Need color names that inspire?
Wish you had a color thesaurus?
If you’re in search of more creative and unique color names than the basic “red” or “blue,” you’re in luck! Here’s a cool color names infographic by Ingrid Sundberg.
I know you love color, so I wanted to share it with you!
She’s come up with 20 different shades of white… as well as
- 20 shades of tan with names
- 20 color names for yellow
- 20 other names for orange color
- 20 deep, bright, and light red color names
- 20 shades of pink color names
- 20 other names for purple color tones
- 20 blue color shades with names
- 20 green color names and swatches
- 20 different brown color names
- 20 color names for gray shades and tints
- and 20 blacks – or names for black, anyway! Most appear to be the same inky hue.
240 colors and names in all!
And not the eye-popping, fluorescent, old-school web 1.0 shades of color you’ll find on many sites.
These are pretty and inspiring for creatives, like writers, artists, and fashion designers.
So enjoy!
Ingrid has purple hair – or perhaps I should say amethyst! She’s a YA writer and children’s book illustrator who says:
One of my ongoing word collections is of colors. I love to stop in the paint section of a hardware store and find new names for red or white or yellow.
Having a variety of color names at my fingertips helps me to create specificity in my writing. I can paint a more evocative image in my reader’s mind if I describe a character’s hair as the color of rust or carrot-squash, rather than red.
From The Color Thesaurus by Ingrid Sundberg.
So let’s get evocative with these creative color names!
20 best color names for white
- white
- pearl
- alabaster
- snow
- ivory
- cream
- eggshell
- cotton
- chiffon
- salt
- lace
- coconut
- linen
- bone
- daisy
- powder
- frost
- porcelain
- parchment
- rice
20 color name ideas for tan
- tan
- beige
- macaroon
- hazelwood
- granola
- oat
- eggnog
- fawn
- sugar cookie
- sand
- sepia
- ltte
- oyster
- biscotti
- parmesan
- hazelnut
- sandcastle
- buttermilk
- sand dollar
- shortbread
20 fun color names for yellow
- yellow
- canary
- gold
- daffodil
- flaxen
- butter
- lemon
- mustard
- corn
- medallion
- dandelion
- fire
- bumblebee
- banana
- butterscotch
- dijon
- honey
- blonde
- pineapple
- tuscan sun
Love colors? Check out these 33 Colorful Quotes and Pictures to Energize Your Life
20 awesome color names for orange
- orange
- tangerine
- marigold
- cider
- rust
- ginger
- tiger
- fire
- bronze
- cantaloupe
- apricot
- clay
- honey
- carrot
- squash
- spice
- marmalade
- amber
- sandstone
- yam
20 great color names for red
- red
- cherry
- rose
- jam
- merlot
- garnet
- crimson
- ruby
- scarlet
- wine
- brick
- apple
- mahogany
- blood
- sangria
- berry
- currant
- blush
- candy
- lipstick
20 prettiest color names for pink
- pink
- rose
- fuchsia
- punch
- blush
- watermelon
- flamingo
- rouge
- salmon
- coral
- peach
- strawberry
- rosewood
- lemonade
- taffy
- bubblegum
- ballet slipper
- crepe
- magenta
- hot pink
20 sophisticated color names for purple
- purple
- mauve
- violet
- boysenberry
- lavender
- plum
- magenta
- lilac
- grape
- periwinkle
- sangria
- eggplant
- jam
- iris
- heather
- amethyst
- raisin
- orchid
- mulberry
- wine
Lots of baby names in this one! Mauve, Violet, Iris and Heather.
This is my favorite color panel! What’s yours?
READ: What Does Your Favorite Color Say About You?
20 cool color names for blue
- blue
- slate
- sky
- navy
- indigo
- cobalt
- teal
- ocean
- peacock
- azure
- cerulean
- lapis
- spruce
- stone
- aegean
- berry
- denim
- admiral
- sapphire
- arctic
20 funky color names for green
Some good baby names in here too! My granddaughter is named Fern 🙂
Other good names are Sage, Basil, and Olive.
- green
- chartreuse
- juniper
- sage
- lime
- fern
- olive
- emerald
- pear
- moss
- shamrock
- seafoam
- pine
- parakeet
- mint
- seaweed
- pickle
- pistachio
- basil
- crocodile
20 unique color names for brown
- brown
- coffee
- mocha
- peanut
- carob
- hickory
- wood
- pecan
- walnut
- caramel
- gingerbread
- syrup
- chocolate
- tortilla
- umber
- tawny
- brunette
- cinnamon
- penny
- cedar
20 elegant color names for gray
- grey
- shadow
- graphite
- iron
- pewter
- cloud
- silver
- smoke
- slate
- anchor
- ash
- porpoise
- dove
- fog
- flint
- charcoal
- pebble
- lead
- coin
- fossil
20 amazing color names for black
How’s your eye for color? These are definitely hard to differentiate!
- black
- ebony
- crow
- charcoal
- midnight
- ink
- raven
- oil
- grease
- onyx
- pitch
- soot
- sable
- jet black
- coal
- metal
- obsidian
- jade
- spider
- leather
Color names conclusion and resources
Did you enjoy the color thesaurus?
Check out more popular posts and infographics about color!
Color infographic for personal insights:
Color Personality: Test Yours With This Infographic!
Nine color infographics for business branding:
Business Colors: Here’s How To Choose The Best for YOU
Creative fun for color lovers:
149 FREE Coloring Pages for Kids and Adults
Pin the colorful infographic below and never be at a loss for color names again!
This color thesaurus was originally published September 2015 and updated in 2019 and 2020.
Sian says
Yeah there’s some lovely color names beautiful ❤❤❤❤💝💝
Kathy Lynne says
Thank you for your great insight and information on this website. I’m learning so much about colors! 🥰
I came here in hopes of finding inspiration for a name for my new blue eyed kitten. Perhaps you and your readers might have some suggestions for his name? I’ve seen some creative ideas and comments on these pages 😉.
He is a BLUE 💙 point (like a Himalayan) Exotic Shorthair (like a short haired Persian) male kitten, with big beautiful round BLUE Eyes on his sweet “smooshie” face 💖
I really appreciate the help with my Blue Boy. He’s as sweet as can be and seems to fit the personality profile for the color blue as well.
Thanks for your suggestions 😉
Kindly,
Kathy
Vishakha somani says
Helped me a lot
Thank you so much❤😊
ashborne says
Pink name
Mia Wilson says
Super Cool!
zaiden says
i like blue
Slawek says
This so helpful! 🙂
Louise Myers says
🙂
Johanna says
What about Taupe? ?
Louise Myers says
That’s a tough one because it’s neither gray nor tan 🙂
Colete says
also you can maybe add Moon for white?
Louise Myers says
Great suggestion!
Morgan Takala says
What about Vermillion, one of the best shades of Red? Lol though, most of these helped me plenty in writing my novel on colors.
Louise Myers says
Vermillion is a great suggestion. Glad these unique color names helped!
Jarymine says
We started a tradition to wear one color every Friday at school. That’s the only day we get to wear anything other than uniform. I was tasked to look for different colors and I found the perfect list here. Looking forward for every Friday now. Thank you so much for putting up this site and for sharing your thesaurus of colors. 😀
Louise Myers says
What a fun idea! Enjoy.
John Frost says
Wow. This just hits the nail on the head. My wife and I do needlepoint and need colors that are close but not the same. This answers our needs exactly. Thank you very much.
I even got a kiss (haha) when I showed her all of the colors that were alike.
Thanks again. John
LemDog says
OMG Such great work! I vote for Gummi Green next.
Louise Myers says
Sounds good! 😀
Benji says
If only you had hex codes for each colour next to their names..
Louise Myers says
What a great idea!
Adilah says
Wow really amazing! I use them for the names of my pets in my games?
My sister likes them tooo!!
Louise Myers says
Great to hear!
Kim says
Maroon
Rachel Hanson says
This is almost the most useful website I have ever been on. Thank you for making it! You did a wonderful Job-Louise Myers!
Louise Myers says
Awesome, you are welcome.
Traci Moon says
I absolutely love colors! This article is full of fun names of colors that I like implementing into my website design. Thank you for taking the time to put this article together.
Oluwande Towoju says
which paste or pigment do you add to get various shades and tans of colors?
I was given the assignment and I have just 48 hours
I was asked to get NOTHING LESS THAN 120 COLORS (THEIR PIGMENTATION) I MEAN THEIR COMBINATIONS
Louise Myers says
Various combinations of orange, white, and some blue, purple or green should work.
Cyril Flannigan says
couldnt find Turquoise
Louise Myers says
This page has turquoise: color personality test
Carly says
my best friends name is cloud 🙂
Louise Myers says
🙂
Arwa says
I like these names they helped
Samuel Santibanez says
This is indeed wonderful. I can use it for my website as well my home decor 😀
Louise Myers says
Enjoy!
Emily la Grange says
LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! x
Louise Myers says
I’m so glad you like it! I thought it was super cool too 🙂
Ms Janét Moyle says
Fantastic thank you