What Does Your Favorite Color Say About You? [infographic]

Got a favorite color?

Mine’s purple. Could you tell? 😉

Your favorite color has a lot to say about you. Do the words ring true for you?

Don’t miss the great infographic from CollegeMatchup.net at the end of this article.

Be sure to save it to Pinterest, along with your favorite color poster from this page!

Seek and find it! If I’m missing your favorite color, give me a shout in a comment.

Plus! Women’s favorite colors.

Men’s favorite colors.

How color in art and design affects emotion.

Lots to see, so let’s get going!

What’s Your Favorite Color Meaning?

Does your color explain your nature? Check these insights from Psychology Today, Aquolac, and The Land of Color.

Knowing these traits can help you to understand your strengths, your weaknesses, how you can influence others, and how to improve your personality.

Favorite Color Purple

You are a perfectionist who requires emotional security in life, and you are a good humanitarian who helps others in need.

You have a good mind, a ready wit, and an ability to observe things that go unnoticed by others. You have a degree of vanity. You display a fine-art creativity. You relish the subtle but recognize the magnificent.

• One of your greatest assets is your intuition.
• That little voice inside your head is especially chatty and clear.
• Your intuition has proven to be right more times than you can count.
• Bursting with charisma, you are like a people magnet.
• Others perceive you as a visionary and are drawn to your innovative spirit.
• Your creativity is contagious, making it easy to build teams to execute your grand plans.
• You take pride in marching to the beat of your own drum and being unique.
• You’ve never cared about fitting in.
• You appreciate kindred spirits who choose to zig when everyone else zags.

Favorite Color Black

You strive for power and control in life, but are often artistic and intuitive and do not share things well with others.

You’re above average, worldly, conventional, proper, polite, and regal. While black may mean “depression” to the clinical psychologist, to you it means “dignity.”

• You value your inner world keep your private life private.
• Only close relatives and friends are privy to your thoughts and feelings.
• You’re articulate and at times dramatic, but not unrestrained.
• You know how to share your point of view with conviction and authority.
• You maintain self-control easily, and can control most situations as well.
• Others perceive you as serious maybe to the extent of intimidating.
• Focusing on the details and getting things right is important to you.
• You are comfortable projecting an air of mystery, which can help mask moments of insecurity.
• People find your juxtaposition of the conventional and unconventional intriguing.

P.S. Need more color names? Check out our color thesaurus with 240 of ’em!

Favorite Color White

You are organized and very independent, and you rely on logic to solve every problem.

• You appreciate order and simple elegance.
• Your taste is refined, enjoying things that are well crafted and beautiful.
• You have a special knack for finding treasures in the most unexpected places.
• You are particular and have high expectations for yourself as well as others.
• You don’t always deal well with disappointment when things don’t go as planned.
• Your ability to portray a sense of control no matter what may hide your true feelings.
• People may misread you as aloof because of your self-confidence and naturally reserved nature.
• When people get to know you, they appreciate your mindfulness and wisdom.
• You are often described as an old soul.

Favorite Color Gray

You are cool and composed and a very reliable person who tends to conform to keep the peace.

Favoring gray shows that you’re cautious and seek to strive a compromise in most situations you encounter. You seek composure and peace, and try very hard to fit yourself into a mold of your own design.

• Your trademark is sophisticated diplomacy.
• Manners and etiquette are important to you.
• You feel polished social graces demonstrate respect for yourself as well as others.
• Professionally, others trust you to set the bar for appropriate behavior and decorum.
• Minding your own business and keeping to yourself is your mantra.
• If asked, you are comfortable playing the role of peacemaker.
• People perceive you as balanced, stable, and trustworthy.
• Others appreciate your gift for identifying alternate avenues and facilitating compromise.
• Naturally fair and objective, you can put personal opinion and feelings aside and see an issue from all angles.

Favorite Color Red

You have drive and determination, and you prefer action and risk-taking behaviors. Your biggest need is for physical fulfillment and fitness.

Red shows that you’re outgoing, assertive, vigorous, and prone to impulsive actions and variable moods. You feel deep sympathy for fellow human beings, and have a strong sex drive. You’re an optimist but also never hesitate to voice your complaints.

• Red isn’t just your favorite color – you’re passionate for red!
• You are in-the-know, present, and always aware of what is going on around you.
• You exude a powerful energy. When you enter a room, your arrival is immediately known.
• You are outgoing and usually enjoy being the life of the party and center of attention.
• When you love, you love big.
• If someone disappoints or steps on your toes, you don’t hesitate to say exactly how you feel and why.
• Not one to hide your feelings, you nip disagreements in the bud.
• You don’t hold grudges and like to move on quickly.
• You’re all about what is next – the next adventure or project.
• You are a natural born leader and easily gain respect from others.
• You lead with optimism and an animated can-do attitude that’s contagious.

P.S. You might also enjoy these colorful quotes and pictures.

Favorite Color Pink

All you want in life is unconditional love and to be accepted for who you are by your peers.

• You have an easygoing, approachable energy.
• You come from a place of assuming the good outweighs the bad in everyone and every situation.
• Witty and smart, you sparkle socially particularly in small groups.
• Your caring and encouraging demeanor nurtures your longtime friendships.
• You genuinely revel in the success and happiness of others, especially your friends and family.
• Compassionate, perhaps to a fault, you are the one those closest to you depend on when they need a shoulder to cry on or a boost of confidence.
• The saying about seeing life through rose-colored glasses sums up your pink perspective.
• Peace, harmony, and calmness are important to your daily routine.
• You appreciate letting loose on occasion and enjoy embracing all the fun life has to offer.

Favorite Color Orange

You love to be with people and socialize with them, as you want to be accepted and respected as a part of a group.

Favoring orange shows that you’re good-natured, enjoy being with other people, and are swayed by outside opinions. You do good work,, have strong loyalties, feel good will toward others, and have a solicitous heart.

• The party is wherever you are.
• Forever the optimist, you fully expect something wonderful is about to happen.
• You’ve perfected being present, living in the moment, and focusing on what and who is in front of you.
• You may be described as a social animal, social butterfly, and/or mediator.
• A problem solver at heart, you channel your high energy to inspire and influence others.
• Team building is a natural skill because others are drawn to your zest for life and even-keeled positivity.
• Flying by the seat of your pants usually works out well for you.
• No matter what life throws your way, you don’t fold under pressure or cave to panic.
• You take things in stride because surely something wonderful is about to happen!

Favorite Color Blue

You want to find inner peace and absolute truth, and you always make an effort to think of others and their needs.

Preferring blue shows that you’re deliberate and introspective. You have conservative convictions, retreat to gentler surroundings in times of stress, and are sensitive to the feelings of others. You’re a loyal friends and lead a sober life.

• You value your close-knit group of friends and family.
• As far as friendships go, you are loyal – perhaps to a fault.
• Recognizing and putting the needs of others first works for you.
• You find being of service fulfilling.
• Yet, you don’t allow being taken advantage of or for granted.
• If tested, you will stand your ground with grace and composure.
• You have a keen sense of fair play and like being in charge of keeping order.
• Because of your reputation for being trustworthy and good with details, you usually end up with the job of scorekeeper.
• You endear yourself quickly with your uncanny ability to recall names and tidbits of info about others.
• People remember you for being warm, friendly, and engaging.

P.S. Have you tried the Favorite Color Personality Test? Look up more color shades like turquoise and indigo on an infographic.

Favorite Color Green

You are loyal and very frank with others, and you consider your reputation a very important part of your life.

If green’s your color, you’re a good citizen and pillar of the community. You are frank, moral, reputable, and sensitive to social customs and etiquette. You feel deep affection for your family.

• You have a special connection to nature. It feeds your soul.
• Whether it is spending time in the garden or finding creative ways to bring the outdoors in, your favorite activities revolve around all that Mother Nature has to offer.
• You dislike chaos and strive for consistency and balance.
• Time management is a strength because you quickly prioritize.
• You have business savvy because you target what is most important and delegate what is not.
• You rarely sweat the small stuff.
• You are environmentally aware and involved in community affairs.
• You have a knack for seeing the big picture and understanding multiple points of view.
• Others admire your clarity and respect your objective and fair outlook.

Favorite Color Yellow

You enjoy learning and sharing knowledge with others, and you feel a need to always express your individuality.

Love yellow? This shows you have a vivid imagination, nervous energy, neatly-formed thoughts, and a need to help the world. However, you tend to be aloof and are shy. You long to be respected and crave admiration for your wisdom. You’re a safe friend and a reliable confidant.

• One of your most appealing traits is your consistently sunny and fun disposition.
• Your optimism is resolute and infectious even in the most trying circumstance.
• Ignorance is bliss and you simply refuse to see the glass as half empty.
• You have a reputation of leaping before you look. Your impulsiveness sometimes pays off.
• While others are stalled by indecisiveness, your spontaneity and willingness to take action positions you several steps ahead of the competition.
• Your positive nature should not be misconstrued for extreme extraversion.
• You prefer tight-knit social circles to extended networks.
• Those who know you best describe you as happy, imaginative, and highly intellectual.

Check out these fun free coloring pages to keep you creative!

Favorite Color Brown

You are a great friend, and you value a stable and simple life over material things.

Your love of brown shows that you’re shrewd when it comes to money and obstinate in your habits and convictions. You are parsimonious, dependable, and steady. You disdain impulsiveness and are also a very good bargainer.

• You relate to the simplicity of the color brown.
• You tend to be genuine and transparent with your intentions.
• Those who have hidden agendas and ulterior motives confuse you.
• You fail to see the value in twisting the facts when the truth is so much easier to manage.
• You are dependable and punctual and have high standards for excellence.
• Experience has taught you that a solid foundation is mandatory for success.
• You do things slow and steady – do it right or not at all.
• No get rich quick schemes for you.
• You have little patience for the snake oil salesperson types.
• Family comes first and you enjoy the comfort of a stable home-life.
• Your well-appointed and ordered kitchen is the hub of the house where you enjoy cooking.
• You find gardening and growing food for your table very satisfying.

Color Preference by Gender

There are several different studies on this topic. The color insights directly below are from Live Science.

Blue: Male 42%, Female 29%

Green: Male 25%, Female 19%

Purple: Male 12%, Female 27%

Red: Male 8%, Female 9%

Yellow: Male 5%, Female 6%

Orange: Male 7%, Female 3%

Pink: Male 1%, Female 7%

It’s surprising to me that purple is cited as the third most-liked color for both males and females. But they didn’t include brown, white, gray and black in this study. I’m guessing a lot of men prefer those neutrals over purple!

Women’s Favorite Colors

By reader request, I’m delving deeper into the topic of favorite colors by (binary) gender. I don’t know of any studies that go beyond male / female, sorry.

This data was taken from a color study by Joe Hallock, who polled people from 22 countries around the world.

Among women, the favorite colors were:

Blue 35%

Purple 23%

Green 14%

Red 9%

Black 6%

Orange 5%

Yellow 3%

Brown 3%

Gray 1%

White 1%

Men’s Favorite Colors

And in the same order as the women’s, we see a much different breakdown for men’s favorite colors.

Blue 57%

Purple 0%

Green 14%

Red 7%

Black 9%

Orange 5%

Yellow 1%

Brown 2%

Gray 3%

White 2%

Quite different results from the study above, where 12% of men said purple was their favorite color. I will guess that the Live Science study focused on one or limited countries where purple is more popular.

Pastels for Girls, Brights for Boys

If that sounds sexist, it’s not exactly. It’s based on what men and women said they preferred in this study.

The results showed that women strongly prefer soft tints of colors (such as pink) whereas men prefer bright, pure tones (such as ruby red) or shades (such as burgundy).

A tint is a color plus white. A shade is a color plus black. So although red is shown as a favorite color for both men and women, the actual reds they like are very different.

Pink wasn’t called out as a separate color in this study, as it was considered a form of red – pale red.

It’s also known that women can see more differentiations in color than men.

That’s because color vision depends on three types of cones, two of which are carried on the X-chromosome: L-cones that are more sensitive to the longer wavelengths of light; and S-cones, to shorter wavelengths. The third cones, M-cones, are sensitive to middle wavelengths.

Thus, men’s brains require slightly longer wavelengths of light to experience the same colors. This may be why men prefer colors with short wavelengths, like darker shades of blue and green, or they prefer shades without any wavelengths at all, like white, black, and gray.

The fascinating study for this difference is found here.

Least Favorite Colors

Regardless of gender, brown, orange, and yellow are most people’s least favorite colors.

But even though 20% of women hate brown most, and 17% hate gray most, we still love to see the UPS truck or Amazon Prime stop at our house! I’m a believer that all colors are wonderful in the right context or combination.

Women’s least favorite colors

Orange 33%

Brown 20%

Gray 17%

Yellow 13%

Men’s least favorite colors

Brown 27%

Orange 22%

Purple 22%

Yellow 13%

5 Fascinating Color Facts

Here are some random facts about color that might surprise you! From UCreative.

40% of people worldwide say their favorite color is blue, by far the most popular color.

Red is the first color a baby sees, at around 2 weeks of age.

Pink is the most calming color, and is used in some prisons and mental health institutions to calm worked-up prisoners and patients.

White is considered the safest color for a car. I’ve seen studies on this – it’s the color that’s most visible both day and night.

Red and yellow together are the most appetizing colors. That’s why they’re used in a lot of fast food signs.

P.S. You might also enjoy learning more about business colors for branding.

Meaning of Colors in Art and Design

Color theory is a collection of guidelines regarding the use of color in art and design, and it has deepened in interest since Isaac Newton’s conceptualization of the color wheel in the early 18th century.

It has been scientifically proven that different colors and hues have a significant impact on our emotions and the way we react, which is why brands spend rigorous amounts of time developing their branding to impact the way consumers feel.

Invaluable created a helpful infographic on the science of color, and how each can affect our emotions differently.

Refer to the visuals below to help guide your branding and accomplish the goals you seek to create from your business.

Blue color meaning

Blue has different meanings depending on the culture, and the specific tint or shade used.

In Western cultures, blue is generally considered calming and serene.

In Asia and the Middle East, blue represents immortality in connection. In Ukraine, it is a healing color.

Blue can also evoke sadness or aloofness. See the graphic below!

Green color meaning

Green is seen as refreshing or tranquil and can often represent luck, health, and prosperity.

Whole Foods and Starbucks utilize the color green to induce feelings of freshness and health.

Here are two examples of green color used in art to evoke ether serenity or prosperity.

Purple color meaning

Purple is reputed to awaken creativity and imagination.

It can be associated with royalty since historically, only the rich could afford expensive items made with this hard-to-produce pigment.

Lighter hues of purple tend to exude more peaceful, tranquil emotions.

Red color meaning

The color red can exude different emotions depending on its use.

It has intense characteristics that elicit strong reactions, and many brands and advertisers try to capitalize on its visibility and stimulation.

YouTube, for example, uses red in their logo as a way to accent their brand name and attract viewers.

Red also tends to fuel passion, whether it be in an aggressive sense, or that of love.

Orange color meaning

Like its color wheel neighbor red, orange is an attention-grabbing hue.

Orange can be used to signify extravagance and command attention.

Sports teams often use orange in their logos and mascots because it has an energetic undertone.

Though it’s bright and jovial, be careful of overusing orange, as it can get harsh.

Yellow color meaning

Yellow is bright and intense, so it triggers strong emotions.

Though it can be cheery and warm, it can also seem abrasive or cause frustration or anger when used in the wrong context.

While too much yellow overstimulates, a dash of yellow can stimulate your appetite. This is why fast food restaurants like McDonald’s incorporate it into their branding.

Black color meaning

Black appears heavy from a visual standpoint. That’s why it’s used sparingly in art.

Artists looking to evoke a “darker” feeling rely on generous amounts of black.

Black is usually associated with power, authority, and mystery.

White color meaning

As the absence of color, white has a pure, clean feeling – thus it’s used in hospitals and spas to suggest sterility and cleanliness.

While in Western cultures, white represents purity and elegance, in various Eastern societies, it’s closely associated with death and used in mourning rituals.

Be sure you know your audience so you use colors appropriately!

Conclusion

I hope you’ve enjoyed learning about color meanings, and gained some insight into yourself and others.

Share with friends! Pin your favorite color poster, or the infographic below.

Your Turn

So, what does your favorite color say about you? Let me know in a comment if the hue fits!