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Gray / Neutral · 🗳️ XKCD

Greyish

#A8A495

A medium neutral gray with warm undertones. Named by popular vote in the XKCD color survey — a crowdsourced color name used by 170+ respondents.

Generate palette with this color →

Emotion & Mood

Emotion
BalancedSubtleWarm
Mood
StableGrounded

Personality & Symbolism

ReservedThoughtfulRefined
Recommended Use

Suitable for backgrounds and subtle design elements.

Color Harmonies

Complementary
#a8a495
+
#9499a8
Split Complementary
#94a2a8
#a8a495
#9a94a8
Darker Shades
Lighter Tints

Visual Analysis

Hue47°
Saturation10%
Lightness62%
This is a medium-toned color with low saturation. It falls in the orange hue family (47°).

Technical Values

HEX#A8A495
RGBrgb(168, 164, 149)
HSLhsl(47, 10%, 62%)
CMYK0%, 2%, 11%, 34%
ContrastLight
CSSbackground: #a8a495;

Accessibility — WCAG Contrast

White Text Sample
The quick brown fox jumps.
2.50:1
AA AAA
Black Text Sample
The quick brown fox jumps.
8.41:1
AA AAA

WCAG 2.1 requires a contrast ratio of ≥4.5:1 for AA (normal text) and ≥7:1 for AAA. Best text color for this background: black (#000000).

Color Psychology

Color Temperature

This warm-toned color (hue 47°) triggers psychological responses associated with energy, comfort, and action. Warm colors appear to advance towards the viewer, making elements feel closer and more prominent.

Visual Weight

This mid-range lightness (62%) creates a balanced visual presence — neither heavy nor ethereal. It works well for both text and interactive elements.

Saturation Impact

The low saturation (10%) gives this color a muted, sophisticated quality. Desaturated colors reduce cognitive load and are associated with professionalism and maturity in design research.

Design Applications

Creative Industries

Conveys enthusiasm and creativity — perfect for design studios, digital agencies, and entertainment brands.

Youth & Social

Friendly and approachable — ideal for social platforms, gaming UIs, and youth-oriented products.

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