Out of the huge number of fonts used by graphic designers, there really is quite a small pool of fonts consistently chosen over and over again by graphic designers as their “most used”. I took some time to search out as many “top fonts for graphic designers” search results (plus variations) that I had time to visit. I spent several hours visiting blogs, forums, magazine websites, etc..
I tallied up the top typefaces in people’s lists. The list was about 40 fonts long after the first hour, but could have easily been 100 fonts if I kept at it. I then pared the list down and dropped off mentions of fonts below a certain threshold to get the list manageable and meaningful. After about 20 typefaces, the list took on the characteristics of the “long-tail” and it trailed off into more and more obscure fonts with no group consensus.
NOTE: Because people generally favor the term “top fonts” over “top typefaces” according to Google, I’m using the term font. It’s correct to use in a certain sense, but this list really should be called “top typefaces”. Think of fonts as tracks and typefaces as albums. Albums have tracks and typefaces have fonts. Google “fonts and typefaces” for more clarification.
What we have left is 19 top fonts that met the criteria of being mentioned at least certain number of times. And here are the results!
- Futura –
- Garamond –
- Frutiger –
- Helvetica / Helvetica Neue –
- Minion –
- Bodoni –
- Clarendon –
- Franklin Gothic –
- Univers –
- Gill Sans –
- Akzidenz Grotesk –
- Avenir –
- Caslon –
- Myriad –
- FF Din –
- Trade Gothic –
- Baskerville –
- Warnock –
- Bembo –
There you have it! For the experienced graphic designer, this list is no surprise. But it’s always a lesson. With typefaces, the wheel has been invented already, so don’t work too hard to pick your typeface for your next graphic design project!
More Top Fonts resources:
- Top 100 Best, Cool, Most Popular Professional Fonts (In English)
- Top 7 Fonts Used By Professionals In Graphic Design
- 13 excellent typefaces for graphic designers | David Airey …
- 60 Brilliant Typefaces For Corporate Design « Smashing Magazine
I’m impartial to Frutiger for a sans serif…
Nice summary, I like how you’ve added the suns for each mention. Not surprised to see Futura as #1.
Gotham will probably be on this list shortly too. Getting used quite often these days – seeing it everywhere.
Hi Jacob. I agree with the Gotham recommendation…A great post could easily be “Fonts destined to be classics” with Gotham leading the way. And “Shuriken Boy” probably won’t make the cut
http://www.fonts.com/findfonts/detail.htm?pid=202859
I’ve become a huge fan of Avenir lately. I agree with Mr. Cass, Gotham is becoming very popular.
Hm, I am a bit surprised that Avante Garde is missing from this list. Futura as #1 is not all that surprising though. Nice collection!
Hi Philip: Avante Garde was in top 40, but it had just a few less votes overall than the last 3, starting with Baskerville. I was really surprised to see Baskerville ahead of Avante Garde, but perhaps in the end, Baskerville has just a wider range of application and versatility. But it was close. Maybe I should do a “Top 20 to 40 fonts” post
Hi Angel: I think both Avenir and Gotham will eventually make a list like this. I love Avenir a lot. Though lighter overall, it evokes the same kind of sophisticated sans serif feeling that comparable weights of Gotham do – very dignified.
Always good to see a list like this. I also agree with Jacob, that Gotham is everywhere now. Funny that it started as a commission for GQ Magazine. And Obama’s campaign for “Change we can believe in” uses it.
Hi NBK. Thanks for stopping by. There is a lot of love for Gotham. I wonder if it’s fundamental enough to stick with us for the next 50 years. It seems like a fundamental addition to the basic sans family we should all have.
Thanks for compiling this list
. I too am surprised Avant Garde did not make the top 19, or 20 even, but it is a bit specific an stylized whereas Baskerville is much more versatile and applicable in common uses of type as you suggest. Thanks again 
Lauren, I have a special runner up prize for Avante Garde
Nice list and like the most of the comments no surprise Futura is on number one, but still a bit surprised with the Helvetica position, but that’s probably because I love it. Anyway great list always useful !
Erik: I was surprised to see Futura up there too at number one when I crunched the numbers. I thought it would be much further down, but in the top 10. I thought it would be 1) Helvetica and then 2) Garamond. I was most surprised to see Minion up there in the top fonts at all. I personally like it a lot (not love it) and use it all over the place, but I didn’t realize others used it the same way. I thought I was being a bit passe. Minion is definitely a swiss army knife typeface. Perhaps it’s more ubiquitous than I realize. I’ll have to keep an eye out for it…but I have to admit all the old school Adobe literature (not sure about today) with the Myriad / Minion pairing looks good to me still. Thanks for stopping by.
Thanks for compiling this list..
is it possible to send me fonts zip files.. some fonts missing in my list..
Sorry, these aren’t the free type of fonts. These are pay-only…Try myfonts.com.
I remember being taught in design school that the correct spelling was ‘fount’ and that a font was something that you dipped babies’ heads in. What the hell happened to THAT?! I think that it was the last time I ever saw it spelled that way, though the guys teaching me were serious, heavyweight, old-school, hot-metal boys who knew more about type than I could ever dream of knowing.
Anyone have any info on the switchover? Is it just an overly-propogated Americanism?
Hmmm…it makes sense that “fount” would be right, and in “foundry”, as in “hot metal” being poured into molds. But words take on new meanings over time, and spelling seems to follow popular usage. You’d have to shoppe around though to be sure…