Types of Logos: The 7 Kinds, with Examples, and How to Pick Yours

There are 7 main types of logos: wordmarks, lettermarks, pictorial marks, abstract marks, mascots, combination marks and emblems. They differ in one thing: how they mix the brand name with a symbol, and whether those pieces can work apart.

We reviewed the top results on Google in the US and asked ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini the same question. They all list the types. None of them shows you how to choose based on the smallest size your logo will actually appear at, or what changes when you trademark it.

Below you get every type with examples, a 7-step method to pick yours and the size test we ran on our own logo.

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What are the different types of logos?

The different types of logos are ways of building a brand signature from text, symbol or both.

The types of logos are the possible structures of a brand mark: text only, initials only, a symbol only, a character, or a combination of name and symbol that either sits side by side or merges into one badge. Designers in the US usually count seven; some lists split them further into ten or twelve.

What they are not: they are not styles. Minimalist, vintage or hand-drawn describe how a logo looks, not how it is built. They are not your whole brand identity either, which also covers color, voice and more, as you will see across our branding guides.

The 7 types of logos with examples

Each logo type answers two questions: is there text, and is there a symbol that can stand alone?

Type	What it is	Best for	Examples
Wordmark	The full name in a distinctive typeface	Short, memorable names	Google, Visa, FedEx
Lettermark	Initials or an acronym	Long or hard-to-say names	IBM, HBO, NASA
Pictorial mark	A symbol based on a real object	Brands people already know	Apple, Target
Abstract mark	A shape that suggests an idea	Building a unique look	Nike, Pepsi
Mascot	An illustrated character	Friendly, local or family brands	KFC, Michelin
Combination mark	Name and symbol side by side	Most new businesses	Lacoste, Adidas, Amazon
Emblem	Name inside a badge or seal	Tradition and heritage	Harley-Davidson, BMW

If you want types of logos with examples you can picture in a second, those famous names do the job. A pictorial mark and an abstract logo are both symbols: the first draws something real, the second invents a shape.

What is a wordmark?

A wordmark is a logo made only of the brand name, set in a custom or carefully chosen typeface. Google, Visa and FedEx are wordmarks. It is the fastest way to teach people your name, which is why it suits short, distinctive names.

What is a combination mark logo?

A combination mark pairs a wordmark with a symbol, placed together but separable. Lacoste with its crocodile and Adidas with its stripes are classic cases. You use the full lockup on your website and only the symbol in your avatar, which makes it the most flexible type.

Wordmark vs logomark: what's the difference?

A wordmark is text; a logomark is a symbol with no words, like the Apple apple. The wordmark vs logomark choice comes down to recognition: a new brand needs its name visible, while a logomark alone only works once people already know who is behind it.

Logo styles vs logo types: why every list has a different number

Logo styles describe the look and logo types describe the structure, and mixing both is why lists online show 6, 7, 10 or 12 types.

Some guides add letterforms (a single letter, like the McDonald's M), dynamic logos or line art as separate types. Those are variations of the seven, not new structures. The Spanish-speaking world uses a shorter system with four types, worth knowing if you work with a Latin American agency:

Spanish term	Closest US term
Logotipo	Wordmark
Isotipo	Pictorial or abstract mark, or a logomark
Imagotipo	Combination mark
Isologo	Emblem

Is a lettermark the same as a monogram logo?

Almost. A lettermark shows initials that still read as letters, like IBM. A monogram logo weaves them into one figure, like the LV of Louis Vuitton. Both shine in tight spaces.

What makes a good logo? 5 tests it has to pass

A good logo isn't the prettiest one. It's the one that still works when you shrink it, strip the color and describe it from memory. Run these five tests before you approve any design:

1. The 32-pixel test. Shrink it to favicon size. If you can't tell what it is, the small version fails.
2. The one-color test. Print it black on white. If the shape needs a gradient or a color to make sense, it's fragile.
3. The squint test. Blur it or step back. The silhouette should still read.
4. The memory test. Show it for five seconds, then ask someone to describe it in one sentence. If it takes three, it's too busy.
5. The fit test. Put it next to your three closest competitors. It should look like it belongs to your audience and not like theirs.

A law firm and a taco truck shouldn't share a vibe, so "good" always depends on who you sell to. Our own full wordmark failed the first test, which is why we built the "n" icon.

Types of logos for a brand: how to pick yours in 7 steps

To pick between the types of logos for a brand, start with where the logo will appear, then choose the structure that survives those sizes.

1. List every place your logo will appear

   Done

   Storefront sign, website, Instagram avatar, favicon, invoices, packaging, embroidery, a food truck wrap. If you sell physical products, packaging design belongs on this list from day one.

2. Find the smallest space

   Done

   It is usually the favicon, which browsers show at 16 or 32 pixels, or a round social avatar. That space matters more than your taste.

3. Look hard at your name

   Done

   Short and easy to say: a wordmark may be enough. Long or made of several words: consider a lettermark. Generic, like "Main Street Dental": you need a symbol that sets you apart.

4. Choose the main structure

   Done

   Combination mark if you want to split name and symbol. Wordmark if the name is your best asset. Emblem only if your main surfaces are large and you want a classic feel.

5. Design the full set of versions

   Done

   Primary, horizontal, small (the symbol or one letter) and one color. A professional logo is a system, not a single file.

6. Run the 32-pixel and black-and-white test

   Done

   Shrink each version to 32 pixels wide and turn it black on white. If you cannot recognize it, that version is not fit for that use.

7. Decide how you will trademark it

   Done

   Choose whether to protect the name, the design or both. We explain it right after our test.

Types of logos a company should have: the Notablia example

A company should have a logo system rather than one logo, and our own brand shows why: it is a pure wordmark that needs a separate icon.

The Notablia logo is the word "notablia" in Bricolage Grotesque 800, with the "l" turned into a bookmark ribbon. It is still a wordmark, because the ribbon is part of a letter. For the favicon and avatars we use another piece: the "n" with the ribbon on a dark square.

Is a wordmark logo the same as a trademark word mark?

Not quite. According to the USPTO page on trademark drawings, a standard character drawing protects the words in any font and gives the broadest protection. Once you add stylized lettering, a design or color, you file a special form drawing, which protects only that exact depiction. So your designed wordmark, logomark or emblem is a special form mark.

When should you switch logo types?

When your logo no longer fits where you sell, like an emblem with tiny text that vanishes in a round avatar. Moving from emblem to combination mark is a common rebranding move, often done without touching colors or name.

Logo variations: the 4 versions (and file types) every brand needs

Picking a type is half the job. The other half is a set of versions, because one file can't cover a storefront, a browser tab and a social avatar. Most designers deliver four.

Version	Where it lives	Example
Primary logo	Website header, signs, packaging	Full name plus symbol
Secondary logo	Tight or narrow spaces	A stacked or horizontal layout
Submark	Social avatars, app icons, footers	The symbol or one letter
Favicon	Browser tabs, at 16 or 32 pixels	The submark on a square

Add a one-color version and a reversed one for dark backgrounds, and you have a real system.

Then ask for every version in the right file types. A vector file (SVG, PDF or AI) is drawn with paths, so it scales to a billboard without blur. A PNG or JPG is a fixed grid of pixels: a business card 3.5 inches wide at 300 dpi needs 1,050 pixels across, so a 400-pixel PNG prints soft. Use SVG for screens, PDF for printers and a transparent PNG for slides, invoices and everything else. Skip JPG for logos, because it can't be transparent.

Types of logo design you can test with AI: copy-paste prompts

AI helps you choose a logo type when you feed it real data: your name, your industry and where the logo will appear.

AI cannot see your logo at real size or know whether a similar design is already registered: those two checks are on you. And if a tagline sits under your name, look at these slogan examples first so the lockup stays compact.

Before locking your colors, try combinations in our color palette generator and check that your small version stands out on light and dark backgrounds.

Frequently asked questions about types of logos

01

What is a logo with text called?

A logo made only of text is called a wordmark, or logotype: the brand name set in a custom or distinctive typeface, like Google or FedEx. If it uses initials instead of the full name, it is a lettermark, like IBM. When text sits inside a badge or shape, it is an emblem. And when text appears next to a separate symbol, it is a combination mark. So the right name depends on how the text is used, not just on whether it is there.

02

What is the difference between a logo and an icon?

A logo is the full signature of a brand, while an icon is a small, simplified mark built to work at tiny sizes, like an app icon or a favicon. Many brands use their symbol as the icon, such as the Apple apple. Wordmark brands usually need a separate icon, often the first letter, because a full name becomes unreadable in a 32-pixel square. Think of the icon as one version inside your logo system, not as a different brand.

03

Are the types of logos in rhetoric the same thing?

No. In rhetoric, logos is one of Aristotle's three appeals, next to ethos and pathos: it means persuading with logic, facts and evidence. It has nothing to do with brand logos, even though the word is spelled the same. Google's autocomplete shows people searching for types of logos in rhetoric, so the mix-up is common. If you came here for essays and arguments, you need a guide on persuasive appeals. If you came for brand design, you are in the right place.

04

What is a mascot logo?

A mascot logo uses an illustrated character as the face of the brand, like Colonel Sanders for KFC or the Michelin Man. Mascots feel friendly and work well for food, family, sports and local services, because people connect with characters faster than with shapes. The trade-off is detail: a full character rarely reads at favicon size, so mascot brands usually pair it with a simplified head or a wordmark for small spaces and keep the full illustration for packaging, signs and ads.

05

What is an emblem logo?

An emblem logo places the brand name inside a shape, such as a badge, seal, crest or shield, so text and symbol form a single unit. Harley-Davidson and BMW are classic examples. Emblems suggest tradition, authority and heritage, which is why schools, breweries, sports teams and auto brands love them. Their weak spot is scale: the text inside shrinks fast, so an emblem needs a simpler version for avatars, favicons and embroidery on small items.

06

What is a monogram logo?

A monogram logo combines two or more letters, usually initials, into one interlocking design, like the LV of Louis Vuitton or the double C of Chanel. It is a refined version of the lettermark: the letters read as a single figure rather than separately. Monograms are popular in fashion, luxury and weddings because they look elegant when embossed, engraved or repeated in a pattern. Like any symbol, they need exposure before people link them to your name, so new brands often show the full name nearby.

Keep going with these guides

• Brief

  Brand & messaging Creative Brief: What It Is and How to Write One, with a Template Read the guide
• Before

  2Change

  3After
  Brand & messaging Rebranding: When to Do It and How, with Examples That Worked (and Didn't) Read the guide
• ®
  Brand & messaging How to Trademark a Name and Logo, Step by Step Read the guide