🎨 Color Name Finder
By ToolNimba Editorial Team · Updated 2026-06-19
Type a 3- or 6-digit hex, or use the picker. The nearest CSS color name updates live.
Your color
#6495ED
Nearest named color
#6495ED
Ever stared at a hex code like #6495ED and wondered what to actually call it? This color name finder takes any hex value (or a color you pick) and tells you the closest named CSS color. It compares your color against the full list of standard CSS color names and returns the nearest match, its hex, and a side-by-side swatch so you can see how close the two really are.
What is the Color Name Finder?
A hex code such as #6495ED is just a precise machine label: two hexadecimal digits each for red, green and blue. It is exact but not human friendly. Named colors are the opposite: words like "cornflowerblue", "tomato" or "slategray" are easy to say and remember, but there are only about 140 of them, so almost any arbitrary hex will fall somewhere between two names rather than landing on one exactly. This tool bridges the two by finding the single named color that sits closest to whatever you enter.
The matching works by treating each color as a point in a three-dimensional space whose axes are the red, green and blue channels (each running 0 to 255). The distance between two colors is the straight-line (Euclidean) distance between their points: distance = sqrt((R1 - R2)^2 + (G1 - G2)^2 + (B1 - B2)^2). The tool measures that distance from your color to every named CSS color and reports the one with the smallest value. A distance of 0 means your hex is an exact named color, while larger numbers mean the nearest name is only an approximation.
A quick caveat: RGB distance is simple and fast, but it does not match how the human eye perceives color difference. Our eyes are far more sensitive to changes in green than in blue, so two pairs of colors with the same RGB distance can look very different in how far apart they seem. For naming a color in everyday use the nearest RGB match is usually spot on, but for precision work (matching a brand color or judging perceptual sameness) a perceptual metric like CIEDE2000 in the Lab color space is the more accurate choice.
When to use it
- Figuring out a plain-English name for a hex code you found in a design file or screenshot.
- Choosing a readable CSS keyword instead of a raw hex value when the exact shade is not critical.
- Naming colors picked from a photo or palette for documentation, tickets or design handoff.
- Teaching or learning how RGB values map onto the standard set of named web colors.
How to use the Color Name Finder
- Type a hex code into the field (3-digit shorthand like #6cf or 6-digit like #6495ED both work).
- Or click the color picker and choose a color visually.
- Read off the nearest named CSS color, its hex, and the distance score.
- Compare the two swatches side by side, then copy the color name with one click.
Formula & method
Worked examples
You enter #336699 and want to know its closest CSS color name.
- Convert the hex to RGB: #336699 = R 51, G 102, B 153.
- Compare against steelblue (#4682B4 = R 70, G 130, B 180).
- distance = sqrt((51 - 70)^2 + (102 - 130)^2 + (153 - 180)^2)
- distance = sqrt(361 + 784 + 729) = sqrt(1874) = 43.29
- No other named color scores lower, so steelblue is the nearest.
Result: Nearest named color: steelblue (#4682B4), distance 43.29
You pick #FF5733, a vivid orange-red, and want a name for it.
- Convert the hex to RGB: #FF5733 = R 255, G 87, B 51.
- Compare against tomato (#FF6347 = R 255, G 99, B 71).
- distance = sqrt((255 - 255)^2 + (87 - 99)^2 + (51 - 71)^2)
- distance = sqrt(0 + 144 + 400) = sqrt(544) = 23.32
- tomato has the smallest distance of all named colors.
Result: Nearest named color: tomato (#FF6347), distance 23.32
Sample CSS named colors with their hex and RGB values
| Name | Hex | RGB |
|---|---|---|
| cornflowerblue | #6495ED | 100, 149, 237 |
| steelblue | #4682B4 | 70, 130, 180 |
| tomato | #FF6347 | 255, 99, 71 |
| seagreen | #2E8B57 | 46, 139, 87 |
| slategray | #708090 | 112, 128, 144 |
| rebeccapurple | #663399 | 102, 51, 153 |
| gold | #FFD700 | 255, 215, 0 |
How to read the distance score
| Distance | What it means |
|---|---|
| 0 | Your hex is exactly a named CSS color. |
| 1 to 25 | Very close, the name is a faithful label for your shade. |
| 25 to 60 | A reasonable approximation, the nearest available name. |
| Over 60 | Your color sits between names, the match is rough. |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Expecting an exact name for every hex. There are only about 140 named CSS colors but over 16 million possible hex values, so most colors have no exact name. The tool gives the nearest one, not a perfect label. Check the distance score to see how close it really is.
- Assuming RGB distance equals perceived difference. Euclidean RGB distance is simple but does not match human vision, which is far more sensitive to green than blue. Two matches with the same distance can look noticeably different. For perceptual accuracy, a Lab-space metric like CIEDE2000 is better.
- Confusing aliases like aqua and cyan. Some CSS names share the same hex (aqua and cyan are both #00FFFF, fuchsia and magenta are both #FF00FF). A nearest-match tool may return either one for that exact color, since both are equally correct.
- Typing an invalid hex. Only 3-digit (#abc) or 6-digit (#aabbcc) hex codes work. Stray characters, a missing digit, or an 8-digit hex with alpha will not parse, so double-check the value if no name appears.
Glossary
- Hex code
- A six-digit (or three-digit shorthand) hexadecimal value encoding the red, green and blue channels of a color, written with a leading #.
- Named CSS color
- One of roughly 140 keyword color names recognised by web browsers, such as "tomato" or "steelblue", each tied to a fixed hex value.
- RGB
- The red, green, blue color model where each channel ranges from 0 to 255, the basis for hex codes and screen color.
- Euclidean distance
- The straight-line distance between two points; here, between two colors treated as points in red-green-blue space.
- CIEDE2000
- A perceptual color-difference formula in the Lab color space that more closely matches how the human eye judges how different two colors look.
Frequently asked questions
What color is this hex code?
Paste the hex code into the finder and it returns the nearest named CSS color along with that name's own hex and a swatch. If the distance score is 0 the hex is an exact named color; otherwise the name is the closest available approximation.
How does the color name finder choose the match?
It converts your color to RGB, then measures the Euclidean distance to every named CSS color using sqrt((R1 - R2)^2 + (G1 - G2)^2 + (B1 - B2)^2). The name with the smallest distance wins. A distance of 0 means an exact match.
Why is the matched color not identical to mine?
There are only about 140 named colors versus more than 16 million hex values, so most colors have no exact name. The tool returns the closest one. The distance score tells you how near the match is: small numbers mean a faithful label.
Can I use the picker instead of typing a hex?
Yes. Click the color picker, choose any color visually, and the finder fills in the hex and shows the nearest named color instantly. You can also switch back to typing a hex at any time.
Does it support 3-digit hex shorthand?
Yes. Both 3-digit shorthand (like #6cf, which expands to #66ccff) and full 6-digit hex (like #6495ED) are accepted. Hex codes with an alpha channel (8 digits) are not parsed.
Is RGB distance the most accurate way to name a color?
For everyday naming it works well, but it does not perfectly match human perception, since our eyes weigh green more heavily than blue. For precision color matching, a perceptual metric such as CIEDE2000 in the Lab color space is more accurate.