Nirvana font. 5 free fonts in its lettering style.
For Nirvana lettering, start with Imbue at weight 800 (a heavy condensed Didone).
5 / 5
Chosen by eye · serif
Imbue
Nirvana
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Among the 5 Nirvana picks: the narrowest, the tallest x-height, and the least stroke contrast.
Nearest other pick by our lab: Instrument Serif, score 68; Imbue is 16% narrower, x-height 2.6% taller, 25% darker, and 29% less stroke contrast.
Imbue: 9 weights; Nirvana set here at 800.
- ✓Web
- ✓Logo
- ✓Selling
- OFL 1.1
What people make with Nirvana lettering
Nirvana’s narrow, high-contrast lettering ends up on gig posters, mixtape covers and band names for school projects. Imbue at weight 800 is the heavy condensed Didone; Instrument Serif is lighter and as narrow, for a Nirvana-style subtitle. Gloock is heavy with hairline thins, for a Nirvana-style poster printed large.
The type behind Nirvana
The Nirvana lettering is set in Onyx®, a paid typeface (condensed high-contrast serif).
Onyx®, named here for Nirvana, is a trademark of The Monotype Corporation; FontForThat is not affiliated with The Monotype Corporatio.
Sources
Nirvana picks, measured
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| Font | Why | Set at | Nearest pick | Width | x-height | Ink | Contrast | Weights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imbue | A heavy condensed Didone | 800 | Instrument Serif, 68 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 9 |
| Instrument Serif | Condensed and sharp, lighter | 400 | Imbue, 68 | +18% | −2.6% | −20% | +42% | 1 |
| Gloock | Heavy, with hairline thins | 400 | no measure | +59% | −3% | +10% | +496% | 1 |
| Oranienbaum | Narrow, after Bodoni | 400 | Vidaloka, 77 | +36% | −12% | −21% | +179% | 1 |
| Vidaloka | A Didone, a little wider | 400 | Oranienbaum, 77 | +48% | −6.4% | +0.8% | +165% | 1 |
Left out of the Nirvana picks after a check by eye: Libre Caslon Display (light and of normal width; the band’s lettering is narrow and heavy), kalnia (wide, with flared strokes; the band’s lettering is narrow), Prata (light and of normal width beside the narrow, heavy picks), Suranna (light and of normal width beside the narrow, heavy picks), noto-serif-display (hairline-light at the regular weight a page shows, and of normal width), and DM Serif Display (heavy, but of normal width; the band’s lettering is narrow).
Can I use the Nirvana fonts for…
| Free font | Personal | Selling | Logo | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imbue | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Serif | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Gloock | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Oranienbaum | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Vidaloka | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
- Imbue, Instrument Serif, Gloock, Oranienbaum, and Vidaloka are under the SIL Open Font License 1.1.
Trademark
Free fonts, yes; the Nirvana name and logo, no: a gig poster, a band name or a cover for yourself is fine, merchandise needs the owner’s permission.
Nirvana is a trademark of its owner; these are free fonts in a similar lettering style, not the original lettering.
Nirvana font questions
What font does Nirvana use?
The Nirvana lettering is set in Onyx®, a paid typeface (condensed high-contrast serif). First free pick here: Imbue at weight 800 (a heavy condensed Didone).
Is there a free Nirvana font?
Not the Nirvana lettering itself; in its style, under open licences: Imbue, Instrument Serif, Gloock, Oranienbaum, and Vidaloka.
Which Nirvana font is the boldest, and which the narrowest?
Gloock has the heaviest ink of the 5 Nirvana picks, 40% darker than Oranienbaum; Imbue is the narrowest, 37% narrower than Gloock.
Which Nirvana font reads best at small sizes?
Imbue, with an x-height 14% taller than Oranienbaum; most weights: Imbue, 9.
How were the Nirvana fonts chosen?
All 5 Nirvana picks chosen by eye: Imbue, Instrument Serif, Gloock, Oranienbaum, and Vidaloka. Dropped after a look at the Nirvana name in each: Libre Caslon Display, kalnia, Prata, Suranna, noto-serif-display, and DM Serif Display.