Abstract This paper discusses a new mapping scheme known as face coded modulation (FCM) system. In FCM, peak energy symbols are mapped onto an innermost ring according to the eight sockets in the human face, that is, brain, mouth, nostrils, eyes and ears. For example, FCM is formed when the constellation diagram from M ‐ary quadrature amplitude modulation ( M QAM) system is modified to reduce peak‐to‐average power ratio (PAPR) by relocating the four corner symbols of the M QAM, with peak energy, to the innermost ring in a way that forms the figure of a cross. Unlike APSK, FCM mapping introduces non‐uniform sequence of symbols on the ring, face width factor and multiple modulator circuits that can be used to lower power requirements for high power amplifiers (HPA) as used in M QAM transmission systems. Symbol error rate (SER) for FCM is calculated and the results compared with M QAM and M PSK. It is shown that at equal energy efficiency, FCM scheme has a better response to errors than both M PSK and M QAM and a better energy efficiency due to lowered PAPR than M QAM. Moreover, the simulation results exhibit a tight match for the proposed analytical framework when assessed under Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN) channel.