Heart-Shaped Headstones: Designs, Styles, and Choosing the Right Memorial

A heart-shaped headstone is an upright granite memorial whose tablet is cut in the outline of a heart instead of a rectangle. Some designs are a single heart for one person. Others place two hearts side by side so that two people can be remembered on one stone.

The shape is only the starting point. Heart memorials differ in how many hearts they carry, whether a carved angel, flowers, or other figure is part of the design, how large they are, and which granite colors they are offered in. This guide explains those differences, shows the heart designs currently listed in the Clear Stream Monuments catalog, and covers what to confirm with the cemetery before you choose one.

Key Takeaways

• A single heart is normally used for one person. Double heart designs give each of two people their own heart for a name and dates.
• Heart memorials are upright monuments. Confirm that the cemetery section accepts upright stones, and check its size limits, before choosing a design.
• A heart narrows toward the point, so it holds less wording than a rectangular tablet of similar size. Plan the inscription early.
• Carved figures and flowers add detail and usually add to the size and cost of the memorial.
• Granite colors are listed design by design. Check the product page for the memorial you have in mind.

What Is a Heart-Shaped Headstone?

Most upright headstones have two parts: the tablet that carries the inscription, which monument makers call the die, and the base it stands on. On a heart-shaped headstone the die is cut to a heart outline. The face of the heart is usually polished so that lettering can be engraved on it.

Families choose the shape for different reasons. The heart is widely understood as a sign of love, and for many people that is reason enough. For others it reflects a marriage, a parent, a child, or simply the character of the person. There is no single meaning a heart memorial has to carry, and the wording and artwork you add will say more than the shape does by itself.

Single Heart Designs

A single heart memorial has one heart-shaped tablet and is typically used for one person. Within that format the designs range from plain to fully sculpted. Each design named below is linked in the catalog table further down.

A plain heart

The simplest version has no added carving, so the shape and the inscription are the whole design. Our Single Heart Headstone is an example. Its tablet is listed at 24″ x 6″ x 26″ and it is offered in black and gray granite.

A heart with carved flowers

Carved flowers soften the outline and add texture beside the polished face. On the Single Heart with Flowers Headstone, the flowers are carved on the front and partly around the sides of a tablet the same size as the plain design. It is listed in India Red granite.

A heart held by a carved figure

Some designs set the heart within a sculpture. The Heart In Hands Headstone has a pair of fully carved hands holding the heart from below. The Teddy Bear Heart Headstone is a smaller memorial with a carved teddy bear holding a heart, and its product page describes it as designed for children’s memorials.

A heart with an angel

An angel is the figure most often paired with a heart in our catalog. On the Single Angel Heart headstone, a fully carved angel stands beside the heart and holds it, with raised flowers carved below. On the Dreaming Angel Heart Headstone, the angel rests above the top of the heart.

The pose of the angel changes the feeling of the memorial as much as the heart does. Our guide to angel headstones explains the common poses and what families consider when choosing between them.

Double Heart Designs for Two People

A double heart memorial has two hearts on one stone. Each heart gives one person a separate space for a name and dates, which is why these designs are commonly chosen as companion memorials for couples. They can also be used for other family members who are to be remembered together.

The double heart designs currently listed in our catalog all include at least one carved angel:

• The Single Angel Double Heart Headstone has one angel on the left side holding two connected hearts.
• The Praying Angel Double Heart Headstone places a praying angel in the center, between the two hearts.
• The Double Angel Double Heart Headstone has an angel at each end, with the two hearts between them.

These memorials are considerably wider than a single heart, so the size of the grave space and the cemetery’s limits matter even more. Before choosing one, confirm that the cemetery allows a single memorial across two adjoining spaces. Our articles on single and companion headstones and cemetery guidelines for companion headstones cover that planning in detail.

Heart Designs in the Clear Stream Monuments Catalog

The table shows nine of the heart memorials on our product pages, with the tablet size and granite colors each page lists. The first six are single heart designs and the last three are double heart designs. Upright sizes are normally written as width x thickness x height. Product details can change, so treat the product page as the current reference and confirm the details with us before ordering.

Design	Tablet size listed	Granite colors listed
Single Heart Headstone	24″ x 6″ x 26″	Black, Gray
Single Heart with Flowers Headstone	24″ x 6″ x 26″	India Red
Heart In Hands Headstone	24″ x 6″ x 30″	Gray, Black, Seashell Pink, India Red
Teddy Bear Heart Headstone	18″ x 6″ x 24″	Black
Single Angel Heart	30″ x 8″ x 30″ or 36″ x 8″ x 36″	Gray, Black, Seashell Pink, India Red
Dreaming Angel Heart Headstone	24″ x 8″ x 36″	Gray, Black, Seashell Pink, India Red
Single Angel Double Heart Headstone	54″ x 8″ x 36″	Black, Gray, India Red, Seashell Pink
Praying Angel Double Heart Headstone	54″ x 8″ x 33″	Black, Gray
Double Angel Double Heart Headstone	60″ x 8″ x 36″	Black, Gray, India Red, Seashell Pink

Other heart designs, including more angel and figure combinations, are in our upright headstones collection.

Size and Base

The sizes above are for the tablet only. Most of these memorials stand on a granite base that is wider and deeper than the tablet. The Single Heart Headstone, for example, lists a 36″ x 12″ x 6″ base for its 24-inch-wide tablet, and the Double Angel Double Heart lists bases of 72″ and 78″ in width.

When you compare a design with the cemetery’s limits, use the overall footprint and height with the base included, and ask the cemetery whether its maximum dimensions include the base. Some product pages also list a tablet-only option. If you are considering that, ask us and the cemetery what the memorial would then be set on.

Choosing a Granite Color

Granite color changes how a heart memorial looks and how its lettering reads. Gray and black are listed on the most heart designs in our catalog. Seashell Pink and India Red are listed on several, and a few designs are shown in one color only.

Many of these memorials are polished on the heart and left unpolished on the carved areas. That contrast between the two surfaces is part of the design, and it shows differently from one granite color to the next. Our guide to granite headstone colors explains how color and finish affect lettering and what to check with the cemetery.

Planning the Inscription

A heart is widest near the top and narrows to a point, so the usable area for lettering is smaller than the overall measurements suggest. A few practical points follow from that.

1. Put the longest line where the heart is widest. The name usually sits in the upper part of the heart, with the dates beneath it.
2. Keep the wording short. A name, dates, and one brief line generally fit comfortably. A long epitaph or several lines of verse may not.
3. Decide what goes on the base. A family name or a short phrase can sometimes be placed on the base, which leaves the heart for the personal details. Ask whether this is possible for the design you choose.
4. On a double heart, plan both sides together. If one inscription will be added later, ask how that is handled so the two hearts match.
5. Ask to see the layout before production. A drawing shows whether the wording fits the shape at a readable size.

For more on arranging names, dates, and artwork, see our overview of headstone layout options and the step-by-step guide to designing a custom headstone.

Cemetery Rules to Check First

Every heart memorial described here is an upright monument, and some include a sculpted figure. Cemeteries set their own rules, and those rules can differ from one section to the next. Ask the cemetery office for its memorial regulations in writing and confirm:

• Whether the section accepts upright monuments, or only flat markers
• The maximum width, height, and thickness, and whether the base is included
• Whether shaped tablets and carved figures are permitted
• Whether any granite colors are restricted
• Whether one memorial may be placed across two adjoining spaces
• Who installs the memorial, and whether a foundation and a setting fee are required

Our guide on how to select a headstone that fits cemetery rules explains each of these points.

What Affects the Price

We have not quoted prices here because they change and depend on the options you select. Each product page shows the current price for that design. In general, the cost of a heart memorial is affected by:

• Size. A double heart uses much more granite than a single heart.
• Carving. A sculpted angel, hands, or flowers takes more work than a plain polished heart.
• Granite color. Colors come from different sources, and their cost can differ.
• Base. The size of the base, and whether one is included, changes the total.
• Lettering and artwork. Additional wording or custom artwork may add to the cost.
• Cemetery charges. Foundation and setting fees are set by the cemetery and are separate from the price of the memorial.

Ask for a written quote for the exact design, size, color, and inscription you want, so you can compare options on the same basis.

A Simple Way to Decide

1. Get the cemetery’s written rules for the grave space.
2. Decide whether the memorial is for one person or two.
3. Choose a plain heart or a design with a carved figure or flowers.
4. Check the tablet and base sizes against the cemetery’s limits.
5. Choose a granite color from those listed for the design.
6. Draft the inscription and ask to see how it fits the heart.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a heart-shaped headstone mean?

The heart is widely recognized as a symbol of love, and that is the reason most often given for choosing it. Beyond that, the meaning is personal. Families choose heart memorials for spouses, parents, children, and others, and the inscription and artwork give each one its own significance.

Can a heart-shaped headstone be used for two people?

Yes. Double heart designs have two hearts on one stone, with space on each for a name and dates. Confirm that the cemetery permits one memorial across two adjoining spaces before choosing one.

Do all cemeteries allow heart-shaped headstones?

No. Some cemetery sections accept only flat markers, and others limit the size or style of upright monuments. Ask the cemetery for its rules in writing before you decide.

How much does a heart-shaped headstone cost?

It depends on the size, the amount of carving, the granite color, the base, and the inscription. Current prices are shown on each product page. Cemetery fees for a foundation or installation are separate.

What granite colors are available for heart headstones?

Colors are listed design by design. In our catalog, heart memorials are most often listed in gray and black, and several are also listed in Seashell Pink and India Red. If you want a color that is not shown for a design, ask us whether it can be supplied.

How much wording fits on a heart-shaped headstone?

Less than on a rectangular tablet of similar size, because the heart narrows toward the bottom. A name, dates, and a short line usually fit well. Ask to see a layout before production if you plan anything longer.

Next Steps

Start with the cemetery’s rules, then decide between a single and a double heart and choose the design, size, and granite color that fit the space. You can compare the designs in the table above, or contact our team with the cemetery’s requirements and the wording you have in mind.