Monograms, lettermarks, wordmarks... what are they?

Many of the logos we see on a daily basis are comprised only of stylized text. 

So where does the term "monogram" come from? The “-gram” portion of the word comes from the Greek gramma, which refers to anything written by hand, whether that happened to be lines, shapes, or letters. “Mono-” comes from the Greek monos, which, of course, means “single” or “alone.”

Because of this etymology, I always expected monograms to refer exclusively to single-letter logos. The actual etymology is based on the concept that the monogram itself is a single culmination of multiple letters. So a “monogram” could be translated as “multiple written figures combined into a single symbol.”

That said, a monogram and a lettermark often refer to the same thing. In a personal context, monograms have historically been used to customize an object and to designate ownership. You may have seen monograms on handkerchiefs, stationary, or architecture.

​In a business context, monograms are often used as logos. Some notable examples are Louis Vuitton, Warner Brothers, and HBO. ​

Now, something important I would like to point out here: there is no official classification for these logo types. There is no agreed-upon authority for design terminology. As a result, there are lots of different opinions on how specifically we can classify logos. As a result, you can find articles on the "The 7 types of logos (and how to use them)" or the "5 Different Types of Logo Designs" or even "10 Types Of Logos And How To Use Them." The way I see it, the primary distinction between logo designs is their or exclusion of text.

Next week I'll talk about pictorial logos. What's your view on text-based logos? Do you have a favorite? What do you envision for your business? Shoot me an email, [email protected], and let's set up a free consultation. I'd be thrilled to have the opportunity to contribute to the growth of your business!