The and symbol (&)
The ampersand, &, means "and". It's on every keyboard (Shift and 7 on most English layouts), but it's easy to forget where it is, and the fancier versions aren't on any keyboard at all. Tap any version above to copy it.
Fancy ampersands
- ＆ is the fullwidth ampersand, wider and airier. It suits aesthetic text.
- ﹠ is a small ampersand.
- ⅋ is the turned ampersand, an upside-down & used in logic, and handy for upside-down text.
- Styled words like 𝒶𝓃𝒹, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 and ᴀɴᴅ give you "and" in a matching font.
Where the ampersand comes from
The symbol began as a joined-up writing of the Latin word et, which means "and". You can still see the e and the t in some old-style ampersands. Its name comes from the way schoolchildren used to recite the alphabet: the list ended with "and, per se, and", which slowly blurred into "ampersand".
Ideas
𝓐𝓷𝓷𝓪 & 𝓙𝓪𝓶𝓮𝓼 · salt ＆ light · 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨 ＆ 𝐂𝐨.
Use the ampersand in names, couple bios, shop names and titles. In normal sentences, writing "and" in full is usually easier to read.
Looking for other punctuation and signs? See signs like © ® ™ or all symbols.
When to use & instead of "and"
The ampersand is standard in company and brand names (like Smith & Sons), in short labels and headings where space is tight, and in common pairs like "Q&A" and "R&D". In regular sentences, most style guides prefer writing "and" in full. In bios, a fancy ampersand between two names is a sweet touch for couples and duos.
Typing it on different devices
On most English keyboards the ampersand is Shift and 7. On phones it's usually on the numbers and symbols keyboard (tap 123). The fancy versions here, like ＆ and ⅋, aren't on any standard keyboard, so copying them is the quickest way.