Purple Navy color code: #4E5180
A recognised named colour where navy and violet meet at equal strength.
Purple Navy · rgb(78, 81, 128)
Every format for Purple Navy
- HEX
- #4E5180
- RGB
- rgb(78, 81, 128)
- HSL
- hsl(236, 24%, 40%)
- HSV
- 236°, 39%, 50%
- CMYK
- 39%, 37%, 0%, 50%
- Lightness
- 40% · mid-tone
Hue sits at 236°, which makes Purple Navy a true blue navy, with 24% saturation. In the Purple Navy family it reads as a mid-tone option.
Text contrast on Purple Navy
Contrast ratios are calculated using the WCAG 2.1 relative luminance formula. Normal body text needs 4.5:1 and large text needs 3:1 to pass AA.
White text on Purple Navy
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
7.47:1 — AAA for normal textBlack text on Purple Navy
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
2.81:1 — below AA, decorative use onlyPurple Navy text on white
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
7.47:1 — AAA for normal textAccessibility notes
- Pair Purple Navy with white text for the strongest reading experience: that combination gives 7.47:1.
- Used as a text colour on white, it clears the 3:1 bar for large headings.
- Never rely on Purple Navy alone to communicate state. Add an icon, label or underline so the meaning survives for colour-blind users and in greyscale printing.
- When placing text over a photograph tinted with Purple Navy, add a solid overlay first. Contrast measured against a flat colour does not hold over varying imagery.
Using Purple Navy in CSS and HTML
CSS example
:root {
--purple-navy: #4E5180;
}
.panel {
background-color: var(--purple-navy);
color: #FFFFFF;
border: 1px solid #4E5180;
}HTML example
<div style="background-color: #4E5180; color: #FFFFFF; padding: 1rem;">
Purple Navy #4E5180
</div>Common uses
- Primary buttons, active navigation states and chart series.
- Purple Navy palettes for brand systems that need a dependable cool anchor.
- Print work where a deep blue is preferred to black, using the CMYK build 39%, 37%, 0%, 50%.
- Data visualisation, as one step in a lightness-based navy scale.
Design recommendations
- Build lighter and darker variants by changing only the lightness in
hsl(236, 24%, 40%). Keeping hue fixed is what makes a scale look intentional. - Give Purple Navy at least one warm counterweight. A cool palette with no warm accent tends to read as cold rather than calm.
- Saturation is moderate, which makes this shade forgiving across large areas and long reading sessions.
Complementary and matching colors
Each of these is derived from the hue, saturation and lightness of Purple Navy. Click a swatch to copy it.
Similar navy shades
Continue exploring
FAQs about Purple Navy
What is the Purple Navy color code?
The Purple Navy color code is #4E5180 in HEX, rgb(78, 81, 128) in RGB and hsl(236, 24%, 40%) in HSL.
What is the RGB value of Purple Navy?
Purple Navy is rgb(78, 81, 128), meaning 78 units of red, 81 of green and 128 of blue on the 0 to 255 scale.
What is the CMYK value of Purple Navy?
In CMYK, Purple Navy converts to approximately 39%, 37%, 0%, 50%. Printed output will look slightly less saturated than the screen preview because CMYK covers a narrower gamut.
Does white text work on Purple Navy?
White text on Purple Navy gives a contrast ratio of 7.47:1, which is AAA for normal text.
Does black text work on Purple Navy?
Black text on Purple Navy gives a contrast ratio of 2.81:1, which is below AA, decorative use only.
Which colors go with Purple Navy?
Its direct complement is #AEAA7A, and the warm accent #B2C365 works well for calls to action. For a quieter scheme, pair it with the analogous blues listed above.
Is Purple Navy a light or dark navy?
At 40% lightness, Purple Navy is classed as a mid-tone navy in this collection.