diff --git a/docs/SMOKE_TEST.md b/docs/SMOKE_TEST.md
index 7c9bbd8..122493e 100644
--- a/docs/SMOKE_TEST.md
+++ b/docs/SMOKE_TEST.md
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ Use this checklist before a release or after changes to panel, pasteboard, setti
 30. Confirm the Pinned empty state points to the Pin action instead of a plain-key shortcut.
 31. Confirm each card's source or type badge reads as an attached header-corner tile instead of a small floating icon.
 32. Confirm built-in collection chips use recognizable glyphs, while custom collection chips keep color-dot swatches.
+33. Confirm cards from known apps show app identity in the header tile, falling back to source initials when an app icon is unavailable.
 
 ## Copy And Paste
 
diff --git a/sources/clipbored/views/ClipboardPanelView.swift b/sources/clipbored/views/ClipboardPanelView.swift
index de1f4bb..f10026b 100644
--- a/sources/clipbored/views/ClipboardPanelView.swift
+++ b/sources/clipbored/views/ClipboardPanelView.swift
@@ -1375,6 +1375,10 @@ final class ClipboardPanelView: NSVisualEffectView, NSSearchFieldDelegate {
     cardViews.map(\.debugHeaderBadgeSymbol)
   }
 
+  var debugCardHeaderBadgeTexts: [String] {
+    cardViews.map(\.debugHeaderBadgeText)
+  }
+
   var debugFirstCardHeaderTitle: String {
     cardViews.first?.debugHeaderTitle ?? ""
   }
@@ -2724,6 +2728,7 @@ private final class ClipboardItemCardView: NSView, NSDraggingSource {
   private(set) var debugPreviewSummary = ""
   private(set) var debugPreviewStyle = ""
   private(set) var debugHeaderBadgeSymbol = ""
+  private(set) var debugHeaderBadgeText = ""
   private(set) var debugHeaderTitle = ""
   private(set) var debugHeaderSubtitle = ""
   private(set) var debugHeaderColorHex = ""
@@ -2941,6 +2946,16 @@ private final class ClipboardItemCardView: NSView, NSDraggingSource {
     return text
   }
 
+  private static func sourceMonogram(from value: String?) -> String? {
+    guard let text = presentSourceText(value) else { return nil }
+    let words = text
+      .components(separatedBy: CharacterSet.alphanumerics.inverted)
+      .map(\.clipboardTrimmed)
+      .filter { !$0.isEmpty }
+    let initials = words.prefix(2).compactMap(\.first).map { String($0).uppercased() }.joined()
+    return initials.isEmpty ? nil : initials
+  }
+
   private func availableCollectionNames() -> [String] {
     var names: [String] = []
     var seen = Set<String>()
@@ -4042,6 +4057,9 @@ private final class ClipboardItemCardView: NSView, NSDraggingSource {
     badge.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
     if let bundleId = item.sourceAppBundleId,
        let appURL = NSWorkspace.shared.urlForApplication(withBundleIdentifier: bundleId) {
+      #if DEBUG
+      debugHeaderBadgeText = ""
+      #endif
       let icon = NSImageView(image: NSWorkspace.shared.icon(forFile: appURL.path))
       icon.imageScaling = .scaleProportionallyUpOrDown
       icon.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
@@ -4052,7 +4070,28 @@ private final class ClipboardItemCardView: NSView, NSDraggingSource {
         icon.topAnchor.constraint(equalTo: badge.topAnchor, constant: headerBadgeIconInset),
         icon.bottomAnchor.constraint(equalTo: badge.bottomAnchor, constant: -headerBadgeIconInset)
       ])
+    } else if let monogram = Self.sourceMonogram(from: itemSourceAppName) {
+      #if DEBUG
+      debugHeaderBadgeText = monogram
+      #endif
+      let label = NSTextField(labelWithString: monogram)
+      label.font = .systemFont(ofSize: layout.isCompact ? 15 : 17, weight: .heavy)
+      label.textColor = accentColor(for: item.kind)
+      label.alignment = .center
+      label.lineBreakMode = .byClipping
+      label.maximumNumberOfLines = 1
+      label.setAccessibilityLabel(itemSourceAppName ?? monogram)
+      label.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
+      badge.addSubview(label)
+      NSLayoutConstraint.activate([
+        label.leadingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: badge.leadingAnchor, constant: headerBadgeIconInset),
+        label.trailingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: badge.trailingAnchor, constant: -headerBadgeIconInset),
+        label.centerYAnchor.constraint(equalTo: badge.centerYAnchor)
+      ])
     } else {
+      #if DEBUG
+      debugHeaderBadgeText = ""
+      #endif
       let image = NSImage(systemSymbolName: headerBadgeSymbol(for: item.kind), accessibilityDescription: kindLabel(for: item.kind))
         ?? NSImage(systemSymbolName: "doc.on.clipboard", accessibilityDescription: kindLabel(for: item.kind))
         ?? NSImage()
diff --git a/tests/clipboredtests/ClipboardPanelViewTests.swift b/tests/clipboredtests/ClipboardPanelViewTests.swift
index 680610d..743c9dd 100644
--- a/tests/clipboredtests/ClipboardPanelViewTests.swift
+++ b/tests/clipboredtests/ClipboardPanelViewTests.swift
@@ -632,10 +632,24 @@ final class ClipboardPanelViewTests: XCTestCase {
 
   func testCardHeaderUsesKindSymbolBadgeWhenSourceIconIsUnavailable() {
     let fixture = makePanelFixture()
-    fixture.store.upsert(makeItem(kind: .url, text: "https://example.com", store: fixture.store))
+    var item = makeItem(kind: .url, text: "https://example.com", store: fixture.store)
+    item.sourceApp = nil
+    fixture.store.upsert(item)
     drainMainQueue()
 
     XCTAssertEqual(fixture.view.debugCardHeaderBadgeSymbols, ["link"])
+    XCTAssertEqual(fixture.view.debugCardHeaderBadgeTexts, [""])
+  }
+
+  func testCardHeaderUsesSourceMonogramWhenAppIconIsUnavailable() {
+    let fixture = makePanelFixture()
+    var item = makeTextItem("Copied from a named app", store: fixture.store)
+    item.sourceApp = "Arc Browser"
+
+    fixture.store.upsert(item)
+    drainMainQueue()
+
+    XCTAssertEqual(fixture.view.debugCardHeaderBadgeTexts, ["AB"])
   }
 
   func testCollectionRailShowsLiveCounts() {