Tombstone wording: examples & ideas
Finding the words is often the hardest part of a memorial. These examples are a starting point — change them, combine them and make them yours.
What usually goes on a tombstone
- The full name — and the name everyone called them, if it was different
- The dates of birth and death
- A line about who they were to you: beloved mother, devoted husband, proud grandfather
- An epitaph, a verse, or a few words in their home language
- For some families, a clan name, praise names or a family motto
There is no wrong way to remember someone. Some families keep it to a name, dates and two words; others want a verse and a line in every language spoken at home. Read the examples below aloud — the right words usually sound like the person.
Wording examples
For a mother
- “A loving mother and devoted wife, forever in our hearts”
- “Her love was our foundation”
- “Beloved mother and grandmother — your kindness lives on in us”
- “Mama, you gave us everything. Rest now.”
- “Forever loved, forever missed, forever our mother”
For a father
- “A loving father and faithful husband”
- “He worked hard, loved deeply and gave freely”
- “Our rock, our guide, our dad”
- “A good man who lived for his family”
- “Your strength carried us. Rest in peace, Papa.”
For a husband, wife or parents together
- “Together in life, together in rest”
- “United forever in love”
- “Side by side, as they always were”
- “Loved by each other, loved by us all”
For a child
- “Our little angel”
- “A short life, a lasting love”
- “Held for a moment, loved for a lifetime”
- “Our precious child, forever in our hearts”
For a grandparent
- “Beloved gogo, the heart of our family”
- “A wise and gentle grandfather, deeply missed”
- “Your stories live on in your grandchildren”
Short epitaphs
- “Rest in peace”
- “In loving memory”
- “Forever loved”
- “Always remembered”
- “Until we meet again”
- “Gone but not forgotten”
Bible verses
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“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
Psalm 23:1
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“I am the resurrection, and the life.”
John 11:25
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“Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”
Matthew 5:4
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“Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”
Matthew 25:21
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“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”
2 Timothy 4:7
Quoted from the King James Version.
“Rest in peace” in South African languages
- Afrikaans
- Rus in vrede Rest in peace
- Afrikaans
- In liefdevolle herinnering In loving memory
- isiZulu
- Lala ngoxolo Rest in peace
- isiXhosa
- Lala ngoxolo Rest in peace
- Sesotho
- Robala ka khotso Rest in peace
- Setswana
- Robala ka kagiso Rest in peace
- Sepedi
- Robala ka khutšo Rest in peace
Spelling matters in every language — ask a family elder to check the wording before you approve it.
Before you approve the wording
- Check every name and date against an ID document or birth certificate before you approve the wording.
- Keep the epitaph short: a line or two reads better from a distance than a paragraph.
- If a husband or wife may be added later, leave room on the headstone for a second inscription.
- Choose the language, or languages, early, so the layout can be planned around them.
- A bigger headstone holds more lines — ours range from 700 × 500 mm to 1000 × 700 mm.
Still choosing the memorial itself? See what a tombstone costs — the parts, the usual designs and what changes the price.
Tombstone wording: your questions answered
What should be written on a tombstone?
How long should a tombstone inscription be?
Can a tombstone be engraved in more than one language?
Which Bible verses are used on tombstones?
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