California Golden Bears Logo

California Golden Bears Logo PNG

The handwritten “Cal” lettering and navy blue color symbolize the team’s affiliation with the University of California at Berkeley, where it is based. The “Cal” in the California Golden Bears logo is an acronym for the university and a symbol of pride and connection to the university community. In addition, the handwritten font gives the logo a personal and friendly look.

California Golden Bears sports teams play in the NCAA Division I, most often representing the Pac-12 Conference. They represent the University of California, Berkeley, at intercollegiate competitions. They were named after an extinct grizzly subspecies that lived in the North American forests. It became the mascot of athletes in 1895. The official colors of the department since 1875 are gold and dark blue. The first hints at the nickname of California (“Golden State”), and the second symbolizes the ocean, sky, and Yale University, where the first president of the university, Henry Durant, once studied.

Meaning and History

California Golden Bears got their nickname in 1895. One of the coaches decided to choose a bear as a mascot to pay homage to the national symbol of the United States. The state of California is home to several species of these animals, including the grizzly, after which the teams were named. It is the epitome of strength, intelligence, agility, and confidence.

However, most of the main California Golden Bears logos do not feature bears. They are based on lettering with roughly similar designs. Handwritten “Cal” signs with or without a gold halo were used at various periods. And an early version was represented by a large blue “C” that had no roundings. All of these marks link university teams to their place of origin.

What is California Golden Bears?

The California Golden Bears are the University of California, Berkeley’s athletic teams, representing the university in various sports, including football, basketball, baseball, golf, gymnastics, track and field, swimming, tennis, and more. The California Golden Bears have over 30 NCAA championship titles in various sports and many Olympic medals. Football is the most popular sport among the California Golden Bears, where the team plays in the NCAA Division I College Football League. The team plays at Memorial Stadium, which was opened in 1923 and is a historical symbol for the team and the entire university.

1905 – 1978

The dark blue “C” represents the first letter of the word “California. It is shaped like a polygon with cut corners. The solid lines and lack of rounding symbolize the confidence of sports teams in their abilities.

1978 – 2013

The elegant “Cal” lettering is painted in navy blue. The italic handwriting reflects the ease with which players win competitive victories. The stripe coming out of the “l” and pointing to the left gives the logo a sense of movement and energy that matches the team’s athleticism.

2013 – 2017

A yellow outline appeared around the lettering. It was added to reflect the official color scheme of the University of California, Berkeley: gold and blue. The emblem only lasted a few years in this form.

2017 – today

In 2017, the yellow shadows around the letters were removed. Only the blue lettering “Cal,” which is an acronym for the full name of the university and its teams, remained. The designers kept the calligraphic style, featuring elegant curves and swirls.

Font and Colors

The California Golden Bears logo uses an imitation of a handwritten font with a non-standard “l.” The lettering was custom created and had a custom design. As for the color scheme, the word “Cal” is colored in a shade of Berkeley Blue (#003262). But the university has another official color, California Gold (#FDB515).

California Golden Bears color codes