Signature Ideas for the Letter B: Styles and Tips

B is a letter of stacked curves: a straight spine and two bowls. If your name is Ben, Beth, Barker or Brown, this guide shows how to draw it, how to stop it turning into a 13, and eight styles that suit different names.

Building a capital B

A capital B is a vertical stem plus two bowls on its right side, the upper one slightly smaller than the lower. Most people draw the stem first, then go back to the top and draw both bowls in one flowing move, meeting the stem at the waist and again at the baseline.

In cursive writing there is a popular shortcut: begin with a little hook, drop down the stem, travel back up along it and then draw the bowls. The pen ends at the bottom of the lower bowl, which is a good place to exit into the next letter, especially an e, a or r.

The B is a closed letter, so it can be heavy. Many signatures open one or both bowls, or let the lower bowl run into a tail, to keep the signature light.

Eight ways to style a B

Pick one gesture and repeat it. Names are invented.

1. Stacked bowls. Keep both bowls closed and neat, with a clear waist. Strong and legible, a good fit for Barbara Lindsay or Brian Cole.
2. Open lower bowl. Let the bottom bowl stay open and run on into the surname. Quick and elegant for Bethany Rowe or Bradley Knox.
3. Tall stem, small bowls. Stretch the spine upward and shrink the bowls. It looks like a gate and suits short names such as Ben Pike.
4. Stem tail underline. Extend the stem downward past the baseline, then sweep it to the right under the name. Useful for longer ones like Benjamin Hartwell.
5. Looped entry. Start with a small loop to the left of the stem. It gives a hand-lettered look for Bella Fisher or Beatrice Oakley.
6. Leaning B. Tilt the letter forward so the bowls become flatter ovals. Fast and confident for Billy Marsh.
7. Double B. For Bobby Bennett or Becky Brooks, let the first bowls blend into the second B. It makes a neat pair of stacked curves.
8. B as a monogram. A big B, then a short line for the surname. Works for informal use and people who sign mostly with initials.

Keeping the B light

The B holds more ink than most capitals, so on a fast signature it tends to clog. The simplest cure is to open the lower bowl, or to draw the two bowls as one fluid S-shaped curve against the stem.

Practise the B on its own for a minute before writing the full name: stem, bowls, exit, ten times in a row. It feels silly, but the rhythm of the two bowls is what makes a B signature look confident rather than cramped.

Pen choice matters too. A fine ballpoint keeps the gap between the bowls open, while a broad felt tip fills it in. If your B always blobs, switch pens before you change the shape.

Common British names starting with B

These are all widely used in the UK. Length changes which style suits.

Name type	Examples	What tends to work
Short first names	Ben, Bea, Bob, Bo, Bex, Bill, Bryn	Tall stem with small bowls, or stem tail underline.
Longer first names	Benjamin, Bethany, Beatrice, Brandon, Bradley, Bernadette, Barnaby	Open lower bowl, then compress the rest into a line.
Other popular first names	Beth, Bella, Becky, Barbara, Brenda, Brian, Barry, Billy, Bobby, Bruce	Stacked bowls or leaning B.
Surnames	Brown, Baker, Bennett, Brooks, Barnes, Bailey, Butler, Bell, Banks, Begum	Double B or monogram B. Short ones like Bell or Banks can be written out in full.

Mistakes to avoid with a B

• Bowls of equal size, which makes the B look like an 8 on a stick or a 13 when the stem is detached.
• Letting the bowls overshoot the stem so it reads as an R or a P with extra loops.
• Starting at the baseline and drawing the stem upward every time. Pick one direction and stay with it.
• Closing both bowls so tightly that ink blobs in the gap, especially with a gel or felt pen.
• Dropping the stem entirely. A bowls-only B turns into a pair of scribbles.

Where to go next

See how the signature ideas for A and signature ideas for J guides handle similar closed shapes, or go to the A to Z overview. More style ideas are in our general collection of signature ideas; once you pick, practise your signature for a week. The Wikipedia entry on B shows the letter began as a sign for a house.

Frequently asked questions

Should the upper bowl be smaller than the lower?

Slightly smaller looks natural, but the difference does not have to be large. The point is that they are not identical.

How do I stop my B looking like a 13?

Keep the stem and bowls joined, with the bowls touching the stem at the waist. A 13 has a gap between the two digits.

Can I leave one bowl open?

Yes, many signatures do. Just be consistent about which bowl is open.

Is a B signature easy to forge?

A distinctive B with a clear rhythm is as hard to forge as any other letter. The more fluid your movement, the better.