Purple Color Names
For most of history purple was the rarest color you could wear. Tyrian purple was made from the glands of sea snails, and it took thousands of them to dye one garment, which is why the color became tied to emperors and royalty. That changed in the Victorian era, when teenage chemist William Perkin accidentally created mauveine, the first synthetic dye, and suddenly anyone could wear purple.
Today there are more purple color names than ever. We’ve gathered 100+ of them, from lavender and lilac to eggplant and midnight, with approximate hex codes (CSS names like RebeccaPurple use exact values). Explore nearby palettes in our pink color names and blue color names, or browse regal baby names in names that mean queen.
CSS purple and violet color names
The purples built into every browser. RebeccaPurple was added in 2014 in memory of Rebecca Meyer, the daughter of web designer Eric Meyer.
| Shade | Approx. hex | About the name |
|---|---|---|
| Purple | #800080 | CSS standard purple |
| Rebecca Purple | #663399 | Honors Rebecca Meyer (CSS, 2014) |
| Medium Purple | #9370DB | Soft, mid-tone purple |
| Blue Violet | #8A2BE2 | Vivid blue-leaning violet |
| Dark Violet | #9400D3 | Intense violet |
| Dark Orchid | #9932CC | Deep orchid purple |
| Medium Orchid | #BA55D3 | Bright pinkish purple |
| Orchid | #DA70D6 | Named after the orchid flower |
| Violet | #EE82EE | CSS violet, quite pink and light |
| Thistle | #D8BFD8 | Pale, dusty purple of thistle down |
| Indigo | #4B0082 | Deep blue-purple |
| Dark Magenta | #8B008B | Rich red-purple |
| Slate Blue | #6A5ACD | Purple-blue slate |
Light purple and lavender shades
Soft, calming purples. They pair beautifully with the pastels in our green color names, especially sage and mint.
| Shade | Approx. hex | About the name |
|---|---|---|
| Lavender | #E6E6FA | CSS lavender, very pale blue-lilac |
| Lilac | #C8A2C8 | Spring lilac blossoms |
| Mauve | #E0B0FF | From French “mauve,” the mallow flower |
| Wisteria | #C9A0DC | Hanging wisteria blooms |
| Periwinkle | #CCCCFF | Blue-lilac periwinkle flower |
| Pale Purple | #FAE6FA | Faintest purple tint |
| Languid Lavender | #D6CADD | Dreamy, dusty lavender |
| Lavender Mist | #E3D9EC | Hazy pale lavender |
| Lilac Frost | #DCD0E8 | Icy lilac |
| French Lilac | #86608E | Muted violet-gray lilac |
| Wisteria Haze | #B9A5CF | Soft purple haze |
| Lavender Fog | #D3C9E0 | Grayish lavender |
| Pale Violet | #CC99FF | Light, clear violet |
| Bright Lavender | #BF94E4 | Lively lavender |
Bright and electric purple color names
Saturated purples for bold branding, stage lights and neon signs.
| Shade | Approx. hex | About the name |
|---|---|---|
| Electric Purple | #BF00FF | Blazing neon purple |
| Psychedelic Purple | #DF00FF | 1960s poster color |
| Heliotrope | #DF73FF | Named after the heliotrope flower |
| Han Purple | #5218FA | Ancient Chinese synthetic pigment |
| Violet (color wheel) | #7F00FF | Pure spectral violet |
| Neon Violet | #9D00FF | Club-light purple |
| Ultra Violet | #5F4B8B | Pantone Color of the Year 2018 |
| Radiant Orchid | #B163A3 | Pantone Color of the Year 2014 |
| Very Peri | #6667AB | Pantone Color of the Year 2022 |
| Purple Heart | #69359C | Named after the US military decoration |
| Mardi Gras | #880085 | New Orleans carnival purple |
| Vivid Violet | #9F00FF | Saturated violet |
| Purpureus | #9A4EAE | Latin for “purple” |
Royal and historic purples
The purples of emperors, bishops and Victorian fashion. Pair them with our names that mean king for a regal theme.
| Shade | Approx. hex | About the name |
|---|---|---|
| Tyrian Purple | #66023C | Sea-snail dye of Roman emperors |
| Royal Purple | #7851A9 | Classic regal purple |
| Imperial Purple | #602F6B | Rich imperial shade |
| Byzantium | #702963 | Byzantine Empire purple |
| Dark Byzantium | #5D3954 | Deeper, smoky Byzantium |
| Palatinate | #72246C | Durham University’s purple |
| Mauveine | #8D029B | First synthetic dye, 1856 |
| Pansy Purple | #78184A | Velvety pansy petals |
| Patriarch | #800080 | Ecclesiastical purple |
| Episcopal Purple | #6B2E6B | Bishops’ vestment color |
| Regalia | #522D80 | Ceremonial robe purple |
| Purple Mountain Majesty | #9678B6 | Crayola color from “America the Beautiful” |
Gemstone purple color names
Crystals give purple some of its prettiest names; more in our gemstone names.
| Shade | Approx. hex | About the name |
|---|---|---|
| Amethyst | #9966CC | Violet quartz, February birthstone |
| Tanzanite | #4A3A8C | Blue-violet Tanzanian gem |
| Charoite | #7E5A9B | Swirled Siberian stone |
| Sugilite | #6E3B8C | Deep purple mineral |
| Lepidolite | #B3A1C8 | Lilac mica |
| Purple Fluorite | #8E6BB7 | Glowing crystal |
| Iolite | #5C5B9E | “Water sapphire” blue-violet |
| Purple Jade | #9F84BA | Lavender jadeite |
| Chalcedony Lilac | #B7A7D1 | Milky pale violet |
| Purple Sapphire | #6C3D91 | Violet corundum gem |
Purple color names from flowers
Many purples are flower names first. Find more petals on our names of flowers page.
| Shade | Approx. hex | About the name |
|---|---|---|
| Iris | #5A4FCF | Blue-purple iris petals |
| Crocus | #A55CB5 | Early spring crocus |
| Hyacinth | #7B61A8 | Fragrant spring spikes |
| Aster | #8773B0 | Starry autumn daisy |
| Petunia | #6C3082 | Rich garden petunia |
| Jacaranda | #8E7CC3 | Purple street-tree blossoms |
| Heather | #A484AC | Moorland heather |
| Lupine | #7E62A8 | Tall meadow spires |
| Clematis | #7D4E9E | Climbing vine flower |
| Morning Glory | #8A6FB7 | Trumpet-shaped bloom |
| Violet Flower | #8F5EA8 | Sweet woodland violet |
| Allium | #9C6BB7 | Globe-shaped onion flower |
| Lavender Field | #967BB6 | Provence lavender rows |
| Verbena | #8B6BB8 | Clustered garden verbena |
Food-inspired purple shades
Grapes, berries and roots in every shade of violet.
| Shade | Approx. hex | About the name |
|---|---|---|
| Eggplant | #614051 | Glossy aubergine skin |
| Aubergine | #3D0734 | Deep, British name for eggplant |
| Grape | #6F2DA8 | Bright grape purple |
| Concord Grape | #7C5379 | Dusky American grape |
| Plum | #8E4585 | Ripe plum skin |
| Ube | #8878C3 | Filipino purple yam |
| Taro | #C3B4D2 | Pale taro bubble tea |
| Blackberry | #4D0135 | Nearly black berry |
| Açaí | #42314B | Dark Amazonian berry |
| Fig | #5B3256 | Ripe fig skin |
| Purple Cabbage | #7B3F8C | Red cabbage leaves |
| Elderberry | #3F2A47 | Tiny dark berries |
| Purple Sweet Potato | #5E2A6D | Okinawan-style purple yam |
Dark and deep purple color names
Moody, near-black purples, lovely next to our black color names or the gothic words in witchy names.
| Shade | Approx. hex | About the name |
|---|---|---|
| Midnight Purple | #280137 | Nearly black violet |
| Deep Purple | #36013F | Dense, velvety purple |
| Blackcurrant | #3B0E3C | Dark currant juice |
| Plum Wine | #4E1F3A | Rich dessert-wine purple |
| Raisin | #4A2C40 | Dried-grape purple-brown |
| Dark Amethyst | #4B2E5F | Shadowed crystal |
| Nightshade | #3C2A4D | Poisonous-plant purple |
| Mulberry Wine | #5E2C5A | Deep mulberry |
| Twilight Violet | #3D3052 | Last light of dusk |
| Velvet Violet | #4F2A5B | Plush, dark fabric |
| Dark Purple | #301934 | Classic very dark purple |
How to use purple shades
- Blue-leaning purples (periwinkle, indigo, iris) feel calm and cool; red-leaning purples (plum, magenta, Tyrian) feel warm and dramatic.
- Lavender and lilac work almost like neutrals in bedrooms and nurseries, especially with white and soft gray.
- Deep purples like eggplant and aubergine look luxurious with gold, brass and emerald green.
- Purple’s complement is yellow: a touch of mustard or marigold next to violet makes both pop.
- In branding, purple signals creativity and premium quality, which is why it’s common in beauty, tech and luxury products.
Frequently asked questions
What are the different shades of purple called?
Common purple shades include lavender, lilac, mauve, violet, amethyst, plum, orchid, periwinkle, eggplant, magenta, indigo and Tyrian purple.
What is the difference between purple and violet?
Violet is a spectral color at the short end of visible light. Purple is a mix of red and blue that doesn’t appear in the rainbow. In everyday speech the words overlap.
Why is purple associated with royalty?
The ancient dye Tyrian purple came from sea snails and was so costly that Roman and Byzantine rulers restricted it to the elite, linking purple to power for centuries.
What is the difference between lavender and lilac?
Lavender is paler and slightly bluer, like the herb’s flowers. Lilac is a bit pinker and warmer, like lilac blossoms.
What is the hex code for purple?
CSS “purple” is #800080. Other popular purples include RebeccaPurple (#663399) and MediumPurple (#9370DB).