Gray color · XKCD survey name
Cool Gray Color Code: #95A3A6
The HEX code for Cool Gray is #95A3A6. It is a medium-light gray with a faint cyan tint color made of 149 red, 163 green and 166 blue (HSL 191°, 9%, 62%). Black text reads best on it (8.06:1 contrast).
Also spelled “Cool Grey”.
Cool Gray color values
#95A3A6
rgb(149, 163, 166)
hsl(191, 9%, 62%)
191, 10%, 65%
hwb(191 58% 35%)
10%, 2%, 0%, 35%
9806758
CMYK is a standard screen-to-print conversion. Printed results depend on inks, paper and color profiles.
What is Cool Gray?
“Cool Gray” is a crowd-sourced name from the XKCD Color Survey, in which participants typed names for colors they were shown. It is a popular everyday label rather than an official standard.
Its saturation is only 9%, so it behaves as a neutral, with 9% saturation (muted) and 62% lightness (medium-light). It has a neutral temperature.
Compared with the other gray colors in the Aqeeb Studio library, it is lighter than 79% of them and more saturated than 42% of them.
Its relative luminance is 0.353, which makes it a light color. That is above the 0.179 crossover point at which black and white text have equal contrast, so black text has the advantage.
Cool Gray counts as a light color: its HSL lightness is 62% and its relative luminance is 0.353. Black text reads best on it (8.06:1 contrast).
Text contrast on Cool Gray
| Text | Preview | Ratio | AA normal | AA large | AAA normal | AAA large |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White text | Sample text | 2.60:1 Poor | Fail | Fail | Fail | Fail |
| Black text | Sample text | 8.06:1 Excellent | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass |
Ratios use the WCAG 2 formula and are truncated, never rounded up. Test any pair with the contrast checker.
Colors that go with Cool Gray
Complementary color
Complementary colors sit directly opposite each other on the color wheel (180° apart). They give the strongest hue contrast, which suits calls to action and accents.
Analogous colors
Analogous colors are neighbors on the wheel, 30° either side of the base hue. They blend smoothly and are easy to combine in backgrounds, gradients and illustrations.
Triadic colors
A triadic scheme uses three hues spaced 120° apart. It is lively yet balanced, and works best when one color leads and the other two act as accents.
Split-complementary colors
Split-complementary keeps the base color and uses the two colors on either side of its complement (150° and 210°). The contrast is strong but gentler than a direct complement.
Tetradic colors
A tetradic (rectangle) scheme combines two complementary pairs at 0°, 60°, 180° and 240°. It offers variety but needs one dominant color to stay balanced.
Monochromatic variants
Monochromatic variants keep the same hue and saturation and only change lightness, which makes them dependable for UI scales and subtle layered designs.
A “≈” before a name means the exact harmony color has no named match, so the link goes to the closest named color.
Tints and shades of Cool Gray
Lighter tints (mixed with white)
Darker shades (mixed with black)
Select any swatch to copy its HEX code. Build longer scales with the tints and shades tool.
Similar colors
Where to use Cool Gray
- Card, highlight and section backgrounds with dark text (8.06:1 contrast with black)
- Calm backgrounds, editorial layouts and understated UI elements
- Secondary buttons and disabled states
- Neutral page backgrounds
- Tables, cards and dashboards
- Body text, borders and dividers
Use Cool Gray in CSS
:root {
--color-cool-gray: #95A3A6;
}
.element {
color: var(--color-cool-gray);
background-color: #95A3A6;
border: 2px solid #95A3A6;
}Questions about Cool Gray
What is the HEX code for Cool Gray?
Cool Gray is #95A3A6.
What is the RGB value of Cool Gray?
The RGB value of Cool Gray is 149, 163, 166: 149 red, 163 green and 166 blue on a 0–255 scale, written rgb(149, 163, 166) in CSS.
What is the HSL value of Cool Gray?
The HSL value of Cool Gray is 191°, 9%, 62% (hue, saturation, lightness), written hsl(191, 9%, 62%) in CSS.
What is the CMYK value of Cool Gray?
A standard conversion gives about C 10%, M 2%, Y 0%, K 35%. Real print results depend on the inks, paper and color profile, so treat CMYK here as a reference value.
Is Cool Gray a light or dark color?
Cool Gray counts as a light color: its HSL lightness is 62% and its relative luminance is 0.353. Black text reads best on it (8.06:1 contrast).
How does Cool Gray look with white text?
White text on Cool Gray has a contrast ratio of 2.60:1, rated Poor. It falls below the WCAG minimum for text.
How does Cool Gray look with black text?
Black text on Cool Gray has a contrast ratio of 8.06:1, rated Excellent. It meets WCAG AA for normal text.
What colors go well with Cool Gray?
Warm Gray is its complementary color, and Dark Gray sits beside it as an analogous color. Lighter and darker variants of the same hue also work well for monochromatic palettes.
Where can Cool Gray be used?
It suits card, highlight and section backgrounds with dark text (8.06:1 contrast with black); calm backgrounds, editorial layouts and understated UI elements; secondary buttons and disabled states.
How do I use Cool Gray in CSS?
Use color: #95A3A6; for text, background-color: #95A3A6; for fills, or define a custom property such as --color-cool-gray: #95A3A6; and reuse it with var(--color-cool-gray).
About this color page
Crowd-sourced name from the XKCD Color Survey (CC0). Values are calculated from the HEX code; color names are labels, not trademarks or standards unless stated. Screens render colors differently, so always check important colors on your own device. See the disclaimer.