Latest update: April 5, 2016: 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 most preferred 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 –
Yo, Font-Addict! Make sure to check out The Big Book of Font Combinations. Go grab a copy from Amazon or B&N, or grab the DISCOUNTED ebook PDF digital download version (40% OFF the hardcover retail price!) from the BonFX Store, and stare at all 350+ examples of informative font combinations for web and print. You know you want to!
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!
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…
Hi Douglas, just found your blog via the esteemable Mr Airey. A very refreshing read, thanks. Just one question. Am I correct in believing that for all intents and purposes Akzidenz Grotesk and Helvetica are the same font? Was not Helvetica based on Akzidenz which was the original Sans Serif (Grotesk) typeface? Can you clarify the difference? Thanks
@ Stewart: Akzidenz Grotesk is a forerunner of many modern sans serif typefaces, most notably Helvetica. They are quite different though. Maybe at small sizes they look very similar but on close inspection they are quite different. Akzidenz has been called “quirky” and “idiosyncratic” and if you really zoom in and look at the glyphs, it’s true. Most of the letter forms have something unique or off-balance that imparts an effect which I can’t describe, but overall, love. Akzidenz Grotesk, and URW Grotesk (a related typeface) are 2 of my all time favorite fonts. My humble little logo “bonfx” at the top of this blog is URW Grotesk. For instance, notice the strange angular little foot on the bottom of the “b” in “bonfx”. It’s details like that which captivate me and imbue the typeface with a very unique personality.
Helvetica is an exercise in creating uniformity out of the quirkiness from the Grotesk fonts we are talking about. If you closely examine the letter forms side by side, you’ll see that wherever one of the Grotesks does something odd or off-balance, Helvetica decides in a way that is consistent with all the other letter forms in the typeface. This uniformity gives it a colorless, neutral, utilitarian kind of personality, which “gets out of the way” of the message. However, whatever your message is with Helvetica, this utilitarianism tends to have a strong presence.
For instance, try setting “I love you, my dearest” in both Helvetica and URW Grotesk. If you compare them side by side, the Helvetica version seems sterile and robot like, while the Grotesk imparts a genuine, quirky kind of emotion. Your mileage may vary, but those are the kinds of things I think about when I use these faces.
Wow,Thanks for the lengthy reply, much appreciated. Next time I will make sure I arm myself with the facts rather than half the information!
Great article Douglas. Your passion for Typography shines through in your generous replies. I am just waking up to the true importance typography must have in graphic design, and this article has inspired me to read more and thus learn more.
Thanks for putting this together, much appreciated.
@ Martin:
Glad to be a part of your inspiration!
I really love Gotham, i agree i have seeing it very often.
@ bydaughters
Gotham is surely going to be a modern classic. I think it really is one of the few typefaces can say that about with confidence.
Having enjoyed a PBS feature on Helvetica I went looking on notepad and couldn’t find. It has been Interesting to hear what the professionals have to say. I have switched to Trebuchet MS for use on PC. Seems similar to Helvetica.
My main consideration is readability. When I go a courtin the opposite sex I will have to step it up. I am reminded of an episode of Seinfeld where Georges story tested the best for courting. All in good fun.
Love Avenir! I see no verdana in there, hmmm… most corporates atleast this side of town/world prefer verdana! 😀 But then again these are what designers prefer… choices choices
@ Designerfoo: That is interesting. What side of the world might that be? I hadn’t thought of it explicitly, but list reflects a very Western bias!
I like copperplate myself. But then, I was dropped on my head as a child. I think it gives a nice feudal dignity to proceedings.
@ Orth: Copperplate is way up high in the list. It’s overused, but still a great typeface in the right context.
Go figure futura is at the top….Love it! Thought Helvetica would be second place for sure. Thanks for the list.
i love all those fonts…so simple.
Gotham-fans, check this: http://gothamlogos.tumblr.com/ One of them actually is Avenir. Can you see which one?