Midnight blue
A deep blue that recalls the sky late at night under moonlight
Midnight blue is a very dark blue, similar to the colour seen in the night sky when the moon is full. It is clearly blue in daylight, but can look almost black under some artificial lights. The name has been used in English since 1915, and the shade is found in standards, web colours, and Crayola crayons.
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- Looks blue in daylight but nearly black in some artificial light
- First called 'midnight' as a colour in English in 1915
- Crayola renamed its Prussian blue crayon to midnight blue in 1958
- Used in formal wear as an alternative to black
- A standard web colour and part of British colour codes
What colour is Midnight blue?
Midnight blue is a very dark blue, close to the colour of the sky late at night when the moon is bright. In sunlight or broad daylight, it is easy to see that it is blue, but under some types of artificial light, it can be mistaken for black. It stands out from other dark blues like navy by its particular depth and association with the night sky.
Where does Midnight blue come from?
The term 'midnight blue' comes from its likeness to the blue seen in the sky around midnight, especially when the moon is full. The name first appeared in English in 1915. Over time, it has been used in various colour standards and has become a recognised shade in art, design, and fashion.
How Midnight blue is defined
Midnight blue is not tied to a single pigment or dye. Instead, it is defined by its colour value, which is used in paints, digital displays, and textiles. Standards such as the British Standard and web colour systems specify its exact shade for consistency in different uses.
Where Midnight blue is used
This colour is popular in formal clothing, where it is sometimes chosen instead of black for dinner jackets and tuxedos. It is also used in digital design as a web colour, and appears in art materials such as Crayola crayons. Its deep tone makes it a favourite for elegant or understated looks.
Blue around the world
What the blue family means from country to country.
Lapis 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 ArmeniaThe 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 JuniorsTo 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 Midnight blue
There are several versions of midnight blue in different colour systems. British Standards and the British Colour Council each have their own codes for it. In web colours, midnight blue is a standard shade. Crayola's version, once called Prussian blue, has been named midnight blue since 1958.
Colours that go with Midnight blue
Harmonies are worked out from the value #191970. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Midnight blue
What colour is midnight blue?
Midnight blue is a very dark blue, similar to the colour of the sky late at night under a full moon. It can appear almost black in certain artificial lights.
Where does the name midnight blue come from?
The name comes from the deep blue seen in the night sky around midnight, especially when the moon is bright. The term first appeared in English in 1915.
Is midnight blue the same as navy?
Midnight blue is similar to navy, but it is often a bit darker and is specifically linked to the colour of the night sky.
How is midnight blue used?
It is used in formal wear, such as dinner jackets, in digital design as a web colour, and in art materials like Crayola crayons.
Is midnight blue a standard colour?
Yes, it appears in several colour standards, including British Standards and web colour definitions.
Good reading and sources
- Midnight blue on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More pictures on Wikimedia CommonsPictures
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Midnight 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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