiration online. Searching "button template" in the US returns very different results to searching "badge template" in the UK — even though both users want to design the same thing.
At My Badge Studio, our template library is built to serve everyone regardless of what you call it. Whether you're looking for a button template, a badge template, a pin badge template, or a round badge template — you'll find fully adjustable designs ready to customise and download, compatible with the artwork requirements of printers worldwide.
One object. Four names. Endless design possibilities.
Whatever you call it where you are, My Badge Studio has a template for it — fully adjustable, printer-ready, and built for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a difference between a button and a badge?
Technically, no. In the USA and Canada, the term 'button' is used for circular pinback items. In the UK, Europe, and Australia, they are called 'badges'. They are made on identical machines using identical components.
What is a pinback button?
A pinback button is the technical term often used in the USA to describe a circular disc with a safety pin or wire fastening on the back, distinguishing it from clothing buttons used for fasteners.