A study in blue
Dark Blue
#00008B
- Family
- Blue
- L
- 0.288
- C
- 0.199
- H
- 264°
Notes
Dark Blue in CSS predates the spec by decades; it came in through the original X11 rgb.txt list assembled at MIT in the 1980s and has barely moved since. The hex is a shade darker than CSS Navy and reads as authoritative - a 1996 IBM annual report would have specified it for heading typography. Body text in Dark Blue against white passes AAA at every size, which makes it one of the very few CSS named colours that work confidently as long-form copy. A warm cream #fef3c7 alongside, or brushed brass, gives a heritage palette that nods to Penguin Classics.
Palette built around Dark Blue
Related colors
Frequently asked questions
What is Dark Blue?
Dark Blue in CSS predates the spec by decades; it came in through the original X11 rgb.txt list assembled at MIT in the 1980s and has barely moved since. The hex is a shade darker than CSS Navy and reads as authoritative - a 1996 IBM annual report would have specified it for heading typography. Its hex code is #00008B.
What are the tints and shades of Dark Blue?
uishades builds an 11-step OKLCH ramp for Dark Blue (#00008B) - its lightest tints through its darkest shades - plus an 11-stop Tailwind scale (50–950), both keyed to the same 50–950 stops. Lightness steps stay evenly spaced and the hue stays stable, so the mid-tones don't go muddy.
What colors pair well with Dark Blue?
Its complementary color is #3D2600. Triadic partners are #5D0002 and #003800; analogous neighbours are #370079 and #00304E.
What are the OKLCH and RGB values of Dark Blue?
Dark Blue is #00008B - OKLCH 0.288 0.199 264°, rgb(0 0 139), in the blue family.