There is a rule of thumb for signage that works just as well on a badge. It puts most badge text two sizes too small.
The signage rule of thumb is roughly one inch of capital letter height for every 25 feet of viewing distance, which scales down to about 0.24 inches, near 24 point, for a comfortable read at six feet. On a badge, add margin for movement and imperfect eyesight and 26 point is the safer number for a first name. Below 18 point a name stops being read and starts being guessed at.
| Distance | Cap height | Approx point size |
|---|---|---|
| 3 feet | 0.12 in | 12 to 14 pt |
| 4 feet | 0.16 in | 18 to 20 pt |
| 6 feet | 0.24 in | 26 to 28 pt |
| 8 feet | 0.32 in | 34 to 36 pt |
| 10 feet | 0.40 in | 42 pt and up |
Cap height is the height of an upper case letter, not the point size. In most sans-serif faces cap height is about 70 percent of the point size.
Six feet is the number that matters most
Six feet is roughly the width of a checkout counter, the gap across a host stand, and the distance a patient sits from a clinician. It is also the distance at which people decide whether to use your name. If they cannot read it in the first second they will not lean in to try.
Weight and case matter as much as size
- Use medium or semibold. Light weights lose their strokes at distance and under fluorescent light.
- Mixed case beats all caps for names longer than about eight characters, because word shape helps recognition.
- Avoid condensed faces for the name line. They buy you two characters and cost you a foot of reading distance.
- On engraved badges, go one weight heavier. The cut widens strokes slightly and thin faces fill in.
If the name will not fit
Do not shrink the name. Move up a size instead. A 1 x 3 inch badge holds about 14 characters at 28 point, and a 1.5 x 3 inch badge holds 16 at 30 point with a title line underneath. If your longest name still runs over, drop the last name rather than the point size. Most customers only ever use the first one anyway.