Cardinal
A strong, deep red linked to church robes and team colours
Cardinal is a bold, vivid red shade, named for its link to the dress of high-ranking Catholic clergy. The colour is widely used by sports teams, universities, and fraternities, and is also the inspiration for the name of the cardinal bird. Its first known use in English dates to 1698.
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- Named after the dress of Catholic cardinals
- First recorded as a colour name in 1698
- Used by many universities and sports teams
- The cardinal bird is named for this colour
- Pantone 200 is a standard version of cardinal
What colour is Cardinal?
Cardinal is a saturated, eye-catching red that stands out for its depth and intensity. It sits between scarlet and crimson, but is less orange than scarlet and not as dark as crimson. The colour is often chosen for its strong presence and is easily recognised in uniforms and logos.
Where does Cardinal come from?
The name 'cardinal' comes from its association with the dress of senior Catholic clergy, known as cardinals. Although the actual robes are more accurately described as scarlet, the term cardinal became attached to this particular shade of red. The cardinal bird was named after these church figures because its plumage resembles their clothing. The word first appeared in English for the colour in 1698.
How Cardinal is defined
Cardinal is defined as a colour value in modern systems, such as Pantone 200 or the hex code #C41E3A for digital use. It is not tied to a specific pigment or dye, but is produced by mixing red with a touch of blue to deepen its tone, depending on the medium.
Where Cardinal is used
This red is a popular choice for school and university colours, sports teams, and fraternities, especially in the United States and Australia. Many institutions, such as Stanford University and the University of Southern California, use cardinal as a main colour in their branding and sports uniforms. It also appears in digital design and print, where its boldness ensures visibility.
Red around the world
What the red family means from country to country.
The flag uses the four Pan-Arab colours: a red bar at the hoist with green, white and black bands. It was designed by a young Emirati, Abdullah Al Maainah, in 1971.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of the United Arab EmiratesThe flag is a black double-headed eagle on red, the banner of the fifteenth-century hero Skanderbeg. Fans chant Kuq e Zi, red and black.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of AlbaniaArmenian scribes painted manuscripts with vordan karmir, a crimson dye made from an insect that lives on the roots of grasses in the Ararat plain.
Sacred and holySource: Armenian cochinealUnder Juan Manuel de Rosas in the 1830s and 1840s, everyone had to wear a scarlet ribbon to show loyalty to his Federalist party. His enemies, the Unitarians, were tied to sky blue.
Politics and protestFearSource: Juan Manuel de RosasThe flag is red, white and red. Legend says Duke Leopold V's white tunic was soaked in blood at the siege of Acre, all but the band under his belt.
Politics and protestCourageSource: Flag of AustriaRed ochre is used in Aboriginal rock art and ceremony, and is traded over long distances. In the Aboriginal flag the red half stands for the earth and for that ochre.
Sacred and holyNature and renewalAweSource: Australian Aboriginal flagShades and relatives of Cardinal
Cardinal is related to other reds like scarlet and crimson, but each has its own distinct shade. Some universities and organisations use slightly different versions, such as Pantone 201 or 187, leading to subtle differences. The colour is sometimes confused with scarlet, especially since both are linked to church robes.
Colours that go with Cardinal
Harmonies are worked out from the value #C41E3A. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Cardinal
What colour is cardinal?
Cardinal is a strong, vivid red that is deeper than scarlet but lighter than crimson. It is often described as a bold, eye-catching red.
Where does the name 'cardinal' come from?
The name comes from the red robes worn by high-ranking Catholic clergy called cardinals. The colour became associated with their dress, even though their actual robes are scarlet.
What is cardinal used for?
Cardinal is widely used for school and university colours, sports teams, fraternities, and sororities. It is also a common choice in digital and print design.
Is cardinal the same as scarlet?
No, cardinal is a different shade. Scarlet is more orange, while cardinal is a deeper, more bluish red. Both are linked to church robes, which can cause confusion.
When was cardinal first used as a colour name?
The first known use of cardinal as a colour name in English was in 1698.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Cardinal (color)", 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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