Wordmark

A wordmark is a logo made from the company's name set in a distinctive typeface, rather than a separate symbol. Think Google or FedEx, the name itself is the mark.

A wordmark is a logo built from the company’s name itself, set in a distinctive, often custom typeface, no separate icon required. Google, FedEx, and Sony are wordmarks: the name, drawn carefully, is the whole mark.

For a young company a wordmark often does more work than a symbol. A brand-new icon means nothing until people have seen it a thousand times, whereas a well-set name is legible and memorable from day one. The craft is in the details, the exact letterforms, spacing, and the one or two small adjustments that make it feel deliberate rather than just a font typed out.

It’s one of the core pieces we design in the identity phase, alongside any symbol, colour, and typography.

Quick recall

What is a wordmark? A logo made from the company name in a distinctive typeface, with no separate symbol.

Wordmark vs logo symbol? A wordmark is legible from day one; a new symbol means nothing until it’s widely recognised.

What makes one good? Custom letterforms, careful spacing, and small deliberate adjustments, not just a name in a stock font.