Initials Avatar Maker
Initials are taken from the first letter of each word.
The initials avatar maker turns a name into the letter-in-a-circle placeholder that most applications show when a user has no photograph. It exports at 128, 256, 512 or 1024 pixels, with the letters optically centred rather than mathematically centred.
How it works
Initials are taken from the first letter of each word, up to the limit you choose. Two is the usual convention, because three initials at avatar size become unreadable in a list.
- The type size drops from 40 to 30 percent of the canvas when there are three initials, so they still fit.
- Text is nudged down by about 3 percent of the canvas height. Capital letters have no descenders, so mathematically centred text looks slightly high.
- Circle, rounded square and square cover the three shapes that applications actually use.
- Export at 512 or 1024 even for small display, so the avatar stays sharp on high-density screens.
Examples
A two-word name
Name
Amara Kirkwood
Initials
Two letters
Result
AK on a jade circle
One letter from each word. A single-word name produces a single initial regardless of the setting.
Three initials
Name
Jean Claude Van Damme
Initials
Three letters
Result
JCV at a reduced type size
The fourth word is ignored, and the type shrinks so three letters fit the circle without touching the edges.
Frequently asked questions
Why are the letters nudged below the centre?
Because optical and mathematical centring differ. Capital letters have no descenders, so text centred on its bounding box sits visually high in a circle. Shifting it down by about 3 percent of the height makes it look centred, which is what typographers do by hand.
How many initials should I use?
Two, in almost every case. It is the convention across every major application, and three become unreadable at the 32 pixel size avatars are usually displayed at in a list.
What size should I export?
At least twice the display size. A 40 pixel avatar on a high-density screen needs 80 real pixels, so exporting at 256 or 512 covers every case and costs almost nothing for a flat-colour image.
Does it work with non-Latin names?
It takes the first character of each word, so Cyrillic, Greek and CJK names produce their own first characters correctly. The type size is tuned for Latin capitals, so a CJK character may sit differently in the circle.