Seeking a dependable neutral? Gray is great!
Here are the top 22 hex color codes and RGB values for the color gray.
These 22 are the most desired different shades of grey colors.
You’ll find a table with color swatches to visualize the gray color family. These are followed by the color name, hex code, and RGB color code.
And a handy color chart you can pin for quick reference.
Let’s grab some grays!
Gray Color Code
Gray is made by mixing all 3 primary colors in the RGB system.
The RGB color space is used by display monitors such as on your computer, TV, and mobile device. These use red, green, and blue light to create colors.
Neutral color grays will use equivalent amounts of all 3 colors of light.
The hue called Gray on the web has the #808080 color hex. This means that red, green, and blue light are each set to about 50% of full. To be exact, the RGB percentage is 50.2, 50.2, 50.2.
Gray #808080 color swatch:
This achromatic color gray is about as neutral as you can get! You can also call it 50% Gray.
The RGB numbers for it are 128, 128, 128.
But it’s not a web-safe color. If web-safe is required, Gray #999999 is a good choice. The 3-digit code for it is #999.
Web-safe gray #999999 color swatch:
Gray can also be created from all three colors in the RYB (red, yellow, blue) subtractive color system. RYB is used for physical media like acrylic paints.
Instead of combining all 3 primary colors, you can use black paint. Either way though, you would need to mix in white pigment, or use your black thinly on a white surface to get the gray tint you desire.
There are many ways to mix unique grays with varying proportions of paints. You can learn more on this RYB color mixing chart and guide.
For four-color printing, the CMYK values of this neutral 50% Gray are 0, 0, 0, 50, also expressed as C: 0, M: 0, Y: 0, K:0.5.
50% Black and nothing more!
20 Warm & Cool Gray Color Codes
But there’s more than middle-of-the-road gray. Below you’ll find 20 more, ranging from dark gray color to even darker gray like charcoal. Plus light gray hex color.
Check out the exact colors in the swatches, followed by the color names and color numbers.
The easiest way to grab these for your web page or design projects is to copy the hexadecimal color code and paste it in where needed.
| Color | Color Name | Hex | (RGB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Gray | #828282 | (130, 130, 130) | |
| Fossil | #787276 | (120, 114, 118) | |
| Mink | #88807B | (136, 128, 123) | |
| Pearl River | #D9DDDC | (217, 221, 220) | |
| Abalone | #D6CFC7 | (214, 207, 199) | |
| Harbor Gray | #C7C6C1 | (199, 198, 193) | |
| Smoke | #BEBDB8 | (190, 189, 184) | |
| Thunder | #BDB7AB | (189, 183, 171) | |
| Pewter | #999DA0 | (153, 157, 160) | |
| Steel | #777B7E | (119, 123, 126) | |
| Stone | #877F7D | (135, 127, 125) | |
| Iron | #48494B | (72, 73, 75) | |
| Rhino | #B9BBB6 | (185, 187, 182) | |
| Trout | #97978F | (151, 151, 143) | |
| Seal | #818380 | (129, 131, 128) | |
| Lava | #808588 | (128, 133, 136) | |
| Shadow | #363636 | (54, 54, 54) | |
| Ash Gray | #544C4A | (84, 76, 74) | |
| Anchor | #3E454B | (62, 69, 75) | |
| Charcoal | #222021 | (34, 32, 33) |
You can find even more color names for gray on this color thesaurus.
How to Use Gray to Great Effect
Gray is considered a neutral and isn’t often used solo. It can seem somber without an accent color.
But some people love it!
You might find it interesting to know what your favorite color means.
Gray can be a good choice in branding, as it works in many color combinations.
Choose a complementary color to grace your grays:
Add more pop with strong red color codes.
Pink color codes keep the effect soft and calm.
And my personal favorite, cheer up dim gray with joyful yellow color codes.
To ensure your colors send the right message, learn more about choosing business colors.
Conclusion
There are dozens more more similar shades of grey:
- Spanish Gray
- Dark Slate
- Cadet Gray
- White Smoke
- Trolley Grey
- Light Slate Gray
- Taupe Gray
Let me know in a comment if you found this helpful and would like more gray hex codes.
Pin the chart below to Pinterest! You can buy a high resolution printable poster at graf1x.com.
To learn more about gray and 13 more colors, check out these color meanings.
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