What Is the New York Yankees Logo?
The New York Yankees logo is the interlocking NY, the letters N and Y laced together in navy blue. Tiffany & Co. first designed the monogram for a police medal in 1877, and the team adopted it in 1909.
The New York Yankees are the Major League Baseball team from the Bronx, New York City, founded in 1903. The club also uses a primary logo with the word Yankees, a bat and an Uncle Sam hat. The monogram is available as the New York Yankees logo SVG.
New York Yankees Logo Facts
| Designer | Tiffany & Co., for an 1877 medal |
| Introduced | 1909 |
| Symbol | None; the letters N and Y interlock |
| Logo type | Lettermark: the initials N and Y |
| Owner | New York Yankees |
What the New York Yankees Logo Means
The interlocking NY stands for New York, the city the team has played in since its founding in 1903. The two letters wrap around each other in a single compact mark.
The same two letters appear in slightly different drawings across the club.
- Cap insignia: N and Y about the same size and unadorned
- Home jersey: a larger Y, blockier letters and more exaggerated curves
- Print logo: a larger, curvier N with large serifs, used in marketing and on batting helmets
The monogram has spread far beyond baseball. The logo is known internationally as a fashion item and as an icon of New York City.
New York Yankees Logo History
The New York Yankees logo began as jewellers' work on a medal and reached the team's uniforms three decades later.
| Year | What changed |
|---|---|
| 1877 | Tiffany & Co. designs the interlocking NY for a medal of valour |
| 1903 | The team starts life as the New York Highlanders |
| 1909 | The team adopts the interlocking NY |
| 1912 | The monogram first appears on the home jersey |
| 1913 | The team takes the name New York Yankees |
| 1936 | After an absence from the jersey since 1917, the NY returns for good |
| 1946 | Henry Alonzo Keller draws the primary logo with bat and hat |
The 1877 medal was presented to a New York City police officer. Tiffany struck the two letters on it, and the baseball team borrowed the design more than thirty years later.
The Bat and the Hat
The Yankees' primary logo is a separate mark from the cap monogram. Sports artist Henry Alonzo Keller created it in 1946.
- Word: Yankees in red script across a baseball
- Bat: a red bat forms the upright of the K
- Hat: an Uncle Sam hat hangs from the bat's barrel
The club has adjusted this logo slightly over the years, and the version used since the 1970s first appeared then.
For another long-standing MLB mark, compare the Los Angeles Dodgers logo. For more teams, browse our sports logos.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed the Yankees NY logo?
Tiffany & Co. designed the interlocking NY for a police medal of valour in 1877. The team adopted it in 1909.
Why do the Yankees' cap and jersey logos look different?
The cap uses two letters of about equal size. The jersey version has a larger Y and blockier, more curved letters.
What were the Yankees called before 1913?
They were the New York Highlanders, the name the team used from 1903 to 1912.
Who drew the Yankees logo with the bat and hat?
Sports artist Henry Alonzo Keller created it in 1946, with Yankees in red script and an Uncle Sam hat on a bat.