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CSS fonts should be based on a generic font family to ensure an appropriate style font is rendered in any circumstances. Preferred font names should be declared in order of preference in a comma separated font family list tailored for specific platforms.

CSS font family: fantasy

Fantasy fonts often have a bold exaggerated style typical of poster display headings, sometimes with ornaments or quirky themes. Fantasy font faces include a wide variety of font style, which can have unpredictable results on the Web. Use the CSS font family name fantasy cautiously.

Take the Linux font survey before you go

The most common fantasy fonts

The only fantasy font that is likely to be present on all systems is Impact, but its frequency on Unix family systems is quite low. The Mac font Capitals is similar to the Windows font Copperplate Gothic Bold, but there is no common equivalent for Unix family systems.

Most common fantasy fonts on Windows to 17 December 2011
Font name Installed (%) Stack Image
Impact99.06%99.06%StackImage
Juice ITC71.91%71.91%Stack
Papyrus71.02%71.02%StackImage
Jokerman69.08%69.08%Stack
Haettenschweiler68.55%68.55%StackImage
Copperplate Gothic Light67.61%67.61%StackImage
Copperplate Gothic Bold67.56%67.56%StackImage
Felix Titling67.14%67.14%StackImage
Engravers MT66.93%66.93%StackImage
Rockwell Extra Bold66.82%66.82%StackImage
Curlz MT66.51%66.51%StackImage
Cooper Black62.26%62.26%Stack
Britannic Bold62.16%62.16%StackImage
Broadway62.11%62.11%Stack
Harrington62.11%62.11%Stack
Wide Latin62.11%62.11%StackImage
Old English Text MT62.05%62.05%Stack
Bauhaus 9361.95%61.95%Stack
Playbill61.95%61.95%StackImage
Snap ITC61.90%61.90%Stack
Algerian61.84%61.84%StackImage
Matura MT Script Capitals61.79%61.79%StackImage
Chiller61.69%61.69%Stack
Harlow Solid Italic61.69%61.69%Stack
Bernard MT Condensed61.64%61.64%Stack
Stencil61.64%61.64%Stack
Colonna MT61.48%61.48%StackImage
Ravie61.22%61.22%Stack
Showcard Gothic61.01%61.01%Stack
Gabriola60.99%60.99%Stack
Magneto59.75%59.75%Stack
Imprint MT Shadow58.81%58.81%Stack
Goudy Stout58.39%58.39%Stack
Castellar58.18%58.18%Stack
Agency FB58.07%58.07%Stack
Perpetua Titling MT57.86%57.86%Stack
Matisse ITC20.07%20.07%Stack
Broadway BT8.96%8.96%Stack
Square721 BT8.54%8.54%Stack
MisterEarl BT8.23%8.23%Stack
Blackletter686 BT7.65%7.65%Stack
Scruff LET7.44%7.44%Stack
Westwood LET7.39%7.39%Stack
Milano LET7.23%7.23%Stack
Orange LET6.76%6.76%Stack
Highlight LET6.71%6.71%Stack
Academy Engraved LET6.66%6.66%Stack
Mekanik LET6.60%6.60%Stack
Quixley LET6.60%6.60%Stack
Jokerman LET6.55%6.55%Stack
Odessa LET6.55%6.55%Stack
Pump Demi Bold LET6.55%6.55%Stack
Victorian LET6.55%6.55%Stack
OldDreadfulNo7 BT6.50%6.50%Stack
Baby Kruffy5.77%5.77%Stack
Alba5.08%5.08%Stack
Alba Super5.08%5.08%Stack
Alba Matter4.87%4.87%Stack
Chick4.51%4.51%Stack
Frosty4.19%4.19%Stack
Pussycat3.98%3.98%Stack
Croobie3.93%3.93%Stack
Freshbot3.93%3.93%Stack
Weltron Urban3.93%3.93%Stack
Jokewood3.67%3.67%Stack
Beesknees ITC3.62%3.62%Stack
Poornut3.56%3.56%Stack
Braggadocio3.41%3.41%StackImage
Kino MT3.35%3.35%StackImage
Placard Condensed3.09%3.09%Stack
GENUINE2.78%2.78%Stack
Desdemona2.46%2.46%StackImage
Base 022.20%2.20%Stack
CAMPBELL1.83%1.83%Stack
MARKETPRO1.73%1.73%Stack
Linux Biolinum O0.25%0.25%Stack
Most common fantasy fonts on Mac to 17 December 2011
Font name Installed (%) Stack Image
Impact95.89%95.89%StackImage
Marker Felt94.15%94.15%StackImage
Papyrus93.35%93.35%StackImage
Copperplate93.20%93.20%StackImage
Herculanum92.09%92.09%StackImage
Chalkduster68.55%68.55%Stack
Copperplate Gothic Bold53.16%53.16%StackImage
Haettenschweiler52.69%52.69%Stack
Braggadocio52.53%52.53%Stack
Playbill52.22%52.22%Stack
Desdemona52.06%52.06%Stack
Britannic Bold51.90%51.90%Stack
Colonna MT51.90%51.90%Stack
Matura MT Script Capitals51.74%51.74%Stack
Kino MT51.42%51.42%Stack
Wide Latin51.27%51.27%Stack
Capitals46.84%46.84%StackImage
Gabriola27.92%27.92%Stack
Aachen1.76%1.76%Stack
Algerian0.79%0.79%Stack
Most common fantasy fonts on Linux to 17 December 2011
Font name Installed (%) Stack Image
Impact68.74%68.74%Stack
Penguin Attack11.61%11.61%Stack
Balker11.01%11.01%Stack
Marked Fool11.01%11.01%Stack
Junkyard10.71%10.71%Stack
AlArabiya9.55%9.55%Stack
Linux Biolinum O8.70%8.70%Stack
Isabella8.33%8.33%Stack
AlManzomah8.03%8.03%Stack
Hani8.03%8.03%Stack
Khalid8.03%8.03%Stack
Ouhod-Bold8.03%8.03%Stack
Salem8.03%8.03%Stack
Shado8.03%8.03%Stack
Sharjah8.03%8.03%Stack
Tarablus8.03%8.03%Stack
Linux Libertine C7.74%7.74%Stack
AlMateen-Bold5.84%5.84%Stack
AlMothnna-Bold5.84%5.84%Stack
Imprint MT Shadow0.51%0.51%Stack

Take the Linux font survey before you go

Other CSS font family resources

Web font survey and sampler

Contribute to the survey and discover the new Web safe fonts.

Web font foundations

Font jargon: CSS font family glossary

Find fonts: Anchor Points: Font foundries & sources

Get the sampler font code: Sampler.css

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