What’s the difference between initials and a monogram?
Initials are the same size and appear in this order: first, maiden, married. A monogram consists of two or more letters overlapped
or intertwined together. It usually has a large center initial that represents the last or married name. The smaller initial
on the left represents the first name while the initial on the right represents the middle or maiden name.
What about four-letter monograms?
Consider the way you (or the person for whom you are monogramming) use your name socially. Some people use all four initials
(all one size and in the order of first to last) or drop one of the middle initials for a three-letter monogram, with the
surname initial appearing largest in the middle. A more modern option would be for the surname initial to appear largest,
with the first three initials from top to bottom beside it. There’s also the case of the duPonts, the vonGalls, and the like. “Take Jane Ann DeBeers, for instance,” says decorator Leta Austin Foster. “A traditional initial would be JAdeB.” However, she may prefer to simplify by using only a D or a B to represent her last name, creating a three-letter monogram.
“It varies from person to person, so it’s up to you to know how a person uses his or her name,” she says. A good monogrammer or engraver should be able to help you create a four-letter monogram to suit your taste.
