A tier list is a simple, powerful way to rank anything — but where did the format come from, what do the S–D letters mean, and how do you make one? This guide covers the lot, from definition to your first board.
A tier list is a chart that sorts a group of things into ranked rows — usually labelled S, A, B, C, D — from best at the top to worst at the bottom. Rather than forcing a strict 1-to-100 order, it groups items of similar quality onto the same row, so you might have three or four things sharing the top S tier and a couple more sitting in C. That grouping is the point: it captures how people actually think — "these are all elite, these are all mid" — without agonising over whether item #7 is really better than item #8.
So the tier list meaning is simple: it is a visual ranking. You will see the format everywhere, from video games and anime to snacks, sports teams and coworkers, because it turns any opinion into a shareable picture that instantly sparks a debate.
Tier lists began in gaming but have since spread to nearly every topic. The most common uses are:
If you can have an opinion on it, you can make a tier list of it — skim 100 tier list ideas for inspiration, or browse the full template library.
Rows are ranked by letter. S sits at the very top (more on that quirk below), then the alphabet descends. A standard board reads like this:
You do not have to use every letter. Many boards stop at D; others add E or F for the truly awful. For the complete breakdown see tier list ranks in order and tier list letters explained.
Yes — S is the highest rank, placed above A. The letter comes from Japanese grading, where S stands for Special or Superior: a grade sitting above the usual A. We cover the origin in depth in what does S tier mean.
The format was born in the fighting-game community, where players ranked characters from strongest to weakest to describe the "meta". From there it spread to forums, then YouTube and TikTok, and finally became a mainstream meme template for ranking anything at all. The full story is in the history of tier lists.
The modern way takes about two minutes:
Our free tier list maker handles all of that with real drag-and-drop and a one-click PNG export — no login. For a deeper walkthrough, read how to make a tier list.
You know what a tier list is — the fun part is making one. Paste a list, drag to rank, and export a clean PNG in about two minutes.
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