Black Color Names
Black is never just black. Ask a painter, a printer or a fashion designer and you’ll hear about warm blacks, blue blacks, ink blacks and stone blacks, each with a name that hints at its undertone. Below are 90+ black color names grouped by character, each with an approximate hex code you can drop into a design tool.
Hex values for poetic names like Raven or Abyss vary between brands, so treat ours as a starting point. For the full spectrum, head back to our color names hub or compare with gray color names and white color names. Naming a pet instead? Try our black cat names.
True and neutral black color names
These sit closest to pure #000000. Designers use them for text, logos and backgrounds where you want depth without a visible tint.
| Shade | Approx. hex | Look & feel |
|---|---|---|
| Jet Black | #0A0A0A | Glossy, deep black named after jet, a fossilized wood gemstone |
| Pitch Black | #050505 | Total darkness, from the tar-like resin pitch |
| Rich Black | #010B13 | A printing black layered with other inks for extra depth |
| Vampire Black | #080808 | Near-absolute black with a faint warm undertone |
| Chinese Black | #141414 | Soft neutral black used in lacquerware |
| Eerie Black | #1B1B1B | Slightly lifted black common in dark-mode interfaces |
| Night | #0C090A | Warm, velvety black of a moonless sky |
| Raven | #0D0D0D | Blue-sheened black of raven feathers |
| Ink | #111111 | Classic writing-ink black |
| Soot | #161616 | Dry, powdery black from fire residue |
| Carbon | #1C1C1C | Matte industrial black, like carbon fiber |
| Void | #030303 | The emptiest-looking black on the list |
| Midnight Black | #0B0B10 | A black with the faintest trace of blue |
| Tar | #1A1A19 | Thick, oily black |
Warm black shades with brown and red undertones
Warm blacks read softer and more organic than neutral black. They pair beautifully with cream, camel and gold.
| Shade | Approx. hex | Look & feel |
|---|---|---|
| Licorice | #1A1110 | Candy black with a reddish-brown base |
| Smoky Black | #100C08 | Brown-tinged black, like wood smoke |
| Black Bean | #3D0C02 | Very dark red-brown, almost black |
| Black Coffee | #3B2F2F | Brewed-coffee black with a warm cast |
| Espresso | #2B1D14 | Dark roast brown-black |
| Black Chocolate | #1B1811 | Bitter dark chocolate tone |
| Raisin Black | #242124 | Muted purple-brown black |
| Oxblood Black | #2A0F0F | Black deepened with burgundy |
| Black Cherry | #2B0F16 | Wine-red black of ripe dark cherries |
| Bistre | #3D2B1F | Old-master brown-black made from soot |
| Sepia Black | #2A1E14 | The darkest tone of antique photographs |
| Mahogany Black | #2C1810 | Stained-wood black with red warmth |
| Burnt Umber Black | #2E1F17 | Earthy, roasted pigment black |
Cool black color names: blue, green and gray blacks
A touch of blue or green makes black feel crisp, modern and a little mysterious. These are popular for suits, cars and luxury branding.
| Shade | Approx. hex | Look & feel |
|---|---|---|
| Black Coral | #54626F | Slate-blue black of dried black coral |
| Outer Space | #414A4C | Gray-green black of a night sky |
| Black Olive | #3B3C36 | Green-gray black |
| Blue Black | #0A0F1F | Navy so dark it reads black |
| Midnight Navy | #101826 | Inky blue-black |
| Black Pearl | #1E272C | Blue-gray luster of Tahitian pearls |
| Black Forest | #1B2A1F | Deep green-black of dense pine woods |
| Black Ivy | #1C2621 | Green-black of shaded ivy |
| Gunmetal | #2A3439 | Blue-gray black of gun barrels |
| Anthracite | #293133 | Cool charcoal named after hard coal |
| Black Spruce | #1D2B26 | Blue-green conifer black |
| Oil Slick | #1B1F24 | Black with a petrol-blue sheen |
| Dark Slate | #1F2A30 | Cool black-gray of wet slate |
Black color names inspired by stones and minerals
Gemstones and rocks give black some of its most elegant names, each with a subtly different luster.
| Shade | Approx. hex | Look & feel |
|---|---|---|
| Onyx | #353839 | Polished banded stone, soft black-gray |
| Obsidian | #0B1215 | Glassy volcanic black |
| Basalt | #2B2D2F | Dark gray-black lava rock |
| Graphite | #2F3032 | Pencil-lead black with a metallic sheen |
| Hematite | #27292B | Steely black mineral with a silver glint |
| Black Tourmaline | #101315 | Crystal black stone prized in jewelry |
| Black Diamond | #1C1F22 | Faceted black with a cool sparkle |
| Shungite | #1E1E1E | Matte black carbon-rich rock |
| Coal | #1F1F1F | Dull, dusty fossil-fuel black |
| Slate Black | #262A2D | Roof-tile black-gray |
| Magnetite | #212121 | Heavy iron-ore black |
| Black Opal | #1A1D24 | Dark opal with a colorful undertone |
| Jet Stone | #1D1D1F | Whitby jet, loved in Victorian mourning jewelry |
Classic artist pigment blacks
Painters have mixed and named blacks for centuries. These are real pigment names you’ll still find on oil and acrylic tubes.
| Shade | Approx. hex | Look & feel |
|---|---|---|
| Ivory Black | #231F20 | Warm pigment originally made from charred ivory, now from bone |
| Bone Black | #1E1B18 | Charred-bone pigment, slightly brown |
| Lamp Black | #2B2B2B | Soot collected from oil lamps; cool and fine |
| Vine Black | #282624 | Charred grapevine pigment, bluish and soft |
| Carbon Black | #1B1B1B | Modern industrial pigment of pure carbon |
| Mars Black | #1C1C1C | Dense iron-oxide black, very opaque |
| Perylene Black | #1F2320 | Greenish black that mixes into rich shadows |
| Spinel Black | #161616 | Neutral mineral pigment black |
| Peach Black | #262320 | Historic pigment from burnt peach stones |
| Drop Black | #1F1D1C | Old name for a refined bone black |
| Payne’s Black | #1D2229 | Blue-black cousin of Payne’s gray |
| Asphaltum | #2B1D14 | Tar-based brown-black glaze loved by old masters, notorious for cracking |
Food-inspired black color names
Food names make black feel approachable and a little luxurious, which is why paint and cosmetic brands love them.
| Shade | Approx. hex | Look & feel |
|---|---|---|
| Caviar | #1A1C1B | Glossy fish-roe black with a gray glint |
| Black Truffle | #2A2521 | Earthy mushroom black |
| Squid Ink | #1B1C22 | Blue-black of nero di seppia pasta |
| Black Sesame | #2E2C2A | Speckled gray-black |
| Blackberry | #2D1B2E | Purple-black of ripe berries |
| Black Tea | #2C2016 | Steeped brown-black |
| Black Garlic | #231A17 | Caramelized brown-black |
| Molasses | #2A1A12 | Syrupy brown-black |
| Black Olive Brine | #2C2E24 | Olive-green black |
| Dark Roast | #241810 | Charred coffee-bean black |
| Black Currant | #2A1523 | Purple-red black berry |
Moody, poetic and gothic black names
For brand palettes, fantasy settings or a dramatic room, these evocative names carry mood as much as color. They also make good dark names for characters.
| Shade | Approx. hex | Look & feel |
|---|---|---|
| Abyss | #07080A | Bottomless ocean-trench black |
| Eclipse | #0E0E12 | The sky during totality |
| Nightfall | #12131A | Black-blue of first dark |
| Shadow | #1E1E20 | Soft, diffuse black |
| Phantom | #151518 | Ghostly smoked black |
| Crow | #141417 | Glossy, slightly blue black |
| Panther | #101010 | Sleek, matte animal black |
| Moonless | #0B0C10 | Starlit black with a navy trace |
| Tuxedo | #141414 | Formal satin black |
| Noir | #0F0F0F | French for “black,” film-noir mood |
| Sable | #16110F | Heraldic name for black, from the sable’s fur |
| Ebony | #555D50 | Dark heartwood of the ebony tree; a greenish charcoal in color references |
| Black Velvet | #141013 | Plush black with a warm undertone |
| Starless Sky | #0A0B12 | Deep indigo-black |
How to choose the right black shade
- Look at the undertone first: hold swatches next to a pure black and you’ll quickly see which lean brown, blue or green.
- For walls and cabinetry, soft blacks with a hex around #1B1B1B to #2B2B2B look richer than true #000000, which can feel flat in daylight.
- In print, ask for “rich black” (black plus cyan, magenta and yellow) for large areas; use plain black for small text so it stays sharp.
- Pair warm blacks like Licorice or Black Coffee with brass and cream; pair cool blacks like Gunmetal or Black Pearl with chrome and white.
- If you’re naming a product color, choose a name that signals texture too: “Velvet,” “Satin” and “Matte” help shoppers picture the finish.
Frequently asked questions
What is the darkest black color name?
“Vantablack” is the famous name for a coating that absorbs over 99.9% of visible light, but it’s a material, not a paint color. In everyday palettes, names like Pitch Black, Void and Rich Black describe the deepest shades.
What is the hex code for pure black?
Pure black is #000000 in hex, or rgb(0, 0, 0). Most named black shades are slightly lighter so they show texture and depth.
What is the difference between onyx and obsidian?
Both are black stones. Onyx is a banded chalcedony that polishes to a soft black-gray, while obsidian is volcanic glass with a sharper, glassy black.
Is charcoal a shade of black or gray?
Charcoal sits on the border. Most color references treat it as a very dark gray (around #36454F), which is why you’ll find it on our gray list.
What is a warm black?
A warm black has a brown, red or purple undertone, like Licorice, Black Coffee or Raisin Black. It looks softer than a cool, blue-leaning black.