Font where O is very distinct from zero?

Question

I'm working on a project that has a a convoluted acronym with an O in it. In addition to being difficult to remember, it's very easy to mistake the O for a zero since it's not a word and it already has a number in it. (Example: F4TYO -- a reader who has never encountered this and doesn't know what it stands for may think that O is a 0)Since I don't have control over the name, I want to try using a font that will make the O look very much like an O and not a zero.Most fonts I've seen seem to focus on making the zero distinct (e.g. a slash, a dot, or boxy curves). I'm looking for a font where O is really distinct instead and very clearly an O and not a zero, even if it's mixed in with numbers.I need to use a free font (Google fonts are OK). Suggests for non-free fonts would be welcome too though as they may lead me to ideas that point me in the right direction. Other ideas for designing around this problem would be welcome.**Edit:** Another way to phrase this question as Sebastian mentions in the comments is *"How would one even differentiate an O from a 0 in the absence of the latter"*

Answer 1

Without knowing the general direction you are looking for with the font (serif/sans serif/script), it is hard to give a specific recommendation. In general terms, avoid any font that is condensed or compressed because the further the O gets from being circular, the more it will look like a zero. Serif fonts tend to have more circular Os, but even Helvetica and Arial have some nice round ones. If possible, using lower case letters could help because the proportion of the x height of the letter will make the viewer read it as an "o". Script upper case letters have a flourish that help differentiate letters from numerals as well. I hope that helps!