How many named colours does CSS have?

The CSS specification defines about 140 colour names, including a few pairs that point at identical colours such as aqua and cyan. They were inherited from an older graphics system's colour list, which explains why they are spread so unevenly across the spectrum.

Why does the suggested name feel wrong?

Because your colour may sit in a region with no nearby name, so even the closest match remains distant. Look at the reported distance — a large one means the name is merely the nearest available, not a real description of your colour.

Can I use a colour name directly in CSS?

Yes — every name in this list is a valid CSS colour value and is supported in all browsers. For a brand identity a hex code is still better, because a name gives you only one fixed point where you usually need an exact value.

Color

Color Name Finder

Enter a colour code to find the nearest CSS colour name and how close the match actually is.

Colour code

YOURS

NEAREST

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OTHER CANDIDATES

What this is

A colour name finder matches a hex code against the closest name in the CSS colour list. The use is practical: naming a colour communicates far better than reciting six hex digits, particularly when discussing direction with someone else. It also reports how far your colour sits from that name, because most colours match none exactly — and knowing the distance is more honest than just quoting the name.

How it works

Closeness is measured with a weighted per-channel distance rather than a straight line through RGB space. A straight line treats a difference in blue as mattering as much as one in green, while human vision is far more sensitive to green. The result is that straight-line distance often picks a name that is numerically nearest yet visibly wrong.

The CSS colour list holds about 140 names, and they are unevenly spread: there are many names for pinks and blues, few for muted browns. Colours in sparsely named regions therefore produce looser matches — and the reported distance is what tells you so.

How to use it

Enter a colour code Use the picker, or paste a hex code or an rgb() value.
See the closest name The nearest name appears alongside your original colour for direct comparison.
Check the runners-up The next few nearest names are listed too — sometimes one of them fits better.

Common questions

How many named colours does CSS have?: The CSS specification defines about 140 colour names, including a few pairs that point at identical colours such as aqua and cyan. They were inherited from an older graphics system's colour list, which explains why they are spread so unevenly across the spectrum.
Why does the suggested name feel wrong?: Because your colour may sit in a region with no nearby name, so even the closest match remains distant. Look at the reported distance — a large one means the name is merely the nearest available, not a real description of your colour.
Can I use a colour name directly in CSS?: Yes — every name in this list is a valid CSS colour value and is supported in all browsers. For a brand identity a hex code is still better, because a name gives you only one fixed point where you usually need an exact value.

Notes

The calculation runs in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server.