Favorite Color Name

[yakers]

Rather than hijack the Color Of The Year thread, I'll start this.

I LOVE the names of colors, wonder how you get a job naming colors? At a higher end (Farrell & Ball) paint supplier thay had a paint called Mole's Breath and other charming names.
Any great names you have found for colors?

 

[Marita40]

I love colors and love choosing paint. However, most evocative for me are some of the Crayola names from our large Crayola boxes (with the sharpener on the box). I especially loved Midnight Blue. Do people normally think of midnight as blue and not black? Probably not. But I do.


Here's the classic scene with Mrs. Blandings choosing paint colors:

 

[Gumby]

Kingfisher. (which is almost exactly the color of my eyes)

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

Prussian blue? Havana lake? Rose carmethene? Alizarin crimson?

 

[RobbieB]

Puke green and piss yellow -

 

[donheff]

I have a red door and I want it painted black.

 

[1242Vintage]

My favorite color is “Otter Tan”. Not because of the color, but the little story that goes along with it.

My Dad was a Painting Contractor so our house when I was a kid was very frequently repainted. After much research, Mom picks out this years color, “Otter Tan”.

Dad says its purple, but Mom denies and stays strong. That’s what she wants! End of discussion.

So Dad mixes up a gallon and points 10-year old me up the scaffolding with bucket and brush to start painting. After 1/2 hour he calls Mom out to “inspect”.

Mom hates the now obvious purple color on the side of the house.

Dad mixes up a nice light tan, loads up the airless sprayer and makes quick work of the house painting job.

We still laugh about Otter Tan.

 

[steelyman]

I think “The Color of Money” is appropriate for this crowd.

 

[Gumby]

I think “The Color of Money” is appropriate for this crowd.

Good one. As an aside, I have often wondered why US currency is not different colors and sizes for different denominations, as Euro notes are. It would be a real help for people with sight impairments.

 

[pjm-7]

The one that I remembered from high school in the 1970's was that awful yellow green color on cars called Gonorrhea Green.

 

[Koolau]

GM White. Back in the late 60's, white GM cars were all painted with GM White. I had a 66 Olds F85 painted in that color. It was a very "rich" color. NOT stark white but a white that seemed to have depth. I've always been partial to this particular color and the era of cars.

ca 1968 I worked for a body shop jobber for a summer. I mixed a lot of paint - including GM white. I finally realized why GM White was so "special." It started with roughly 4000 units of white base. Added to the base was perhaps 5 other colors which modified the paint and also gave it better resistance to environmental conditions - especially sun exposure. IIRC some of the colors were a few parts each of Orange, Black base, Deep blue and Red.

 

[YVRRocketSurgery]

Not really a special colour name but in elementary school I really liked the name and colour of Ultramarine Blue.

 

[latexman]

Acapulco Blue:

 

[sengsational]

OD


Iearned of this color name, and it's extensive use, even though never in the military. It was when I was helping design weapons as a civilian (college co-op).

 

[Koolau]

Acapulco Blue:

Is that a color or something to be smoked?

 

[stepford]

I prefer (R,G,B) coordinates myself (though I can use Hue, Saturation and Luminosity if I'm feeling flamboyant).

 

[HawkeyeNFO]

Honolulu Blue.

I'm sure someone here knows what that's all about.

 

[latexman]

Is that a color or something to be smoked?

That's Acapulco Gold.

 

[Koolau]

That's Acapulco Gold.

Either blue or gold come in... Latex?

 

[W2R]

As many of you know, I *love* playing Nintendo's mild mannered Animal Crossing game.

Right now my Animal Crossing character is named "Aquamarine", she is beloved by all, and the color of her clothing is aquamarine.

Very pretty color name!

 

[braumeister]

OD


Iearned of this color name, and it's extensive use, even though never in the military. It was when I was helping design weapons as a civilian (college co-op).

For those who might not know, that's Olive Drab, which has been used by the military since the 19th century.

 

[Koolau]

As many of you know, I *love* playing Nintendo's mild mannered Animal Crossing game.

Right now my Animal Crossing character is named "Aquamarine", she is beloved by all, and the color of her clothing is aquamarine.

Very pretty color name!

Speaking of "beloved by all" so glad to see you posting.

 

[street]

Interesting and I have always found paint names captivating. Like "white smoke" or "frostbite" interesting imagination for colour white.

 

[target2019]

Fuchsia was a word I always giggled at. Now I come to find out it is also known as Magenta.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuchsia_(color)

The reality that projected color (RGB) is different than perceived color (like CMYK) is eternally fascinating to me.

 

[Winemaker]

The folks that name these paint colors are the same folks who write the wine tasting notes on the back label, or vice versa.