Blue color · XKCD survey name
Denim Blue Color Code: #3B5B92
Denim Blue (#3B5B92) is a medium-dark, soft azure shade: RGB 59, 91, 146, HSL 218°, 42%, 40%. White text reads comfortably on it (6.77:1 contrast).
Denim Blue color values
#3B5B92
rgb(59, 91, 146)
hsl(218, 42%, 40%)
218, 60%, 57%
hwb(218 23% 43%)
60%, 38%, 0%, 43%
3890066
CMYK is a standard screen-to-print conversion. Printed results depend on inks, paper and color profiles.
What is Denim Blue?
“Denim Blue” 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 hue angle of 218° places it in the azure part of the color wheel, with 42% saturation (soft) and 40% lightness (medium-dark). It is a cool color.
Compared with the other blue colors in the Aqeeb Studio library, it is lighter than 31% of them and more saturated than 17% of them.
Its relative luminance is 0.105, which makes it a dark color. That is below the 0.179 crossover point at which black and white text have equal contrast, so white text has the advantage.
Denim Blue counts as a dark color: its HSL lightness is 40% and its relative luminance is 0.105. White text reads comfortably on it (6.77:1 contrast).
Text contrast on Denim Blue
| Text | Preview | Ratio | AA normal | AA large | AAA normal | AAA large |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White text | Sample text | 6.77:1 Good | Pass | Pass | Fail | Pass |
| Black text | Sample text | 3.09:1 Limited | Fail | Pass | Fail | Fail |
Ratios use the WCAG 2 formula and are truncated, never rounded up. Test any pair with the contrast checker.
Colors that go with Denim Blue
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 Denim Blue
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 Denim Blue
- Button, banner and badge backgrounds with white text (6.77:1 contrast)
- Large headings, icons and graphics, where a 3:1 contrast ratio is enough
- Corporate, finance and software branding
- Headers and navigation bars
- Charts and dashboards
- Links, buttons and primary interface accents
Use Denim Blue in CSS
:root {
--color-denim-blue: #3B5B92;
}
.element {
color: var(--color-denim-blue);
background-color: #3B5B92;
border: 2px solid #3B5B92;
}Questions about Denim Blue
What is the HEX code for Denim Blue?
Denim Blue is #3B5B92.
What is the RGB value of Denim Blue?
The RGB value of Denim Blue is 59, 91, 146: 59 red, 91 green and 146 blue on a 0–255 scale, written rgb(59, 91, 146) in CSS.
What is the HSL value of Denim Blue?
The HSL value of Denim Blue is 218°, 42%, 40% (hue, saturation, lightness), written hsl(218, 42%, 40%) in CSS.
What is the CMYK value of Denim Blue?
A standard conversion gives about C 60%, M 38%, Y 0%, K 43%. Real print results depend on the inks, paper and color profile, so treat CMYK here as a reference value.
Is Denim Blue a light or dark color?
Denim Blue counts as a dark color: its HSL lightness is 40% and its relative luminance is 0.105. White text reads comfortably on it (6.77:1 contrast).
How does Denim Blue look with white text?
White text on Denim Blue has a contrast ratio of 6.77:1, rated Good. It meets WCAG AA for normal text.
How does Denim Blue look with black text?
Black text on Denim Blue has a contrast ratio of 3.09:1, rated Limited. It does not reach WCAG AA for normal text; use large text only.
What colors go well with Denim Blue?
Coffee is its complementary color, and Deep Aqua sits beside it as an analogous color. Lighter and darker variants of the same hue also work well for monochromatic palettes.
Where can Denim Blue be used?
It suits button, banner and badge backgrounds with white text (6.77:1 contrast); large headings, icons and graphics, where a 3:1 contrast ratio is enough; corporate, finance and software branding.
How do I use Denim Blue in CSS?
Use color: #3B5B92; for text, background-color: #3B5B92; for fills, or define a custom property such as --color-denim-blue: #3B5B92; and reuse it with var(--color-denim-blue).
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.