The origins of lanyards go way beyond the typical thought of holding your ID cards. Even though that’s among the most common uses, they still have been around for centuries. It was the French soldiers and privateers who first used these strings in the 15th century. It allowed them to keep their weapons close to them while climbing up their ships. The word lanyard actually originates from the French word ‘lanière’, which means ‘strap’. The original lanyards were simple straps that people used to tie around a weapon or a whistle.