Red color · XKCD survey name
Pale Red Color Code: #D9544D
Pale Red is a medium, rich red color with the hexadecimal value #D9544D. In RGB it is 217, 84, 77 and in HSL it is 3°, 65%, 58%. Black text reads best on it (5.32:1 contrast).
Pale Red color values
#D9544D
rgb(217, 84, 77)
hsl(3, 65%, 58%)
3, 65%, 85%
hwb(3 30% 15%)
0%, 61%, 65%, 15%
14242893
CMYK is a standard screen-to-print conversion. Printed results depend on inks, paper and color profiles.
What is Pale Red?
“Pale Red” 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 3° places it in the red part of the color wheel, with 65% saturation (rich) and 58% lightness (medium). It is a warm color.
Compared with the other red colors in the Aqeeb Studio library, it is lighter than 79% of them and more saturated than 15% of them.
Its relative luminance is 0.216, which makes it a mid-tone color. That is above the 0.179 crossover point at which black and white text have equal contrast, so black text has the advantage.
Pale Red counts as a light color: its HSL lightness is 58% and its relative luminance is 0.216. Black text reads best on it (5.32:1 contrast).
Text contrast on Pale Red
| Text | Preview | Ratio | AA normal | AA large | AAA normal | AAA large |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White text | Sample text | 3.94:1 Limited | Fail | Pass | Fail | Fail |
| Black text | Sample text | 5.32:1 Good | Pass | Pass | Fail | Pass |
Ratios use the WCAG 2 formula and are truncated, never rounded up. Test any pair with the contrast checker.
Colors that go with Pale Red
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 Pale Red
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 Pale Red
- Card, highlight and section backgrounds with dark text (5.32:1 contrast with black)
- Large headings, icons and graphics, where a 3:1 contrast ratio is enough
- Error and alert states (paired with an icon or label, never color alone)
- Sale banners and urgent call-to-action buttons
- Food, sport and event branding
- Poster and packaging accents
Use Pale Red in CSS
:root {
--color-pale-red: #D9544D;
}
.element {
color: var(--color-pale-red);
background-color: #D9544D;
border: 2px solid #D9544D;
}Questions about Pale Red
What is the HEX code for Pale Red?
Pale Red is #D9544D.
What is the RGB value of Pale Red?
The RGB value of Pale Red is 217, 84, 77: 217 red, 84 green and 77 blue on a 0–255 scale, written rgb(217, 84, 77) in CSS.
What is the HSL value of Pale Red?
The HSL value of Pale Red is 3°, 65%, 58% (hue, saturation, lightness), written hsl(3, 65%, 58%) in CSS.
What is the CMYK value of Pale Red?
A standard conversion gives about C 0%, M 61%, Y 65%, K 15%. Real print results depend on the inks, paper and color profile, so treat CMYK here as a reference value.
Is Pale Red a light or dark color?
Pale Red counts as a light color: its HSL lightness is 58% and its relative luminance is 0.216. Black text reads best on it (5.32:1 contrast).
How does Pale Red look with white text?
White text on Pale Red has a contrast ratio of 3.94:1, rated Limited. It does not reach WCAG AA for normal text; use large text only.
How does Pale Red look with black text?
Black text on Pale Red has a contrast ratio of 5.32:1, rated Good. It meets WCAG AA for normal text.
What colors go well with Pale Red?
Medium Turquoise is its complementary color, and Medium Pink sits beside it as an analogous color. Lighter and darker variants of the same hue also work well for monochromatic palettes.
Where can Pale Red be used?
It suits card, highlight and section backgrounds with dark text (5.32:1 contrast with black); large headings, icons and graphics, where a 3:1 contrast ratio is enough; error and alert states (paired with an icon or label, never color alone).
How do I use Pale Red in CSS?
Use color: #D9544D; for text, background-color: #D9544D; for fills, or define a custom property such as --color-pale-red: #D9544D; and reuse it with var(--color-pale-red).
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.