Definition of vanity (n)

Bing Dictionary – van·i·ty

[ vánnətee ]

1. excessive pride: excessive pride, especially in personal appearance
2. something somebody is vain about: an instance or source of excessive pride
3. futility: the state or fact of being futile, worthless, or empty of significance

So why do they call a really cool license plate that matches the automobile or motorcycle a Vanity Plate? If adding something really cool to what is already a really cool vehicle is vanity, then why only the plate? Why not vanity lights, vanity panniers, vanity windscreens or a vanity GPS?

According to Wikipedia there were 14,980,046 vehicles registered in Canada with vanity plates in 2006. Obviously there are many vanity plates issued that are no longer on vehicles. Apparently Ontario has the highest percentage of vanity plate penetration at 4.59%. Funny enough, vanity plates are issued in every state of the United States and every province in Canada except for Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador. Quebec was scheduled to start but encountered a computer problem and never did.

Additionally, each state and province has rules about what can go on a vanity plate. Generally they can not be offensive.

Other countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia also issue vanity plates.

I just received a picture of my latest Vanity plate installed on my new BMW F700 GS from Adam Hancock, Sales at BMW Endras Motorrad. That will make two vanity plates registered to me, one for my Abarth C and the other for the BMW F-700 GS.

The one thing I do not understand is that they charge the same for a motorcycle vanity plate ($250.00) and you get only one plate that is half the size of an automobile vanity plate whereby you get two plates.