Alibata Font vs Baybayin: Why the Name Matters
Updated: Oct 5
If you searched for an "Alibata font," you are in the right place. You are looking for a Baybayin font. The two names point to the same script, but only one of them is historical.
Where the name Alibata came from
Alibata was coined in the early 1900s, generally credited to the educator Paul Rodríguez Verzosa, who based it on alif, ba, ta, the first letters of the Arabic alphabet as used in Maguindanao. It was taught in schools for decades, which is why so many Filipinos grew up with it.
Why Baybayin is the better name
Spanish-era records and the people who used the script called it Baybayin, from baybay, "to spell."
The script is not related to the Arabic alphabet. It comes from the Brahmic family of Southeast Asian scripts.
Using the historical name honors the people who wrote it.
You will still see both names, and that is okay. Search engines, tattoo artists and font sites often use both, so it helps to know they mean the same thing.
Choosing a font
Whether a site calls it Alibata or Baybayin, check that the font:
Has all 17 base characters plus the kudlit and virama.
Uses Unicode, so the text stays readable when copied (best for websites and social media).
Matches the feel you want: classic, brushed, block or modern.
Our full guide to Baybayin fonts compares the options, and you can see our custom designs in Block Baybayin Font BF1 and BOLO Baybayin Font BF2.
Learn it, don't just type it
Fonts are a great start, but writing Baybayin by hand is where it sticks. Try the Practice Writing page, or join a Baybayin workshop. And see Baybayin lettering on real streetwear at Learn Baybayin.
Learn it live, then wear it
The fastest way to really learn Baybayin is with a teacher and a group. In the Baybayin Workshop you will learn all 17 characters, the kudlit and the virama, and leave able to write your own name and the names of your family.
Baybayin Character Hoodie: all the characters on one hoodie
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