40 Cool and Creative Ambigram Designs

Have you ever seen a word and read the same word upside down? This is one form of an ambigram. An ambigram (from Latin: ambi both + gram = letter) is a word or words that can be read in more than one direction, where the word reads the same when upside down or turn over to form an entirely new word.

The term “ambigram” was first used to mean “ambiguous anagram” by Judith E. Bagai, a former editor of The Enigma, the official organ of The National Puzzlers’ League.

There are many types of ambigrams such as rotational ambigrams, reflective types, 3-dimensional, etc. but the most basic and popular ones are the flipscript or rotational ambigram in which word or words when flipped both horizontal or vertical way, still spells the same word as before.

Today, ambigrams are used in graphic design, commercial logos, book covers, tattoo artworks and music albums. These typographical artworks are used by graphic designers because of their symmetry and the optical illusions it present.

Ambigrams became much more popular when it was prominently featured in Dan Brown‘s bestselling novel, Angels & Demons. With patience and creativity, you can turn any word into an ambigram.

Below are my collection of 40 really cool and creatively designed ambigrams. Without further ado, let start twisting our neck and try to view them in upside down :)

#1 “Illuminati” by John Langdon

#2 “The Stone Rose” by mirving123

#3 “Steampunk” by Bastian Pinnenberg

#4 “Labyrinth” by Krzychu

#5 “Marley” by mirving123

#6 “One Blood One Love” by Christian Oliver Cruz

#7 “Chopin” by Daniel Dostal

#8 “Azathoth” by Bastian Pinnenberg

#9 “Love/Hate” by nichck

#10 “Shark Attack” by wowtattoos

#11 “Baltimore” by mirving123

#12 “Right/Wrong” by Bastian Pinnenberg

#13 “Lawrence” by revcruz

#14 “Samantha/Marcianne” by wowtattoos.

#15 “Dirty/Clean” by Nikita Prokhorov

#16 “Harry Potter” by Bastian Pinnenberg

#17 “Charlie Chang” by SLAMBIGRAMS

#18 “Shub-Niggurath” by unterart

#19 “Phat Beats” by SLAMBIGRAMS

#20 “Pepsi” by mirving123

#21 “KRANE” by PAC1972

#22 “Anj” by Christian Oliver Cruz

#23 “Child’s Play” by Imriaylde

#24 “Manila” by ambigram.com

#25 “City of Brotherly Love” by John Langdon

#26 “San Francisco” by ambigram.com

#27 “Woodstock” by unterart

#28 “Cafe” by unterart

#29 “Nyarlathotep” by unterart

#30 “1984” by unterart

#31 “Sins” Created by only-adrian

#32 “Ambigram” by arpad

#33 “Air” by scandinavian_illuminati

#34 “Reverse engineering” by Scott Kim

#35 “A love of love” by Johan Skylling

#36 “Peta” by Martin Isaac

#37 “Paris” by Nikita Prokhorov

#38 “Ektopia” by Ekoptia

Brands we are familiar with..

#39 “Sun Microsystem”

#40 “Hyundai Motor”

Ambigram in domain names

• doxob.com
• ap.xozzox.de
• http://ap.xozzox.de//:dtty
• http://graner.net/nicolas/selcoiu/tau.jauejb//:dtty
• 66.gg

References

• Ambigram generators – Flipscript
• Ambigrams, information and tutorials – Ambigram.net
• Ambigram magazine – Ambigram.com
• John Langdon’s ambigrams, logo and art – Johnlangdon.net