Unique Color Names – Smalt Is Blue and Other Fun Color Facts

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When we first learned about colors at school, we thought we had a good understanding of the different colors. We learned about the magical colors of the rainbow: red, yellow, orange, indigo, blue, violet, and green. However, the different hues and shades of the basic color are endless and there are many color names we may never have heard of.

What Are Color Hex Codes?

Color hex codes are used to represent any given color, and they can be used to find any color online. The three main colors, red, green, and blue are combined in an EGB format. Color hex codes are given as #RRGGBB, the red is represented by the RR, the green is represented by the GG, and the blue is represented by the BB. The integers used in the color hex codes system go from 00 to FF, which indicates the intensity of the color.

The values run from 0 to 255 and include six-digit characters, that are made up of a combination of numbers and letters to identify a certain color. If you take #FF0000 as an example, this shows that the green and blue values are at 00, which is the lowest, and that the value of FF is for red, which is its maximum. So, this example is pure red. You can differentiate between the hues, by making use of the color hex codes, and by just altering the red, blue, and green values, you can create a variety of hues and shades, to your heart’s desire. This color-coding system is only used for digital imaging.

There is, however, another color system, that uses the hex color codes system to differentiate colors. This system is the CYMK color system that represents cyan, yellow, magenta, and black. This color-coding system is utilized for the management of colors in the printing industry.

A Closer Look at a Few Unique Color Names

Color evokes feelings, it is beauty, nostalgia, and poetry, and where ever color may be used, in advertising, art, computer technology, photography, painting, and fashion, it adds vibrancy and life to everything we create. Just within nature, you can find more than 16,777,216 different visible colors or hues that make up everything around us. Think about the magic of a sunset or the hues of a meal. How about the color of your favorite item of clothing?

Colors contain a lot of power and meaning behind them, and we often fail to understand this when we are painting our homes, designing our websites, or making clothing. Selecting the right color that shows your personality, shows insight into your creativity, and helps your work stand out from others. In this article, we will be looking at the more unique and rare color names, and not just the basics, we will discover an assortment of options available.

As a parent, selecting the name for your newborn baby can seem very overwhelming. Often, grandparents want parents to follow family traditions when selecting the child’s name, but this may not be in line with the parent’s preferred name. a great alternative is to select a name that is derived from a particular color.

While a lot of thought goes into naming a baby, a lot of names are derived from colors. It may be because you find the color appealing, or the color may evoke special memories, while in many cases, the color simply sounds good as a name. You can select a color name that matches the baby’s hair or eyes, or the color of their flower, or birthstone, and each color has a certain meaning that could be ideal for your child.

The name Russell for a boy means “fox-colored or redheaded”. Cole, which is a classic boy’s name, means “coal-black”, while Hazel is the perfect name for a girl, and is also the name of a greenish-brown color and is derived from the hazel tree. We will now take a look at some of the rarer color names and names of unique colors, as well as where they are used.

Cool Color Names Related to the Color Blue

The color blue is seen in the sea and the sky and is linked with sensitivity, freedom, imagination, and inspiration. Blue also represents confidence, faith, sincerity, loyalty, wisdom, intelligence, and trust. Certain chemicals can be released from the body that evokes a feeling of calm and tranquility, when you are exposed to the color blue, in doing so positively impacting your mind and body. The color blue is considered to be capable of suppressing one’s appetite and slowing down the body’s metabolism.

Whenever one celebrates the birth of a baby, then the traditional decorations and balloons will be blue for boys and pink for girls. However, in modern times blue can also be used to celebrate the arrival of a girl, and the color name can be quite effective in both cases. Blue is associated with calm and peace, but can also be linked with energizing, and is of course found in nature, in the sea, and in the sky.

Indigo

Indigo is a very reminiscent name and at the present is quite popular. The color has been extracted from the indigo plant and is derived from the dark bluish-purple dye. The name can also be found in unusual places such as the musical world in Duke Ellington’s composition of “Mood Indigo”, as well as the indie rock-folk called Indigo Girls. The actor, Lou Diamond, named his daughter Indigo, but many feel it may be better suited to be used as a boy’s name. the name Indigo has some adorable nicknames linked to it, such as Indie or Indy).

Azure

This is a unique option for a child’s name, but if you are looking for a sky, ocean, or water-related name for your child, then Azure is a great option. It was used by the American science fiction writer, Orson Scot Card, in his popular series Ladderton, naming the lead character Azure Miles. The feminine form of Azure is “Azura”, and this name is used in the Barbie movie, Fairytopia (2005).

Cool Color Names Related to the Color Green

The color green represents good fortune, health, tranquility, and can be an amazing name for a child that will have a life of wealth and peace. The color green is associated with safety, harmony, growth, and fertility, and is normally linked with money, finances, and ambition. Within the color spectrum, green is thought to be the most relaxing and restful of all the colors. As the color is predominant in nature, it is also often used in interior design. Green-colored gemstones are thought to help evoke a sense of balance, whilst also promoting growth, increasing hopefulness, and breaking any emotional demands others may have on you. It can be used for both boy’s and girl’s names, and with its unique meanings, it has become quite popular for parents looking for a name for their newborn child.

Emerald

Emerald is of Persian origins, and it simply means “green”, it is also the color of a very valuable gemstone that dates back to ancient Egyptian times. Emerald is linked to love and wisdom and is thought to open up one’s heart to such emotions. Emerald is May’s birthstone, and the color is also linked with the Emerald City in the story The Wizard of Oz (1939). “The Emerald Isle” is a frequently used nickname for the country Ireland. Emerald is linked with cute nicknames, such as Emmy, Emma, or Em. The name Esmeralda is the Portuguese and Spanish form of the name Emerald.

Forest

This is a gorgeous name for a boy and is of English origin. Its direct meaning is “dweller near the woods”. The color makes you think of forests and lush woods, and a rich, dark color green. Famous people with the name include the footballer Famer Forest Gregg and the actor Forest Whitaker. At one time the name Forrest was particularly popular in the US but fell out of favor after the movie Forrest Gump (1994) was released. However, the name has moved back onto the 1000 names list, since 2013.

Cool Color Names Related to the Color Orange

The color orange is made up of a combination of yellow and red, and therefore, yellow is associated with happiness, and red is associated with energy. Orange portrays success, sunshine, enthusiasm, heat, health, joy, determination, warmth, and freedom. In nature, orange is associated with summer and is a bold, hot color, whilst also being associated with harvest and autumn when the leaves start to change color. The color orange is thought to stimulate one’s appetite, and is a common color for many citrus fruits and vitamin C and is a color that is used a lot in restaurants as it encourages feelings of hunger and contentment.

Ginger

Ginger is a color with dark brown undertones and a dark orange hue. Natural redheaded is frequently referred to as gingers. Natural red hair only occurs in two percent of the world’s population, making this a very rare hair color, this is the reason that all-natural redheads are called ginger. Just because you have red hair, does not mean you have the same shade of red as another redheaded person, and yet all redheaded people are referred to as gingers. Some of the more famous people include Emma Stone, Prince Harry, King Arthur, Julianne Moore, Mark Twain, and Thomas Jefferson. Others like Ginger Spice and Ginger Rogers have embraced Ginger as their first name, so if you decide to call your child Ginger, then you are in good company.

The name originates from the ginger plant where the ginger spice comes from, and one of this plant’s characteristics is strength, whilst also representing a fiery temper, personality, and prosperity.

Did you know that redheads are vastly more sensitive to pain than non-redheads, and need roughly 20 percent more anesthesia on the operating table? Additionally, those with red hair will never go gray. If you are someone with red hair, you may wonder which colors to wear, to compliment your hair color, and of course which colors to avoid. Certain colors will go with red hair, such as black, white, green, and blue, all bring out the color red beautifully. The ginger color is also celebrated, with many festivals held, throughout the world, such as Gingerfest, which is celebrated in Boise, Idaho. While Redhead Day is celebrated in Milan, Italy.

Clementine

Clementine is a color made up of brown and orange and comes from the orange color family. The color is associated with a form of citrus fruit that is a form of a sweet flavored mandarin orange. The name Clementine captures the idea of happiness and peace. Despite not being on the name list for 50 years, it is finally back in the US top 1000 names. You can spell Clementine in many ways, including Clementina and Clementeen, while the boy’s version of the name is Clement.

Kate Winslet’s character is called Clementine in the movie, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), and celebrities Claudia Schiffer and Ethan Hawke both named their daughters Clementine.

Rare Color Names

Color greatly impacts our emotions, while others are associated with certain countries, and still, others have specific associations and meanings. So, if you are passionate about colors and are looking for an exciting and rare color name, over and above the standard red, blue, and yellow, then let us show you some color names that you may have not come across before. It can be quite fun when you visit the hardware store and look through the paint section to explore some new names for colors. We have put together some information regarding a few rare color names for you to learn about.

Cantaloupe

Cantaloupe is a lively and invigorating, energizing, cheerful, and light orange color. The color’s name comes from the delicious summer melon of the same name. It has a gentler and softer tone than the original bright orange. Cantaloupe is often used in the home to brighten up the laundry room, kitchen, and bathroom. It offers you a sense of the richness of summer and works well when paired with orange, yellow, or blue. We recommend you do not pair it with black or brown.

If you are unsure what colors are compatible and combine well with the color cantaloupe, we have put together a list of great combinations:

• Cantaloupe paired with all neutral colors, such as gray and white as well as a different shade of the same color.
• Cantaloupe’s complementary colors are orange and blue and are therefore great matches. If you pair a cool color, such as blue, with a warm color, such as cantaloupe, you will create a breathtaking contrast.
• Cantaloupe and sage create a striking combination, thanks to sage green being a bold color, which tones down the cantaloupe color, resulting in a more peaceful, calming effect.
• Pairing mint green with cantaloupe forms an intense and vibrant summer experience.
• When you combine lemon yellow with cantaloupe you achieve a sparkling and energetic environment.

Sangria

Sangria is a hearty color that is a little purplish-red, quite dark, and has also been referred to as “burnt red”. There is a wine called Sangria, which is the same color as its name. The origin of the word sangria is the Spanish word “Sangre” which stands for blood. The color has grown in popularity recently and can be found in bridesmaids’ dresses, dye for clothing, and wedding decorations. It is also a popular color to use in makeup, from blush to eyeshadow, and lipstick.

Sangria is not only popular in the fashion world, but also in the world of interior design, as it adds an air of style and warmth to the room. When painting walls using sangria, the walls in a room such as a bedroom or your living room become cozier and friendlier. If you are wondering what colors pair well with the color sangria, we have put together a list of options.

• Sangria pairs well with either orange or yellow as both of them are warm colors, and they add a feeling of romance and elegance.
• Combing sangria with dusty pink or mauve creates a stunning combination, particularly when used for wedding flowers.
• Combining ivory cream or tiffany blue with sangria creates a soft, gentle feeling, but be careful to use a lighter instead of a darker shade.
• Most importantly, black and white are colors that should not be forgotten, as these standard colors create a perfect match and work well with sangria.

Aside from the above colors, many other colors will also work well with sangria, including silver, purple, iris, pink, red, grey, and many more. You can play around and see which color combination you like best.

More Unique Colors

The colors on the color wheel make everything look fairly simple, but the color spectrum is significantly vaster and more complex than that. The human eye is only able to process a mere fraction of the colors that do exist, and even with these, we may not know them well. The following are two colors that do exist despite being unique.

Bisque

Bisque is a light, grayish brown, and to the untrained eye, it is often confused with the color white. Bisque has its roots in the orange family and you will be surprised to know that it is, in fact, a very pale orange color. The name bisque originates from the Anglo-French word besquit and has been altered slightly from the well-known word “biscuit”, which means porcelain or earthenware, and it is mainly used in the earthenware industry. There are different types of bisque, which are referred to as variations, and these variations form three categories, shade, tints, and tones.

• Shades: A significant number of bisque shades are substantially darker than the base bisque color as they have been created by adding black.
• Tints: Certain tints appear to be lighter, than the original bisque color as they have been created using white.
• Tones: A variety of bisque tones tend to be relatively duller than the original color. This is a result of the tone being a combination, using certain other colors mixed with gray.

Bisque is a type of orange and is therefore connected with energy, warmth, cheerfulness, and activity. Many companies use orange as a color to target children and are also popular within the food industry. Orange is a vibrant, lively, cheerful color and is used in marketing campaigns to hopefully encourage consumers to choose their products to purchase. When buying any kitchen appliance, the selection of colors should highlight the other colors in the space, and bisque is a great option to do just that. Bisque is also very close to white with neutral characteristics that resemble off-white. If your toaster is bisque, you will find it easy to match other appliances, such as the fridge, that will complement the aesthetic of your kitchen.

Smalt

Smalt is a medium or moderate blue color that is redder or duller than copen blue, redder, and deeper than Dresden or azurite blue, and greener and deeper than luster blue. Smalt pigment is when molten glass is combined with cobalt oxide, and then potassium carbonate is added to work as a flux so that it can flow with ease. Once it has been combined completely, the shot glass is placed in water where the sudden change in temperature results in the glass shattering into smaller pieces. These shards of glass are then ground down to create a coarse pigment that is called smalt.

The cobalt is what causes the color of the smalt pigment, and thanks to it being glass, the deeper blue color has a slight violet undertone and is transparent. Unfortunately, it has poor coverage capabilities and causes the color to change to brown when oil is added, which then changes the colors and tones. These small pigments have been used by Rembrandt in some of his paintings, but at the time he was not aware of the changing capabilities.

This article has outlined that there are many varieties of colors, tones, and shades, and we hope we have assisted you in selecting the correct color for the color scheme in your home or the name of your newborn baby. It assists you in having a clear understanding of the meaning behind the color and the role it plays in one’s life and on our thoughts Hopefully this article will have exposed you to some of the exciting unique color names out there.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are Some Obscure Color Names?

There are so many colors out there, all with their names, some names are more common than others. A few of the obscure names include atrovirens, which is a form of teal; skobeloff, which is a type of cyan; amaranth, a hue of reddish-pink; wenge, an espresso or brown color; and eburnean, an off-white or ivory color, just to list a few.

What Is the Most Attractive Color?

When determining what is the most attractive color, blue immediately comes to mind. But the most perfect and attractive color the world over would have to be YInMn blue, which is also called Oregon Blue or Mas Blue.

Is Purple an Eye Color?

Many people appear to have blue eyes, but certain people have a highly rare eye color, violet, that reads as blue eyes. The melanin pigment, when produced, looks to the naked eye, like the color violet, but for this to occur, the iris has to be of a specific structure.

Is Violet Visible to Humans?

At the absolute end of the visible light, spectrum sits the color ultraviolet. It can be found between a significantly shorter wavelength known as blue light and UV light; while violet is visible to humans, ultraviolet is not.

What Is the Ugliest Color?

Pantone 448 C is classified as the ugliest color in the world, or at least as classified by Wikipedia. This particular color is known for being dreary, dull, drab, and grubby brown. This is not a color you want to be incorporated into your home’s design scheme!

Rebecca Fleming( Interior Designer, Crafting Maniac, Content Editor )

Rebecca has been a crafting maniac since childhood. One of her great passions is also decorating and furnishing. She has a degree in English and Communications (BA) from Cornell University in New York. After graduating and working at a local art gallery, Rebecca discovered her enthusiasm for art and design. During this time she continued her education in interior design with a recognized certificate from an institute in New York. Since 2020 she has been writing blog posts about the topics crafting, home decor, interior design and color theory at craft-art.com. Meanwhile, she is also the senior content editor with us. Working as a content writer and editor for Craft Art perfectly allows her to combine her fluency with her affinity for art and design.

Learn more about Rebecca Fleming and about us.