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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.

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 systems to 6 February 2010
Font name Installed (%) Sample Image
Impact 98.78% 98.78% Text Image
Haettenschweiler 67.61% 67.61% Text Image
Papyrus 62.89% 62.89% Text Image
Copperplate Gothic Light 60.71% 60.71% Text Image
Copperplate Gothic Bold 60.59% 60.59% Text Image
Curlz MT 60.10% 60.10% Text Image
Felix Titling 60.05% 60.05% Text Image
Engravers MT 59.75% 59.75% Text Image
Rockwell Extra Bold 59.75% 59.75% Text Image
Juice ITC 59.49% 59.49% Text
Jokerman 56.96% 56.96% Text
Imprint MT Shadow 52.20% 52.20% Text
Goudy Stout 51.59% 51.59% Text
Castellar 51.34% 51.34% Text
Agency FB 50.99% 50.99% Text
Perpetua Titling MT 50.94% 50.94% Text
Cooper Black 50.23% 50.23% Text
Wide Latin 50.23% 50.23% Text Image
Broadway 50.03% 50.03% Text
Britannic Bold 49.87% 49.87% Text Image
Snap ITC 49.82% 49.82% Text
Playbill 49.77% 49.77% Text Image
Algerian 49.72% 49.72% Text Image
Harrington 49.72% 49.72% Text
Bauhaus 93 49.52% 49.52% Text
Matura MT Script Capitals 49.52% 49.52% Text Image
Old English Text MT 49.52% 49.52% Text
Chiller 49.47% 49.47% Text
Bernard MT Condensed 49.32% 49.32% Text
Harlow Solid Italic 49.22% 49.22% Text
Stencil 48.96% 48.96% Text
Colonna MT 48.35% 48.35% Text Image
Showcard Gothic 48.00% 48.00% Text
Ravie 47.85% 47.85% Text
Magneto 46.78% 46.78% Text
Matisse ITC 20.46% 20.46% Text
Baby Kruffy 10.48% 10.48% Text
Broadway BT 9.90% 9.90% Text
Alba Super 9.52% 9.52% Text
Alba 9.47% 9.47% Text
Alba Matter 9.22% 9.22% Text
Square721 BT 9.03% 9.03% Text
Frosty 8.86% 8.86% Text
MisterEarl BT 8.81% 8.81% Text
Chick 8.71% 8.71% Text
Weltron Urban 8.56% 8.56% Text
Blackletter686 BT 8.36% 8.36% Text
Croobie 8.30% 8.30% Text
Freshbot 8.25% 8.25% Text
Pussycat 8.15% 8.15% Text
Jokewood 7.95% 7.95% Text
Poornut 7.75% 7.75% Text
Westwood LET 7.64% 7.64% Text
Scruff LET 7.59% 7.59% Text
Milano LET 7.38% 7.38% Text
Mekanik LET 7.08% 7.08% Text
OldDreadfulNo7 BT 7.08% 7.08% Text
Highlight LET 7.03% 7.03% Text
Pump Demi Bold LET 6.97% 6.97% Text
Jokerman LET 6.87% 6.87% Text
Orange LET 6.87% 6.87% Text
Quixley LET 6.82% 6.82% Text
Victorian LET 6.77% 6.77% Text
Academy Engraved LET 6.72% 6.72% Text
Odessa LET 6.67% 6.67% Text
Braggadocio 4.59% 4.59% Text Image
Beesknees ITC 4.46% 4.46% Text
Kino MT 4.10% 4.10% Text Image
Placard Condensed 3.28% 3.28% Text
Desdemona 3.17% 3.17% Text Image
GENUINE 3.08% 3.08% Text
Base 02 2.10% 2.10% Text
CAMPBELL 1.79% 1.79% Text
MARKETPRO 1.64% 1.64% Text

Font stack builder: Start a fantasy font stack

Most common fantasy fonts on Mac systems to 6 February 2010
Font name Installed (%) Sample Image
Impact 91.27% 91.27% Text Image
Copperplate 89.30% 89.30% Text Image
Marker Felt 87.61% 87.61% Text Image
Papyrus 87.31% 87.31% Text Image
Herculanum 84.21% 84.21% Text Image
Capitals 43.03% 43.03% Text Image
Copperplate Gothic Bold 30.34% 30.34% Text Image
Haettenschweiler 21.36% 21.36% Text
Britannic Bold 20.74% 20.74% Text
Colonna MT 20.43% 20.43% Text
Playbill 20.43% 20.43% Text
Braggadocio 20.12% 20.12% Text
Desdemona 20.12% 20.12% Text
Matura MT Script Capitals 19.81% 19.81% Text
Wide Latin 19.81% 19.81% Text
Kino MT 18.89% 18.89% Text
Algerian 1.24% 1.24% Text

Font stack builder: Start a fantasy font stack

Most common fantasy fonts on Unix systems to 6 February 2010
Font name Installed (%) Sample Image
Impact 59.81% 59.81% Text
Linux Libertine C 14.49% 14.49% Text
Balker 13.04% 13.04% Text
Marked Fool 13.04% 13.04% Text
Penguin Attack 13.04% 13.04% Text
Junkyard 11.59% 11.59% Text
Isabella 10.14% 10.14% Text

Font stack builder: Start a fantasy font stack

Web font classification

Font stacks for print style sheets

Our main interest is to build reliable font stacks for screen rendering, but CSS allows us to specify a different font stack to print Web pages. The most reliable way to apply print media style sheets is to use the media attribute on the style sheet link element. The selectors you choose and font-family declarations you add to this style sheet will only apply when the page is printed. 

<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"
      href="/styles/print.css" media="print" />

What font combinations would you choose for print? Use the font stack builder to create a print font stack and submit your ideas.

Other CSS font family resources

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