Font plays an important role in the design of any headstone. It ensures that important details can be clearly deciphered and easily read, and it can also say a lot about the personality of the deceased. For these reasons, you want to carefully consider the type of font you utilize. Here are four of the most common options and the benefits of each.

A Brief Guide to Headstone Fonts

1. Times New Roman

Times New Roman is a classic serif font with thin finishing strokes, blunted terminals, and a rounded tail on the letter G. It is formal enough for statelier grave markers yet casual enough for more modest ones. Named after The Times of London newspaper, it has been used in printing since the 1930s and is widely considered an industry standard.

2. Calistoga

Calistoga's simple elegance is inspired by art, architecture, and nature. The typeface has thin serifs and clean, even lines, resulting in easy readability and a timeless style. Its slimness makes it especially well suited to smaller gravestones where every inch of space counts. Calistoga only comes in capital letters, so you can be confident of its legibility.

3. Manhattan

The minimalism of the Manhattan font makes it a great choice for headstones, as it is versatile enough to stand alone or to be paired with images or symbols. It has sleek lines and slim finishing strokes and offers a look that is both simple and tasteful. Like Calistoga, it is only available in capital letters.

4. Script

There are a number of script fonts to choose from, but all of them have a cursive style that adds sophistication and formality to any stone. It's not uncommon to see a grave marker with the name of the deceased in a larger script font, and the dates and other details below it in a standard serif font. This draws attention to the name and gives the writing some nice variation.

These are just a few ever-popular font options. When you need to design a headstone, McGee Monuments is here to help. For well over a century, they have been serving Rochester, NY. They provide custom gravestones, with more than 100 designs to choose from. Call (585) 546-4602 to request a quote, or visit them online to learn more about their selection.