Baby blue
A soft pastel blue first named in English in 1892
Baby blue is a pale, pastel tint of azure, known for its gentle and light appearance. The name first appeared in English in 1892, and the colour is often linked to baby boys in Western culture and appears on the flag of Argentina.
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- First recorded as a colour name in English in 1892
- A pastel tint of azure, also called light blue
- Used for baby boys' clothing and items in Western culture
- Official colour on the flag of Argentina
- San Francisco police cars were painted baby blue in the late 1970s–1980s
What colour is Baby blue?
Baby blue is a very light, soft blue, falling within the family of pastel colours. It is a tint of azure, which means it is azure mixed with white to create a gentle, airy effect. This shade stands out from deeper or more saturated blues because of its pale, calming look. It is sometimes called light blue and is recognised for its association with infancy and gentleness in Western contexts.
Where does Baby blue come from?
The term 'baby blue' was first used in English in 1892. The name comes from its common use in clothing and items for baby boys in Western societies, where blue and pink have been used to distinguish boys and girls. It is not named after a place or material, but rather after this cultural association.
Where Baby blue is used
Baby blue is widely seen in textiles, especially in clothing, linen, and shoes for baby boys in Western countries. It is also an official colour on the flag of Argentina. In the late 1970s and 1980s, San Francisco police cars were painted baby blue and white, following a suggestion that the colour might appear less aggressive than darker blues.
What Baby blue means
In Western culture, baby blue is closely linked with baby boys, especially in clothing and nursery items, while baby pink is used for girls. This colour-coding is a cultural convention and does not extend to all societies. No religious or emotional meanings are directly tied to baby blue in the sources.
Blue around the world
What the blue family means from country to country.
The flag is sky blue, white and sky blue, created by Manuel Belgrano in 1812. National teams are called the Albiceleste, the white and sky blue.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of ArgentinaBoca Juniors play in blue and gold. The club's story is that in 1907 it took the colours of the flag of the next ship into port, which was Swedish.
Festival and celebrationPrideSource: Boca JuniorsLapis lazuli has been mined in the mountains of Badakhshan for more than six thousand years. Ground to powder it gave ultramarine, the costliest blue in European painting.
Royalty and powerSacred and holyAweSource: Lapis lazuliThe chadari is a full-length covering for women with a mesh panel over the eyes. In Kabul and the north it is most often a light blue.
Protection and healingSource: BurqaThe blue band of the flag stands for the wish of the Armenian people to live under peaceful skies. The red above it is for the highlands and the struggle to survive.
Politics and protestHopeSource: Flag of ArmeniaTo be true blue is to be honestly and loyally Australian. The phrase is older than the country, but Australians have made it their own.
Politics and protestTrustSource: True Blue (John Williamson song)Shades and relatives of Baby blue
Several related shades include beau blue, a lighter tone named in the Plochere Color System, and baby blue eyes, a richer version from the same system. Little boy blue is a deeper tone, listed in the Pantone Textile Paper eXtended colour list. Light sky blue is another similar shade.
Colours that go with Baby blue
Harmonies are worked out from the value #89CFF0. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Baby blue
What colour is baby blue?
Baby blue is a very light, pastel shade of azure, giving a soft and gentle blue appearance.
Where does the name 'baby blue' come from?
The name comes from its use for baby boys' clothing and items in Western culture. It was first recorded in English in 1892.
Is baby blue used in any national symbols?
Yes, baby blue is an official colour on the flag of Argentina.
Are there other shades similar to baby blue?
Yes, related shades include beau blue, baby blue eyes, little boy blue, and light sky blue.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Baby blue", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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