Lowercase "u" Used to Be the Same Letter as "v" — Here's When They Split

 

Here's a fact that surprises a lot of people: "u" and "v" used to be the exact same letter. For well over a thousand years, Latin used "V" for both a vowel sound and a consonant sound, and scribes wrote the rounded or pointed version somewhat interchangeably depending on personal habit rather than any real rule. The two only started splitting into distinct letters during the Renaissance, alongside a very similar separation happening between "i" and "j" around the same time.

Structurally, "u" functions almost like an upside-down "n" — two stems connected by a curve, just flipped vertically. Because of that relationship, type designers usually draw "u" right after "n," though a direct mirror copy rarely works as well as a carefully re-tuned version built to match.

Some historic inscriptions and classical-style logos still use "V" in place of "U" today, a small holdover from the era before the two letters fully separated.

This glyph series breaks down every letter like this. ✍️ #TypeDesign #Typography #FontDesign

Read more: https://letterhanna.com/lowercase-letter-u-design-and-history/