Family motto ideas
A family motto is a few words that sum up what your family stands for. Here are 210 ideas, grouped by the value they express, in plain English and in Latin. Every one of them was written for this site and is free to use.
How to choose a family motto
- Keep it short. Two to six words fits on a ribbon, a mug or a doormat. If you have to take a breath halfway through, it is a creed line, not a motto.
- Say it out loud. The right motto is one your kids will quote back to you, sometimes sarcastically. That means it is working.
- Start from your values. Pick the one or two values your whole family agrees on, then choose a motto from that value below.
- English or Latin? Latin looks traditional on a crest; English is easier to live by. Many families put the Latin on the crest and the translation underneath. See Latin family mottos with translations.
How we treat each other
Love
- Love above all
- Love always
- Love out loud
- Love wins
- Love deeply. Be kind.
- Amor Vincit Omnia: “Love conquers all”
Kindness
- Be kind
- Kindness first
- Kindness always
- Choose kind
- Be kind. Love deeply.
Loyalty
- Always together
- Loyal to the end
- In your corner
- One for all
- Stand together. Love deeply.
- Fideles ad Finem: “Faithful to the end”
Forgiveness
- Forgive and begin again
- Love keeps no score
- Always another chance
- Mercy first
- Forgive freely. Love deeply.
Generosity
- Give freely
- Open hands, open hearts
- There is always enough
- Share the table
- Give freely. Love deeply.
- Date et Dabitur: “Give, and it will be given”
Hospitality
- Always room for one more
- All are welcome here
- Come in, stay awhile
- Open door, open heart
- Welcome everyone. Love deeply.
- Domus Omnibus Patet: “Our home is open to all”
Gratitude
- Give thanks
- Grateful every day
- Count your blessings
- Thankful for each other
- Give thanks. Love deeply.
- Gratias Agimus: “We give thanks”
Patience
- Slow and steady
- Make haste slowly
- All in good time
- Breathe first
- Be patient. Love deeply.
- Festina Lente: “Make haste slowly”
Respect
- Honor all
- Listen first
- Respect for all
- Every voice matters
- Honor all. Love deeply.
Who we are
Honesty
- Speak true
- Truth always
- Our word is our bond
- Honest and true
- Speak true. Be brave.
- Veritas Vincit: “Truth prevails”
Courage
- Be brave
- Fear less
- Courage always
- Brave hearts
- Be brave. Speak true.
- Fortes Fortuna Iuvat: “Fortune favors the brave”
Responsibility
- Keep your word
- Own it
- Promises kept
- Duty and honor
- Keep your word. Speak true.
Hard work
- Work hard
- Nothing without work
- Hard work pays
- Finish what you start
- Work hard. Speak true.
- Labor Omnia Vincit: “Work conquers all”
Perseverance
- Never give up
- Keep going
- Rise again
- Through every storm
- Keep going. Speak true.
- Per Aspera ad Astra: “Through hardships to the stars”
Humility
- Walk humbly
- Stay humble
- Lift others up
- Humble hearts
- Stay humble. Speak true.
Fairness
- Do right
- Fair to all
- Justice and mercy
- Stand for what is right
- Do right. Speak true.
- Fiat Iustitia: “Let justice be done”
Strength
- Stand strong
- Strong together
- Steady and strong
- Strength in unity
- Stand strong. Speak true.
- Semper Fortes: “Always strong”
Excellence
- Do your best
- Aim high
- Ever higher
- Excellence in all things
- Aim high. Speak true.
- Semper ad Meliora: “Always toward better things”
What we believe
Curiosity
- Stay curious
- Ask why
- Wonder always
- Seek and find
- Stay curious. Keep learning.
- Quaerite et Invenietis: “Seek and you will find”
Learning
- Keep learning
- Always a student
- Read, ask, grow
- Never stop learning
- Keep learning. Stay curious.
- Sapere Aude: “Dare to be wise”
Wisdom
- Seek wisdom
- Think, then act
- Choose wisely
- Wise hearts
- Choose wisely. Stay curious.
- Sapere Aude: “Dare to be wise”
Creativity
- Make something
- Dream it, make it
- Create boldly
- Imagine more
- Make something. Stay curious.
Faith
- Keep the faith
- Faith over fear
- Walk in faith
- In faith, together
- Keep the faith. Stay curious.
- In Deo Spes Nostra: “Our hope is in God”
Hope
- Always hope
- Hope anchors us
- Brighter days ahead
- While we breathe, we hope
- Keep hoping. Stay curious.
- Dum Spiramus, Speramus: “While we breathe, we hope”
Peace
- Make peace
- Peace at home
- Calm hearts
- Peace be with us
- Make peace. Stay curious.
- Pax et Bonum: “Peace and goodness”
Service
- Serve others
- Lend a hand
- Leave it better
- Not for ourselves alone
- Lend a hand. Stay curious.
- Non Nobis Solum: “Not for ourselves alone”
Tradition
- Remember our roots
- Honor the past
- Roots and wings
- From old roots, new branches
- Honor our roots. Stay curious.
- Memores Maiorum: “Mindful of our ancestors”
How we live
Joy
- Choose joy
- Joy in all things
- Dance anyway
- Find the joy
- Choose joy. Explore more.
- Carpe Diem: “Seize the day”
Adventure
- Go and see
- Explore more
- Adventure awaits
- Say yes to adventure
- Explore more. Choose joy.
- Audentes Fortuna Iuvat: “Fortune favors the bold”
Humor
- Laugh often
- Keep laughing
- Laughter is our medicine
- Never lose the joke
- Laugh often. Choose joy.
- Ridere et Amare: “To laugh and to love”
Health
- Be well
- Healthy and happy
- Rest, move, grow
- Strong bodies, kind hearts
- Be well. Choose joy.
- Mens Sana in Corpore Sano: “A sound mind in a sound body”
Nature
- Go outside
- Leave no trace
- Wild and free
- Under open skies
- Go outside. Choose joy.
- Natura Duce: “With nature as our guide”
Freedom
- Free to be
- Live free
- Be yourself
- Roots to grow, wings to fly
- Be yourself. Choose joy.
- Libertate Floremus: “In freedom we flourish”
Simplicity
- Keep it simple
- Simple and good
- Enough is plenty
- Small things matter
- Keep it simple. Choose joy.
- Simplex Munditiis: “Simple and elegant”
Togetherness
- Better together
- Stronger together
- Together always
- One family, one heart
- Stay together. Choose joy.
- Cor Unum: “One heart”
Music
- Sing loud
- Keep the music playing
- Life needs a song
- Sing together
- Sing loud. Choose joy.
- Cantando Vivimus: “We live by singing”