Symbol for hope

Why the anchor means hope

The Letter to the Hebrews describes hope “as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast” (Hebrews 6:19). Early Christians painted anchors in the Roman catacombs, partly as a discreet cross shape, and the anchor has meant hope and steadiness ever since. Sailors also treat it as a sign of safe harbour. Copy it and see its codes on the anchor symbol page.

The rainbow and the dove

In Genesis, the rainbow is the sign of God’s promise after the flood, and the dove returns with an olive leaf to show that land is near. Both became images of hope after a hard time. In spring 2020, children in Italy painted rainbows with the words “andrà tutto bene” (everything will be all right), and the image spread worldwide during the pandemic. The rainbow is also the emblem of LGBTQ+ pride, from Gilbert Baker’s 1978 flag, so its meaning depends on context. More sky symbols are in our weather symbols collection.

Light, stars and sunrise

A new day is an easy metaphor for a fresh start, so the sunrise 🌅 and the sun ☀️ stand for hope in many languages. A lit candle 🕯️ in darkness is used at vigils. Stars, especially the wishing star, carry the same feeling: ⭐ and 🌟 are in the star symbols collection.

The semicolon ;

Project Semicolon was founded in 2013 by Amy Bleuel to raise awareness of suicide prevention. A semicolon marks a place where a writer could have ended a sentence but chose to continue, so people wear it, often as a small tattoo, to say that their story is not over. It is an ordinary keyboard semicolon, so it works in every font and every app.

Hope and new beginnings share many symbols, such as the seedling 🌱; see our symbols for new beginnings.