Epitaph & Headstone Wording Generator
Finding the right words for a headstone is hard. This free generator turns a relationship, a name, and a tone into ready-to-use epitaph and inscription wording you can copy, refine, and make your own.
Tips for writing an epitaph
Keep it short — a name, two dates, a relationship line, and one line that was truly them. Read it aloud before you commit; engravers charge per character, so brevity is both cleaner and kinder to the budget. If there’s more to say than a stone can hold, that’s exactly what a digital memorial is for.
Frequently asked questions
A good epitaph is short — usually a name, dates, a relationship ("Beloved Mother"), and one line that captures the person: a value they lived by, a favorite phrase, a faith line, or simple love. Aim for a few words to two short lines; headstone space and engraving cost both favor brevity.
Most headstones fit a name, two dates, a short relationship line, and one epitaph line of about 5–10 words. Flat and smaller markers hold less. Engravers charge per character, so shorter is both cleaner and cheaper. Draft it, then read it aloud to test it.
Timeless short epitaphs include "Forever in our hearts," "Always loved, never forgotten," "Until we meet again," "Gone but not forgotten," and "Rest in peace." Personalize by adding the relationship ("A devoted father") or a line that was truly theirs.
Yes — a QR memorial plaque on the headstone opens a free digital memorial page with unlimited photos, video, voice and the full life story, so the stone can stay simple while everything else lives one scan away.
Say more than a stone can hold
A headstone holds a few words; a QR memorial plaque opens a free digital memorial page with their photos, voice and whole story. See more wording ideas in our In Loving Memory guide and the resource hub.