The Everton Logo History, Colors, Font, And Meaning

The Everton logo is one of the most recognizable club badges in English football. It sits on the chests of players, on scarves, on pub walls across Merseyside, and on merchandise sold worldwide.

Built around the image of Prince Rupert’s Tower, the crest ties the club directly to its Liverpool roots. Everton Football Club was founded in 1878 as St. Domingo FC before being renamed a year later. The badge has gone through roughly ten design changes since the first version appeared in 1920.

The current version landed in 2014 after a public fan vote. It features a royal blue shield, the famous tower, two laurel wreaths, and the Latin motto “Nil Satis Nisi Optimum.” That phrase translates to “Nothing but the best is good enough,” which, if you know Everton supporters, feels about right.

What Is the Everton Logo?

The Everton logo is a shield-shaped emblem featuring Prince Rupert’s Tower at its center, flanked by laurel wreaths, with the club name, founding year (1878), and the Latin motto “Nil Satis Nisi Optimum” displayed below. It was introduced on July 4, 2014, after a supporter-led vote.

Here’s a breakdown of its main attributes:

• Design Type: Emblem (shield-based crest)
• Primary Elements: Prince Rupert’s Tower (also called the Everton Lock-Up), two laurel wreaths, the “Everton” wordmark, the founding year “1878,” and a ribbon bearing the club motto
• Official Introduction Date: July 4, 2014
• Designer: Selected through a fan consultation process with three shortlisted designs. The club’s in-house team produced the options. Almost 80% of voting supporters chose the winning crest.
• Trademark Status: Registered with the UK Intellectual Property Office. A monochrome version was filed on February 21, 2013, during the transitional period.
• Color Palette: Royal blue (Hex: #274488) and white (Hex: #FFFFFF). Some sources cite a slightly different blue (#003399) depending on the usage context.
• Usage Context: Matchday kits, training wear, official merchandise, digital platforms, stadium signage, broadcast media, and all club communications

How Has the Everton Logo Evolved Over Time?

The Everton badge has been redesigned roughly ten times since 1920. It started as a simple EFC monogram on a blue shield and grew into the detailed tower-and-wreath emblem we see today.

The biggest controversy came in 2013 when the club dropped the motto and wreaths. Over 22,000 fans signed a petition against it, and the club reversed course within days.

Original Everton Logo (1920-1938)

• Years Active: 1920-1938
• Design Description: A solid blue shield with sharp angles and a thick white outline. The letters E, F, and C were intertwined in a wishbone-style monogram at the center.
• Color Scheme: Blue and white
• Designer: Unknown (club-produced)
• Context: This was the first official club crest. Everton had been playing for over 40 years without a formal badge. It set the foundation for what would become the club’s signature royal blue identity.
• Cultural Significance: Established the “EFC” abbreviation and the blue-and-white pairing that persists today. Simple, but it gave supporters something to rally behind visually for the first time.

Theo Kelly’s Tower Badge (1938-1972)

• Years Active: 1938-1972 (primarily on club ties and official materials, not on kits)
• Design Description: A white shield outlined in blue, featuring Prince Rupert’s Tower at the center with two laurel wreaths on either side. Above the shield sat the full name “Everton Football Club Co., Ltd.” in a Gothic-style font. Below it, the motto “Nil Satis Nisi Optimum” appeared on a ribbon.
• Color Scheme: Blue and white
• Designer: Theo Kelly, club secretary (later became Everton’s first official manager)
• Context: Kelly spent four months creating this design for the neckties worn by himself and Chairman Mr. Green. He chose the Everton Lock-Up, a tower built in 1787 on Everton Brow, as the central image. The ties debuted on the first day of the 1938-39 season.
• Key Changes from Previous: Everything. This badge replaced the simple EFC monogram with a pictorial emblem. It introduced the tower, the wreaths, and the motto for the first time.
• Cultural Significance: This is the badge that gave Everton its visual soul. Every version since has referenced Kelly’s design in some way. The tower connected the club permanently to its home district in Liverpool.

EFC Monogram Era (1972-1978)

• Years Active: 1972-1978 (two variations within this period)
• Design Description: The club went back to a simplified “EFC” monogram. Initially, cursive letters were placed diagonally from upper left to lower right. By 1976, the letters were redrawn in a straighter style.
• Color Scheme: Blue and white
• Context: This was a period of simplification across English football. Many clubs stripped their badges down. Everton followed the trend.
• Key Changes from Previous: Dropped the tower, wreaths, and motto entirely. Went back to basics.
• Cultural Significance: Not a favorite among fans looking back. But it reflected the era’s design thinking, where clean, reproducible marks were preferred over detailed crests.

Return of the Tower (1978-1983)

• Years Active: 1978-1983
• Design Description: The tower emblem returned, now set inside a circular badge with a thick blue outline and white background. The blue shield with the tower and wreaths was placed at the center. “Everton FC” appeared in a traditional serif typeface across the top.
• Color Scheme: Blue, white, and green (for the laurel wreaths)
• Context: This change happened after supporters pushed for something that looked more established than a simple monogram. The club listened.
• Key Changes from Previous: Brought back the pictorial elements from Kelly’s 1938 design. Added a circular frame and serif wordmark.
• Cultural Significance: Marked the moment the tower became a permanent fixture on the badge. From here on, every version would feature it.

Yellow and Blue Badge (1983-1991)

• Years Active: 1983-1991
• Design Description: A solid blue circle with the tower and wreaths drawn in yellow. “Everton” appeared in all capitals arched along the top. The simplified “EFC” in a serif font sat below the tower. No motto ribbon.
• Color Scheme: Blue and yellow
• Context: This badge covered some of Everton’s most successful years. Two League Championships (1984-85, 1986-87), an FA Cup (1984), and the European Cup Winners’ Cup (1985) were all won under this crest.
• Key Changes from Previous: Dropped the circular border. Introduced yellow as a secondary color. Removed the motto.
• Cultural Significance: For a generation of Everton fans, this is THE badge. It covered the Howard Kendall golden era and remains deeply tied to the club’s peak years. You still see it on retro merchandise.

The Classic Revival (1991-2000)

• Years Active: 1991-2000
• Design Description: A return to the shield format from Kelly’s original design. The tower and wreaths were rendered in blue and white on a clean shield. Two ribbons below carried the “Nil Satis Nisi Optimum” motto in capital letters. “EFC” appeared in a classic serif font within the shield.
• Color Scheme: Blue and white
• Context: The club went back to heritage. After the yellow era, there was a pull toward tradition.
• Key Changes from Previous: Ditched the yellow. Restored the motto. Returned to the shield shape. Simplified the overall rendering.
• Cultural Significance: This was seen as a “proper” Everton badge. It brought back the motto that fans loved and reconnected with the 1938 roots.

The Gradient Badge (2000-2013)

• Years Active: 2000-2013
• Design Description: The same tower-and-wreath layout, but now with gradient shading that gave the badge a three-dimensional look. “Everton” was placed below the shield in a sleek modern serif typeface. The founding year “1878” was split on either side of the shield. A yellow border outlined everything.
• Color Scheme: Blue, white, and yellow
• Context: This was the early-2000s “modernize everything” approach. Lots of football clubs added gradients and 3D effects to their badges during this period.
• Key Changes from Previous: Added gradient effects, a yellow border, the “Everton” wordmark below the shield, and the split “1878” date.
• Cultural Significance: Lasted 13 years, the longest run for any Everton badge. It covered the David Moyes era (2002-2013), which brought stability and consistent top-half finishes. The badge most people worldwide associate with Everton from that generation.

The Controversial Redesign (2013-2014)

• Years Active: 2013-2014 (one season only)
• Design Description: A flat, simplified blue shield with a streamlined tower at the center. “Everton” was placed inside the shield in white. The wreaths were gone. The motto was gone. “1878” appeared below the tower. No ribbon, no scroll.
• Color Scheme: Blue and white (monochrome)
• Designer: Club-commissioned (reportedly influenced by kit manufacturer Nike’s push for easier reproduction)
• Context: Launched on May 25, 2013. Within two days, over 14,000 fans signed a petition against it. A poll on an Everton fan site showed 91% negative response. The club’s Head of Marketing left shortly after.
• Key Changes from Previous: Removed the wreaths, the motto, the gradient, the yellow border, and most of the badge’s personality.
• Cultural Significance: This is a case study in what happens when you strip too much from a logo. The backlash was so intense that Everton publicly apologized and promised a fan-led redesign within weeks. It lasted exactly one season.

The Current Everton Badge (2014-Present)

• Years Active: 2014-present
• Design Description: A royal blue shield featuring Prince Rupert’s Tower, two laurel wreaths, the “Everton” name, and “1878” inside the shield. Below, a curved ribbon carries the motto “Nil Satis Nisi Optimum.” The overall rendering is flat and clean, without the gradients of the 2000-2013 version.
• Color Scheme: Royal blue (#274488) and white (#FFFFFF)
• Designer: Fan-selected from three options produced by the club. Chosen by nearly 80% of voters.
• Context: Born directly from the 2013 controversy. The club published three prototype designs and let supporters vote. The winning design brought back everything fans had fought to keep.
• Key Changes from Previous: Restored the wreaths, motto, and heritage elements. Used a cleaner, flatter rendering without the 3D effects of the 2000 version.
• Cultural Significance: This badge represents fan power. It’s one of the few crests in professional football that was directly chosen by supporters. That story alone gives it weight.

What Do the Design Elements of the Everton Logo Mean?

Every piece of the Everton crest carries meaning rooted in the club’s local history. Prince Rupert’s Tower connects the badge to the Everton district of Liverpool. The laurel wreaths reference classical symbols of victory. And the motto sets an expectation that only the best will do.

These aren’t decorative choices. They tell you where this club comes from and what it stands for.

What Does Prince Rupert’s Tower Represent?

The tower at the center of the badge is the Everton Lock-Up, a round building constructed in 1787 on Everton Brow. It originally held drunks and petty criminals overnight before they faced local trials.

It’s a Grade II listed building that still stands in Everton Park today. The name “Prince Rupert’s Tower” comes from Prince Rupert of the Rhine, whose Royalist Army camped in the area during the English Civil War. He never actually saw the tower, though. It was built 143 years after his visit.

Club secretary Theo Kelly selected it in 1938 because it was the oldest and most distinct landmark in the Everton district. It tied the club to its geography in a way that felt permanent. When you think about how shapes work in design, the rounded tower creates a strong focal point at the center of the shield.

What Do the Laurel Wreaths Symbolize?

The two laurel wreaths flanking the tower come from Greek and Roman tradition, where laurel crowns were given to victors in athletic and artistic competitions. Apollo, the Greek god of the sun, was frequently shown wearing one.

In the Everton badge, they represent victory and ambition. They’ve been part of the design since Theo Kelly’s 1938 original. When the club removed them in 2013, it was one of the main reasons fans revolted.

Why Did Everton Choose These Specific Colors?

Everton’s royal blue has been the club’s identity since the early 1900s. The team first wore blue jerseys with white shorts in the 1901-02 season. A brief switch to sky blue in 1906 triggered fan protests, and the club went back to royal blue immediately.

The official color codes for the badge:

• Royal Blue: Hex #274488 | RGB (39, 68, 136) | CMYK (71.3, 50, 0, 46.6) | Pantone PMS 7687 C
• White: Hex #FFFFFF | RGB (255, 255, 255) | CMYK (0, 0, 0, 0)

Blue carries associations with trust, loyalty, and stability. For a club that calls itself “The People’s Club,” that fits. White adds clarity and makes the detailed crest elements readable at small sizes. Together they form a monochromatic color scheme that’s clean and versatile across all applications.

What Typography Style Is Used in the Everton Logo?

There are two distinct text treatments in the current badge. The main “Everton” wordmark uses a smooth, sleek typeface similar to Angie Sans Std Bold. It’s written in title case and sits inside the shield below the tower.

The Latin motto “Nil Satis Nisi Optimum” below the shield uses a different approach entirely. It’s set in all capitals with a more traditional sans-serif style, close to Latinaires Pro SC Bold. The letter spacing is wider on the motto to keep it readable along the curved ribbon.

What Are the Hidden Meanings in the Everton Logo?

The number “1878” isn’t just a founding date. It’s a reminder that Everton was one of the original twelve founders of the Football League in 1888. Barely ten years old when professional football organized itself, the club was already there.

The shield shape itself draws on heraldic tradition, connecting a football club to something older and more formal. And the motto? “Nothing but the best is good enough” has three accepted translations from the Latin. Fans can pick the one that suits them. That ambiguity was intentional from the start.

How Does the Everton Logo Compare to Competitor Logos?

Everton sits among a group of English clubs that have kept traditional shield-and-crest formats. Liverpool uses the Liver bird. Manchester United has the red devil on a shield. Arsenal went through its own simplification controversy years earlier.

What makes Everton’s badge stand out is the tower. Most Premier League crests use animals, birds, or abstract symbols. Everton uses a building. An actual, real structure you can walk to and touch in Liverpool.

Chelsea and Manchester City both modernized their badges in recent years, with varying degrees of fan acceptance. Tottenham Hotspur stripped back to just the cockerel. Aston Villa kept a more ornate look with the rampant lion.

Everton’s 2013 disaster actually served as a warning to other clubs about removing heritage elements from their crests. After watching the backlash, several Premier League teams slowed down their own modernization plans. At least in my experience following these redesigns, clubs got a lot more cautious about stripping down their badges after Everton showed what happens when you go too far.

What Are the Technical Specifications of the Everton Logo?

Official Color Codes

• Primary Color – Royal Blue: Hex #274488 | RGB (39, 68, 136) | CMYK (71.3, 50, 0, 46.6) | Pantone PMS 7687 C
• Secondary Color – White: Hex #FFFFFF | RGB (255, 255, 255) | CMYK (0, 0, 0, 0) | Pantone PMS 7436 C
• Accent Color – Silver (used in some branding applications): Hex #888888 | Pantone Cool Gray 7 C

Some sources cite the blue as #003399 (Pantone 287 C), which is a deeper shade used on certain digital platforms and broadcast media. The difference is minor but worth noting if you’re working on something official. Always check the club’s brand guidelines for the most current values.

Dimensions and Proportions

The badge uses a shield format that’s slightly taller than it is wide. The shield houses all primary elements (tower, wreaths, wordmark, date), while the motto ribbon extends below the shield boundary.

Minimum size requirements exist for print reproduction. The 2013 controversy was partly driven by the need for a badge that reproduced cleanly at small sizes on broadcast graphics. The current version addresses this while keeping more detail than the rejected 2013 design.

Clear space around the badge should be maintained equal to at least the height of the “E” in “Everton” on all sides. The badge should not be redrawn, recolored, or distorted in any application.

What Cultural Impact Has the Everton Logo Had?

The Everton crest reaches well beyond football. In the Everton district of Liverpool, you’ll spot the tower image on street signs, local businesses, and community projects. It functions as both a club badge and a neighborhood symbol.

The 2013 badge controversy became a case study in sports branding. It showed that fans don’t just watch football. They own the identity of their club emotionally. Over 22,000 signatures on a petition in two days proved that a crest is not just a marketing asset you can swap out.

The fact that the current badge was chosen by supporters in a public vote makes it one of the few fan-designed crests in top-level professional football. That story gets referenced in design discussions and branding lectures. It’s a real example of what happens when you remove the audience from the process, and what can happen when you bring them back in.

How Does the Everton Logo Fit Into the Overall Brand Identity?

The badge anchors everything Everton does visually. It appears on matchday kits from their current manufacturer, on the entrance to Goodison Park, across all digital channels, and on everything from training jackets to coffee mugs.

The “People’s Club” nickname (coined by former manager David Moyes at his introductory press conference) feeds directly into how the badge is perceived. A crest chosen by the people, for the people. That’s not a marketing line. It’s literally what happened.

With the move to Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium on the horizon, the badge takes on even more weight. It’s the one constant as the club leaves Goodison Park after over 130 years. The tower on the crest remains even as the physical surroundings change. Knowing what we know about how visual hierarchy works in design, the badge serves as the anchor point for an entire identity system that extends across physical and digital spaces.

How Should the Everton Logo Be Used?

Everton Football Club controls the use of its crest strictly. Here’s what you need to know:

• Official Access: The club provides official versions of the badge through its media and licensing departments. Don’t trace it from a JPEG you found online.
• Reproduction: The badge should always be reproduced from official vector files when available. This keeps the details sharp at any size.
• Color Restrictions: The badge should appear in its official royal blue and white. A monochrome (all white or all blue) version exists for specific applications like embossing or single-color printing.
• Licensing: Any commercial use of the Everton badge requires licensing from the club. This includes merchandise, publications, and broadcast graphics.
• Trademark Protection: The crest is a registered trademark in the UK. Unauthorized use can result in legal action.
• Do Not: Rotate, stretch, recolor, add effects to, or partially crop the badge. Don’t place it on backgrounds that reduce readability. Don’t combine it with other club crests or logos without approval.

For fan-created content, the club generally allows non-commercial use with proper attribution. But if you’re producing anything for sale, get proper licensing first. It’s not worth the headache.

FAQ on The Everton Logo

What does the Everton logo look like?

The current Everton FC emblem is a royal blue shield with Prince Rupert’s Tower at the center. Two laurel wreaths flank the tower. Below the shield, a ribbon carries the Latin motto “Nil Satis Nisi Optimum.” The club name and founding year 1878 sit inside the crest.

When was the current Everton badge introduced?

The current badge launched on July 4, 2014. It replaced a controversial 2013 redesign that fans rejected.

Three prototype crests were shortlisted, and supporters voted. Nearly 80% chose the winning design, making it one of few fan-selected club badges in Premier League history.

What is Prince Rupert’s Tower on the Everton crest?

It’s the Everton Lock-Up, a round building constructed in 1787 on Everton Brow in Liverpool. It originally held drunks and petty criminals overnight. The Grade II listed structure still stands in Everton Park today. Club secretary Theo Kelly picked it as the badge’s central image in 1938.

What does “Nil Satis Nisi Optimum” mean?

The Everton motto translates from Latin to “Nothing but the best is good enough.” Some fans prefer the alternate reading: “Only the best will do.”

It first appeared on the club crest in 1938 and has been a defining part of the Toffees’ identity ever since.

What are the official Everton logo colors?

Royal blue (Hex #274488) and white (Hex #FFFFFF). Some digital applications use a deeper blue (#003399). The club’s color palette has stayed rooted in blue and white since the 1901-02 season, when the team first wore royal blue jerseys.

Why did Everton change their badge in 2013?

The club simplified the crest for better reproduction across broadcast and print media. Critics believed kit manufacturer Nike pushed the change to cut production costs.

The redesign dropped the wreaths and motto. Over 22,000 Everton supporters signed a petition against it within days.

How many times has the Everton logo changed?

Roughly ten times since 1920. The badge history runs from a simple EFC monogram through various shield and circle formats to today’s fan-voted crest. The biggest shifts came in 1938 when Theo Kelly added the tower, and in 1978 when it moved onto matchday kits.

What font does the Everton logo use?

The “Everton” wordmark closely matches Angie Sans Std Bold. The motto text uses a different style, similar to Latinaires Pro SC Bold.

Two separate typographic treatments in one badge. That’s unusual for football club crests, but it works because each serves a different function.

Can I use the Everton logo for my project?

Non-commercial fan use is generally tolerated. Anything commercial requires licensing from the club. The crest is a registered trademark with the UK Intellectual Property Office. Using it on merchandise or publications without permission can lead to legal action. Always check with Everton’s licensing department first.

Will Everton get a new logo for the new stadium?

Nothing has been confirmed. The club is moving to Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium, but the current badge was designed to last. Given the 2013 backlash, any future Everton badge redesign will almost certainly involve a supporter consultation process before anything changes.

Conclusion

The Everton logo carries over a century of Merseyside football history in a single shield. From Theo Kelly’s 1938 necktie design to the fan vote that shaped the current crest, every version reflects what the club values most.

Prince Rupert’s Tower, the laurel wreaths, and that Latin motto aren’t going anywhere. Supporters made sure of that in 2013.

As Everton FC prepares for life at Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium, the badge remains the one constant. The Toffees’ visual identity has survived ten redesigns, a public backlash, and decades of change in English football branding.

It’s a club crest built by its fans. And that’s what makes it last.

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Bogdan Sandu

Bogdan Sandu is a seasoned designer who has been designing websites since 2008.

Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients.

His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8.

He also wrote in the past years on sites like Design Your Way, WebDesignerDepot, WPDean, Designmodo, Speckyboy, Slider Revolution, and more.

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