This guide collects 20 named shades of purple with hex codes, spanning the full range from the pale gray-purple of Thistle (#d8bfd8) and soft Mauve (#e0b0ff) down to deep Indigo (#4b0082) and near-black Dark Purple (#35063e). Each shade lists its hex code, and clicking a swatch copies that code or opens its RGB, CMYK, and HSL values along with the palette generator.
Royal Purple
Amethyst
Purple Haze
K S U Purple
Rebecca Purple
Purple
Dark Orchid
Medium Slate Blue
Dark Slate Blue
Medium Orchid
Plum
Dark Violet
Slate Blue
Blue Violet
Violet
Lavender Blue
Indigo
Thistle
Orchid
Medium Purple
Lavender
Dark Magenta
Wisteria
Quartz
Periwinkle
Pastel Purple
Mauve
Lilac
Light Violet
Dark Purple
Bright Purple
How many shades of purple are there?
A screen can display millions of distinct purple values, since each one is a different mix of red and blue light. This guide narrows that down to 20 named shades you can actually reference and use. They run from light tints like Thistle (#d8bfd8) through mid-tones like Orchid (#da70d6) to dark values like Dark Purple (#35063e).
What are the most popular shades of purple?
The most widely used named purples include Purple (#800080), Indigo (#4b0082), Violet (#ee82ee), Blue Violet (#8a2be2), Medium Purple (#9370db), and Dark Orchid (#9932cc). These cover warm red-leaning purples and cooler blue-leaning violets. Click any swatch on this page to copy its hex code or open its full color values.
What is the darkest shade of purple?
The darkest shade on this page is Dark Purple (#35063e), a deep purple that reads almost black. Indigo (#4b0082) and Dark Magenta (#8b008b) are the next darkest, both heavy, low-brightness purples that work well for backgrounds and high-contrast text.
What is the lightest shade of purple?
The lightest shade here is Thistle (#d8bfd8), a soft gray-purple tint. Mauve (#e0b0ff) and Violet (#ee82ee) are also light and bright. These pale purples suit backgrounds, pastels, and subtle accents where a darker shade would overwhelm the design.
What colors make purple?
Purple is a secondary color made by mixing red and blue. Adding more red gives a warmer red-purple, while adding more blue gives a cooler violet. On a screen, purple is produced when red and blue light combine.
Found a purple you like? Click it to open the full color page, then send it to the palette generator to build a scheme around it, or drop it into the color picker to fine-tune the exact tone.
ColorKit has shade guides for every major color: red, blue, green, pink, orange, yellow, and brown.