editorial

Merriweather and Rajdhani font pairing

Serif headings with a sans serif body.

Background
Issue 07 · Field notes
Where craft meets code

Good pairings feel inevitable. Great ones set the tone before a single word is read.

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A strong pairing creates clear hierarchy while feeling like one consistent voice across every page. This paragraph is set in Rajdhani, while the headline uses Merriweather. Numbers like 0123456789, punctuation “quotes” — and ampersands & — reveal a lot about how two typefaces get along.

Contrast, then harmony

Look for contrast in structure and harmony in proportion: similar x-heights, compatible widths and a shared sense of rhythm. Bold text and italic text should feel natural, too.

Why this pairing works

A classic contrast: Merriweather's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Rajdhani's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens. Rajdhani stays comfortable at paragraph sizes.

HMerriweather

Merriweather is a free serif typeface designed by Sorkin Type, added to Google Fonts in 2011. It comes in 7 weights with matching italics, and is a variable font with optical size, width and weight axes.

More pairings for Merriweather →

BRajdhani

Rajdhani is a free sans serif typeface designed by Indian Type Foundry, added to Google Fonts in 2014. It comes in 5 weights.

More pairings for Rajdhani →

Use this pairing on your website

HTML — paste in <head>
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com">
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin>
<link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Merriweather:wght@700&family=Rajdhani:wght@400;700&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">
CSS
h1, h2, h3 {
  font-family: 'Merriweather', serif;
  font-weight: 700;
}

body {
  font-family: 'Rajdhani', sans-serif;
  font-weight: 400;
  line-height: 1.6;
}

More pairings with Merriweather

More pairings with Rajdhani

A field guide to good ideas

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HFrauncesBRajdhanieditorial→

A classic contrast: Fraunces's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Rajdhani's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

Everything starts with a sketch

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HEB GaramondBRajdhanieditorial→

A classic contrast: EB Garamond's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Rajdhani's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

Design is how it works

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HRajdhaniBSource Serif 4moderneditorial→

A modern twist on the classic: Rajdhani keeps headings crisp and contemporary, while Source Serif 4's serifs guide the eye along longer lines of text.

Frequently asked questions

Do Merriweather and Rajdhani go well together?

A classic contrast: Merriweather's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Rajdhani's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens. Rajdhani stays comfortable at paragraph sizes.

Which font should be used for headings?

Use Merriweather for headings at weight 700, and Rajdhani for body text at weight 400. You can swap them in the pairing tool to compare.

Are Merriweather and Rajdhani free?

Yes — both are open-source fonts on Google Fonts and free for personal and commercial use.