Amonogram is amotif made by overlapping or combining two or more letters or othergraphemes to form onesymbol. Monograms are often made by combining the initials of an individual or a company, used as recognizable symbols orlogos. A series of uncombined initials is properly referred to as a cypher (e.g. aroyal cypher) and is not a monogram.[1]
Many of today's monograms are embroidered on items for the home like towels, bedding, robes etc.
Monograms first appeared on coins, as early as 350 BC. The earliest known examples are of the names of Greek cities which issued the coins, often the first two letters of the city's name. For example, the monogram ofAchaea consisted of the lettersalpha (Α) andchi (Χ) joined together.[2]
Monograms have been used as signatures by artists andcraft workers on paintings, sculptures and pieces of furniture, especially whenguilds enforced measures against unauthorized participation in the trade. A famous example of a monogram serving as an artist's signature is the "AD" used byAlbrecht Dürer.
Over the centuries, monograms of the name of Jesus Christ have been used asChristian symbols. TheIX monogram consists of the initial Greek letters of the name "Jesus Christ," "I" for Ιησούς, (Jesus in Greek) and "X" for Χριστος (Christ in Greek). The "IHS" Christogram, denoting the first three letters of the Greek name of Jesus, is usually written as a cypher, but sometimes as a monogram.Perhaps the most significantChristogram is theChi Rho, formed from the first two letters of Χριστος. The symbol was used by the Roman emperorConstantine I (r. 306–337) as part of amilitary standard.
Signum manus (sometimes also known asChrismon) refers to the medieval practice, current from theMerovingian period until the 14th century in theFrankish Empire and its successors, of signing a document or charter with a special type of monogram or royal cypher.
Monograms of the names ofmonarchs are used as part of the insignia of public organizations in kingdoms, such as on police badges. This indicates a connection to the ruler. However, manyroyal cyphers are not technically monograms, since the letters are not combined.
Royal monograms often appear on coins, frequently surmounted by a crown. Countries that have employed this device in the past includeBulgaria,Great Britain,Russia,Sweden and manyGerman states. Today, severalDanish coins carry the monogram ofMargrethe II, while the current Norwegian 1Krone coin has the "H5" monogram ofHarald V on theobverse.[3] The only countries using theEuro to have a royal monogram as theirnational identifying mark areBelgium andMonaco.[4] In Thailand, royal monograms appear on the individual flag for each major royal family member.
An individual's monogram may appear in stylized form on stationery, luggage, clothing, or other personalized items. These monograms may have two or three letters.
A basic 3-letter monogram has the initial of the individual's last name (surname) set larger, or with some special treatment in the center, while the first name initial appears to the left of it and the middle name initial appears to the right of it. There is a difference in how this is written for men and women. For example, if the individual's name is Mary Ann Jones, and Jones is the surname, then the arrangement of letters would be thus:MJA, with the surname initial set larger in the center, theM for Mary to the left and theA for Ann to the right.[5] Traditionally, individual monograms for men[6] are based on the order of the name. The name Kyle George Martin would be written (KGM).
Married or engaged couples may use two-letter monograms of their entwined initials, for example onwedding invitations. Married couples may also create three-letter monograms incorporating the initial of their shared surname. For example, the monogramMJA might be used for Michael and Alice Jones.[5] However, monogramming etiquette for the married couple varies according to the item being monogrammed.Linens, for example, typically list the woman's given initial first, followed by the couple's shared surname initial and then the man's given initial (AJM).Monograms can often be found on custom dress shirts where they can be located in a number of different positions.
Some personal monograms have become famous symbols in their own right and instantly recognizable to many, such asJ.R.R. Tolkien's monogram.
Some companies and organizations adopt a monogram for a logo, usually with the letters of theiracronym. For example, as well as having an officialseal, and theTexas Longhorns logo, theUniversity of Texas at Austin uses a "UT" monogram (in the same color as the Longhorns logo,burnt orange). TheNew York Yankees,Los Angeles Dodgers, among others baseball teams, also use a monogram on theirball cap insignia. TheConsolidated Edison logo, with a rounded "E" nested inside a "C", has been described as a "classic emblem."[7]
Many fashion companies have a monogram for a logo, includingLouis Vuitton andFendi. The connected "CC" company logo, created byCoco Chanel, is one of the most recognizable monograms internationally.
Thevictor is a monogram of the Latinvictor or Spanishvítor painted on Spanish and Hispanic universities to celebrate a student receiving adoctorate.
Athletes have also been known to brand merchandise with their monogram logo; notablyTiger Woods andRoger Federer.[8]
A notable example of a royal monogram is theH7 monogram of KingHaakon VII of Norway. While in exile during World War II, Haakon VII spearheaded the Norwegian resistance to theGerman occupation, and H7 became a symbol used by the Norwegian populace to mark solidarity and loyalty to the King, and adherence to theNorwegian resistance movement. The act of drawing or creating a H7 symbol in German-occupied Norway was punishable by imprisonment.[9]
Similarly, inPoland during the war, the "PW" monogram was used as a resistance symbol, known as 'The Anchor' (Polish:Kotwica), due to its characteristic shape. Its meaning varied, as the initials were useful for many different slogans, such as 'Poland Fights', 'Warsaw Uprising', 'Polish Army', and others. Like the Norwegian example above, its use was punished by the Nazi occupation authorities.Another example is the monogram ofLa Liga Filipina. The monogram sees the lettersL andF as well as two hexagons.
In theGermanosphere, certain student societies (Studentenverbindung) use monograms known asZirkel ("circle", as in "circle of friends"), consisting of the initial letter of the organization's name and/or the letters v,c,f or e,f,v, together with an exclamation mark if the society is still active.
A Japanese rebus monogram is a monogram in a particular style, which spells a name via arebus, as a form ofJapanese wordplay orvisual pun. Today they are most often seen in corporate logos or product logos.
![Baroque monogram of Louis XIV made of acanthuses, on the entrance door of the Dôme des Invalides, Paris, designed by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, 1677–1706[10]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aParis_-_le_D%25C3%25B4me_des_Invalides_-_d%25C3%25A9tail_de_la_porte_-_104.jpg)
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