To understand the Ubuntu logo, it is essential to know what the name itself means. The Linux operating system received its name after the ethic or humanist philosophy of Ubuntu, which has its roots in South Africa.
The bright and playful visual identity of Ubuntu was redesigned just once since the date of the software’s release in 2004. The refined and modernized emblem fully repeats the original ones showing the brand’s value of roots, traditions, and reflecting its ability to evolve and grow.
2004 – 2010
The original Ubuntu logo was composed of a black rounded wordmark in the lowercase, placed in the right from a stylish abstract emblem, formed by a ring of three segments with three solid dots attached to them. The emblem was executed in yellow, red, and orange, celebrating the energy, dynamics, and progress. According to the company, the circular Ubuntu logo is a reflection of collaboration, reliability, and freedom.
2010 – Today
The redesign of 2010 reversed the colors of the Ubuntu logo, drawing its iconic emblem in white and placing it in a solid orange circle. The new emblem can be used on its own or accompanied by a black lowercase lettering in a stylish and modern sans-serif typeface, which looks better and more professional than the one from the previous version.
Symbol color versions
The older Ubuntu symbol includes the four colors: red, orange, yellow, and white for the background. The current version is more minimalistic: the symbol itself if white, while the background is orange and represents a circle. Also, the color scheme may be reversed, when the orange emblem is placed in a white circle.