Red Color Names
Red is the oldest color name in many languages after black and white, and it has collected an enormous vocabulary: dyes made from insects (crimson, carmine), pigments ground from minerals (vermilion, cinnabar), wines, gemstones, spices and fruit. Below are more than 90 shades of red, grouped by undertone, each with an approximate hex code you can paste into a design app.
Hex values for descriptive names like Lipstick or Lava differ from one paint or software brand to the next, so treat ours as a close starting point. Browse the whole spectrum on our color names hub, compare warm neighbors in orange color names and pink color names, or find a fiery baby name among names that mean fire.
Classic and true red shades
These reds sit close to the pure primary #FF0000. They’re the ones you see on stop signs, fire trucks and flags.
| Shade | Approx. hex | Look & feel |
|---|---|---|
| Pure Red | #FF0000 | The screen primary; maximum red on an RGB display |
| Scarlet | #FF2400 | Brilliant red with a slight orange tilt; the color of academic and military robes |
| Crimson | #DC143C | Deep red with a hint of blue; named from the kermes insect dye (Arabic <em>qirmiz</em>) |
| Fire Engine Red | #CE2029 | Bold, slightly cool red used on fire trucks |
| Candy Apple Red | #FF0800 | Glossy, lacquered red of a caramel-coated apple and classic car paint |
| Cherry Red | #D2042D | Juicy, saturated red with a faint pink note |
| Imperial Red | #ED2939 | Clean, bright red often used in national flags |
| Lust | #E62020 | Hot, intense red with no brown in it |
| Lava | #CF1020 | Glowing red of molten rock |
| Spanish Red | #E60026 | Vivid red seen on the flag of Spain |
| Chinese Red | #CD071E | Lucky festival red of lanterns and envelopes |
| Rosso Corsa | #D40000 | “Racing red,” the traditional color of Italian race cars |
| Lipstick Red | #C1121F | Classic matte lipstick red; flattering on almost every skin tone |
| Red Salsa | #FD3A4A | Bright, slightly warm red with a lighter feel |
| Persian Red | #CC3333 | Muted, earthy-bright red from Persian ceramics and textiles |
| Apple Red | #D10000 | The skin of a ripe red apple |
Artist pigment reds
Painters know these reds by the material they come from. Many have centuries of history behind them, and several are still sold under the same names today.
| Shade | Approx. hex | Look & feel |
|---|---|---|
| Vermilion | #E34234 | Orange-red pigment originally ground from the mineral cinnabar |
| Cinnabar | #E44D2E | The mercury mineral itself; warm and slightly earthy |
| Carmine | #960018 | Deep, rich red made from cochineal insects |
| Cochineal | #9D1B20 | The insect dye prized by the Aztecs and Spanish traders |
| Cadmium Red | #E30022 | Strong, opaque modern pigment loved by oil painters |
| Alizarin Crimson | #A7272D | Transparent, cool crimson, originally from the madder root |
| Rose Madder | #E32636 | Soft, transparent red from madder root, a favorite of watercolorists |
| Venetian Red | #C80815 | Warm iron-oxide red used by Renaissance painters |
| Indian Red | #CD5C5C | Muted iron-oxide red; also a named CSS web color |
| English Red | #AB4B52 | Dusty, brick-toned earth pigment |
| Red Ochre | #913831 | Natural clay pigment used in cave paintings |
| Turkey Red | #A91101 | A famously colorfast cotton dye from the Ottoman world |
| Mars Red | #BC2731 | Synthetic iron-oxide red, named after the “red planet” |
| Naphthol Red | #CC0033 | Bright modern synthetic red for acrylics |
| Pyrrole Red | #D2232A | The pigment behind many sports-car and ketchup reds |
Dark red color names: maroon, wine and oxblood
Dark reds feel rich and grown-up. They’re a staple for fall wardrobes, leather goods, book bindings and moody interiors.
| Shade | Approx. hex | Look & feel |
|---|---|---|
| Maroon | #800000 | Brown-red named from French <em>marron</em>, “chestnut” |
| Burgundy | #800020 | The deep purple-red of wine from Burgundy, France |
| Oxblood | #4A0000 | Very dark, brownish red; classic for leather shoes |
| Garnet | #733635 | Dark, jewel-toned red of the garnet gemstone |
| Blood Red | #8A0303 | Dark, slightly brown red |
| Dark Red | #8B0000 | The plain CSS “darkred” web color |
| Sangria | #92000A | Red wine punch; saturated and warm |
| Wine | #722F37 | Soft, dusty wine red |
| Merlot | #730039 | Purple-leaning red named after the grape |
| Bordeaux | #5C0120 | Dark red of Bordeaux wines |
| Claret | #7F1734 | British name for red Bordeaux; slightly lighter than burgundy |
| Cabernet | #4C1C24 | Almost-black red named after the grape |
| Rosewood | #65000B | Dark reddish tone of tropical rosewood |
| Black Cherry | #5C0A1A | Near-black red of ripe dark cherries |
| Cordovan | #893F45 | Brownish red of Spanish horsehide leather from Córdoba |
| Barn Red | #7C0A02 | Traditional red-oxide paint of American barns |
| Currant | #6B0F1A | Dark berry red of red currants |
| Red Velvet | #7E2031 | Deep cocoa-tinged red of the classic cake |
Brownish and earthy red shades
A little brown turns red into something warm and grounded. These shades borrow their names from stone, wood, clay and hair color.
| Shade | Approx. hex | Look & feel |
|---|---|---|
| Brick Red | #CB4154 | The fired-clay red of old brick buildings |
| Firebrick | #B22222 | A darker brick tone; also a named CSS color |
| Rust | #B7410E | Oxidized-iron red with orange undertones |
| Mahogany | #C04000 | Warm reddish-brown of mahogany wood |
| Auburn | #A52A2A | Reddish-brown hair color |
| Russet | #80461B | Coarse homespun-cloth red-brown; also a potato variety |
| Chestnut | #954535 | Glossy red-brown of a chestnut shell |
| Redwood | #A45A52 | The soft red bark of California’s redwoods |
| Terracotta | #E2725B | Italian for “baked earth”; the color of clay pots |
| Tuscan Red | #7C4848 | Muted, dusty red of Tuscan villas |
| Copper Red | #CB6D51 | Red with a metallic copper warmth |
| Red Clay | #A0442E | Georgia-style red dirt |
| Canyon Red | #A2453A | The sunlit red rock of desert canyons |
| Paprika | #C23B22 | Warm, earthy red of the ground pepper spice |
| Cayenne | #941100 | Dark, spicy red; one of Apple’s classic crayon colors |
Bright orange-red and fiery shades
Push red toward yellow and you get the most energetic colors on the spectrum. Also browse our yellow color names for the other end of the warm range.
| Shade | Approx. hex | Look & feel |
|---|---|---|
| Orange-Red | #FF4500 | The CSS “orangered” web color |
| Flame | #E25822 | The orange-red heart of a fire |
| Coquelicot | #FF3800 | French for “corn poppy”; a blazing poppy red |
| Poppy Red | #E35335 | Soft-bright red of field poppies |
| Tomato | #FF6347 | Juicy orange-red; a named CSS color |
| Persimmon | #EC5800 | Orange-red of the ripe persimmon fruit |
| Ember | #D2491E | Smoldering coal glow |
| Lobster | #BA3A2D | Cooked-lobster red with coral warmth |
| Chili Red | #C21807 | Hot, spicy red of dried chilies |
| Tabasco | #A02712 | Deep, peppery red |
| Mandarin Red | #E74A33 | Red with a citrus glow |
| Coral Red | #FF4040 | Bright, slightly pinkish coral |
| Sunset Red | #E5533D | The low evening sun just before it sets |
| Molten Red | #E0301E | Hot metal fresh from the forge |
Cool, pinkish and berry reds
Add a touch of blue and red becomes cool and jewel-like. These sit on the border with our purple color names and pinks.
| Shade | Approx. hex | Look & feel |
|---|---|---|
| Raspberry | #E30B5C | Vivid pink-red of fresh raspberries |
| Cerise | #DE3163 | French for “cherry”; a bright, cool pinkish red |
| Amaranth | #E52B50 | Named after the amaranth flower, symbol of immortality |
| Cardinal | #C41E3A | The red of cardinal birds and Catholic cardinals’ robes |
| Carnelian | #B31B1B | Translucent red-orange gemstone |
| Ruby Red | #9B111E | Deep jewel red of a fine ruby |
| Rose Red | #C21E56 | Rich, rose-petal red |
| Strawberry | #C83F49 | Ripe strawberry red |
| Cranberry | #9F000F | Tart, deep berry red |
| Pomegranate | #C0392B | Glossy red of pomegranate seeds |
| Watermelon | #FC6C85 | Pink-red of watermelon flesh |
| Hibiscus | #B6316C | Tropical flower red with magenta undertones |
| Geranium | #DA3D58 | Bright pot-geranium red |
| Beet | #8E0038 | Purple-red of cooked beetroot |
| Radish | #A42F37 | Crisp red of radish skin |
| Red Currant | #C4122E | Glossy, translucent berry red |
How to use red color names
- Decide on the undertone first. Orange-leaning reds (vermilion, tomato) feel energetic; blue-leaning reds (crimson, raspberry) feel elegant and cool.
- Use deep reds for large areas. Burgundy, oxblood and barn red are easier to live with on walls or sofas than pure red.
- Check contrast. White text on bright red can fall short of accessibility guidelines; darker reds like
#B22222or below usually pass. - Name your palette with a story. Wine names (Merlot, Claret, Sangria) or spice names (Paprika, Cayenne) make a product range feel cohesive — handy for clothing brand names.
- Borrow a shade for a pet. Rust, Auburn, Ember and Paprika are great for orange cats and red-coated dogs.
Frequently asked questions
What are the different shades of red called?
Common named reds include scarlet, crimson, vermilion, carmine, cherry, ruby, burgundy, maroon, oxblood, brick red, cerise, raspberry and rust. They differ mainly in undertone (orange vs. blue) and depth.
What is the difference between scarlet and crimson?
Scarlet leans slightly toward orange and is very bright, while crimson is deeper and leans slightly toward blue. Both originally referred to expensive dyed cloth.
What is the darkest shade of red?
Oxblood, cabernet, black cherry and rosewood are among the darkest named reds, sitting close to black while keeping a visible red cast.
What is the hex code for true red?
Pure digital red is #FF0000. Many “true reds” in print and paint are slightly darker, around #D00000 to #E00000.
Where does the word “maroon” come from?
It comes from the French marron, meaning “chestnut,” which is why maroon has a brown undertone.