Gray Color Names
Gray looks simple until you try to pick one. Hold ten gray swatches side by side and you’ll see some lean blue like a storm cloud, some lean green like sage-tinted stone and others lean warm like wet concrete. That undertone is what the name is really describing.
This list gathers 100+ gray color names by family (cool, warm, green, metallic, stone and weather grays), each with an approximate hex code. Official web colors such as SlateGray and Gainsboro use their exact CSS values. For neighboring palettes, see our black color names and white color names; naming a kitty instead? Try our grey cat names.
Standard gray color names (CSS)
These are the grays built into every web browser, with their exact hex values. Note the famous quirk: CSS “DarkGray” is lighter than plain “Gray.”
| Color name | Hex | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Gray | #808080 | True middle gray |
| Dark Gray | #A9A9A9 | CSS quirk: lighter than Gray |
| Dim Gray | #696969 | Muted dark gray |
| Light Gray | #D3D3D3 | Soft, pale gray |
| Gainsboro | #DCDCDC | Very light gray, named after Thomas Gainsborough |
| Silver | #C0C0C0 | Metallic-looking light gray |
| Slate Gray | #708090 | Blue-leaning gray |
| Light Slate Gray | #778899 | Lighter blue gray |
| Dark Slate Gray | #2F4F4F | Deep green-blue gray |
| White Smoke | #F5F5F5 | Nearly white, faint gray |
Light gray shades
Airy grays for walls, backgrounds and minimalist palettes.
| Color name | Hex | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Platinum | #E5E4E2 | Pale, precious-metal gray |
| Dove Gray | #B8B6B3 | Soft feather gray |
| Pearl Gray | #CBCBCB | Satin-sheen light gray |
| Mist | #D9DDDC | Hazy, barely-there gray |
| Cloud | #C4C4C4 | Overcast-sky gray |
| Timberwolf | #DBD7D2 | Crayola’s warm pale gray |
| Chalk | #E2E1DD | Dry, powdery gray-white |
| Silver Sand | #BFC1C2 | Glinting pale gray |
| Porpoise | #A9A9A1 | Smooth, rubbery light gray |
| Oyster | #D5D1C9 | Shell-interior gray |
| Ghost | #C7C9CF | Faint, cool gray |
| Cobweb | #D6D6D4 | Delicate, dusty pale gray |
| Feather Gray | #C8C6C0 | Soft down-feather tone |
Dark gray shades
Deep grays that feel softer than black. They pair well with the jewel tones in our purple color names.
| Color name | Hex | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Charcoal | #36454F | Deep blue-gray of burnt wood |
| Davy’s Gray | #555555 | Named after Henry Davy’s slate pigment |
| Onyx Gray | #393939 | Stony near-black |
| Jet Gray | #343434 | Dark, glossy |
| Iron | #4A4A4A | Heavy, industrial gray |
| Anchor Gray | #3C4145 | Nautical dark gray |
| Outer Space | #414A4C | Crayola’s dark space gray |
| Soot Gray | #3F3F3F | Smoky, sooty dark |
| Cinder | #4B4B4B | Burnt ember gray |
| Raven Gray | #4E5152 | Feather-dark gray |
| Midnight Gray | #3B3F45 | Night-sky dark gray |
| Basalt Gray | #4D4F4F | Volcanic rock gray |
Blue and cool gray color names
Grays with a blue or lilac undertone. They look crisp in north-facing rooms and clean in UI design. See also our blue color names.
| Color name | Hex | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Slate | #6D7F8C | Classic roof-tile blue gray |
| Payne’s Gray | #536878 | Artist pigment mixed from blue and black |
| Cadet Gray | #91A3B0 | Military-uniform blue gray |
| Blue Gray | #6699CC | Soft, clear blue-gray |
| Steel Blue Gray | #71797E | Cold steel |
| Storm Cloud | #4F666A | Brooding, rain-heavy gray |
| Glacier Gray | #C5C6C7 | Icy, clean gray |
| Harbor Gray | #7C8C9A | Foggy port waters |
| Lavender Gray | #C4C3D0 | Lilac-tinted gray |
| Periwinkle Gray | #C3CDE6 | Soft blue-violet gray |
| Marengo | #4C5866 | Dark gray-blue cloth color |
| Dusk Gray | #7A7F8E | Twilight blue-gray |
Warm gray color names
Grays with beige, brown or pink undertones. They’re cozy and forgiving, and a natural bridge to our brown color names.
| Color name | Hex | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Warm Gray | #8B8580 | Neutral with a beige cast |
| Taupe Gray | #8B8589 | Brown-violet gray |
| Putty | #A69E8E | Soft, window-putty gray |
| Stone | #928E85 | Weathered limestone |
| Cashmere Gray | #B7ADA4 | Soft, luxurious |
| Elephant | #7D7771 | Warm, leathery gray |
| Fossil | #8A8480 | Ancient, earthy gray |
| Sandstone Gray | #A39E93 | Desert rock gray |
| Driftwood Gray | #9B928A | Sun-bleached wood gray |
| Pumice | #C2C0B7 | Light volcanic stone |
| Rose Gray | #A89EA0 | Faint pink undertone |
| Linen Gray | #B8B2A7 | Unbleached linen gray |
Green-leaning gray shades
Grays with a hint of sage or moss. They feel earthy and calm; find their bolder cousins in our green color names.
| Color name | Hex | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Ash Gray | #B2BEB5 | Cool, faintly green ash |
| Feldgrau | #4D5D53 | German “field gray” uniform |
| Xanadu | #738678 | Named after the Philodendron ‘Xanadu’ houseplant |
| Sage Gray | #A3A79B | Herb-tinted gray |
| Lichen Gray | #9AA197 | Mossy, soft gray |
| Eucalyptus Gray | #9FAEA2 | Silvery leaf gray |
| Olive Gray | #7D7F6D | Army-surplus gray-green |
| Juniper Gray | #6D7C74 | Evergreen-tinted gray |
| Seafoam Gray | #B4C3BB | Washed coastal gray |
Metallic gray color names
Named after metals and alloys, these grays read industrial and modern.
| Color name | Hex | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Pewter | #899499 | Tin alloy, soft sheen |
| Gunmetal | #2A3439 | Dark bronze-alloy gray |
| Nickel | #727472 | Coin-metal gray |
| Steel | #7A7F80 | Brushed steel |
| Titanium | #878681 | Aerospace metal gray |
| Aluminum | #A8A9AD | Light, bright metal |
| Chrome | #DBE2E9 | Mirror-polished silver |
| Lead | #5F6264 | Heavy, dull gray |
| Zinc | #92898A | Galvanized gray |
| Tin | #919191 | Plain, soft metal |
| Sterling | #C6C6C4 | Bright silver-cutlery gray |
| Graphite Gray | #474A51 | Pencil-lead gray |
| Silver Lining | #BDBDBD | Hopeful light gray |
Gray color names from weather, stone and animals
Evocative names from the world around us, popular with paint brands. Our names that mean storm share the same moody mood.
| Color name | Hex | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Fog | #D7D8D3 | Soft morning haze |
| Smoke | #848884 | Drifting smoke gray |
| Rain Cloud | #8E9496 | Cool, heavy sky |
| Thunder | #5A5E61 | Dark, electric gray |
| Overcast | #A8AEB1 | Flat, diffuse sky |
| Granite | #676767 | Speckled stone gray |
| Pebble | #9C9A94 | Smooth river stone |
| Concrete | #95A5A6 | Urban gray |
| Cement | #8D8A86 | Dry cement bag |
| Flint | #6F6A61 | Spark-stone gray |
| Battleship Gray | #848482 | Naval paint gray |
| Pigeon | #8C8F97 | City pigeon feathers |
| Wolf Gray | #7A7D80 | Gray wolf fur |
| Heather Gray | #9AA297 | Flecked sweatshirt fabric |
| Mouse | #9E9A92 | Small, soft gray-brown |
| Dolphin Gray | #828E84 | Sleek sea-mammal gray |
| Koala Gray | #9D9A96 | Fluffy, warm gray |
| Moonstone | #ACB3B8 | Pale, glowing gem gray |
| Ash | #A9A59F | Fireplace ash |
How to choose the right gray
- Compare swatches against pure white paper: the undertone (blue, green, beige or violet) becomes obvious in seconds.
- North-facing rooms make cool grays look colder; choose warm grays like Putty or Cashmere Gray there.
- For UI and web design, grays around #6B7280 to #9CA3AF keep secondary text readable while staying quiet.
- Pair cool grays with white, navy and chrome; pair warm grays with cream, walnut and brass.
- Test paint samples at different times of day. Gray shifts more than almost any other color under changing light.
Frequently asked questions
Is it spelled gray or grey?
Both are correct. “Gray” is the standard American spelling; “grey” is preferred in British English. Web colors accept both spellings, like “gray” and “grey” in CSS.
What is the darkest shade of gray?
Charcoal, Jet Gray and Onyx Gray are among the darkest. Anything darker usually gets called a soft black.
Why is DarkGray lighter than Gray in CSS?
CSS inherited “DarkGray” (#A9A9A9) from the old X11 color list, while “Gray” (#808080) came from the HTML standard. The two systems never lined up, so DarkGray ended up lighter.
What is the difference between charcoal and slate?
Charcoal is a deep, dark gray, often with a slight blue cast. Slate is lighter and more obviously blue-gray, like roofing slate.
What colors go with gray?
Almost everything: navy, mustard yellow, blush pink, emerald green and white are classic pairings. Match the gray’s undertone to your accent colors for the most cohesive look.