#797B81 Color
#797B81 is rgb(121, 123, 129) in RGB, hsl(225, 3%, 49%) in HSL, and about cmyk(6%, 5%, 0%, 49%) in CMYK. It has no registered color name of its own — the closest is Steel (#71797E), very hard to tell apart at ΔE 2.79. Black text is the more readable choice on this background.
#797B81rgb(121, 123, 129)hsl(225, 3%, 49%)hsv(225, 6%, 51%)cmyk(6%, 5%, 0%, 49%)oklch(58.3% 0.009 271.3)lab(51.59% 0.15 -3.56)lch(51.59% 3.56 272.41)What #797B81 Is Called
Most hex codes have no name: there are 16.7 million of them and a few thousand registered names. These are the named colors nearest to #797B81, ordered by CIE76 distance in CIELAB. Anything under about ΔE 2 is a difference most people cannot see.
Browse the full index of named colors A-Z or every gray in the library.
#797B81 Channel Values
How #797B81 breaks down in each color model. Hue is measured in degrees around the color wheel; saturation, lightness, and the CMYK inks are percentages.
| Model | Channels | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| RGB | R 121 · G 123 · B 129 | 8-bit channels as sent to the display |
| HSL | H 225° · S 3% · L 49% | Easiest model for building lighter and darker variants |
| HSV | H 225° · S 6% · V 51% | Matches the picker in most design tools |
| CMYK | C 6% · M 5% · Y 0% · K 49% | Approximate ink mix; confirm with an ICC profile before printing |
| Luminance | 4.23:1 vs white · 4.96:1 vs black | WCAG 2.2 relative-luminance contrast ratios |
Text Contrast & Accessibility
WCAG 2.2 contrast ratios for text on a #797B81 background. AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text; AAA requires 7:1. Contrast is one check, not a full accessibility review.
Need a specific ratio against another background? Open #797B81 in the contrast checker.
Colors That Go With #797B81
Pairings derived from color-wheel relationships. The complementary color sits opposite #797B81; analogous colors sit beside it; triadic and split-complementary sets spread evenly around the wheel. Select any swatch for its own breakdown.
Tints & Shades of #797B81
Lighter tints and darker shades built by moving the lightness channel while holding hue and saturation, which is what you want for hover states, backgrounds, and text variants.
Want a full 50-950 ramp with semantic roles? Generate design tokens from #797B81.
How #797B81 Looks with Color Vision Deficiency
Simulated with the Viénot, Brettel & Mollon LMS projection model. Anomalous types are rendered as partial versions of the matching dichromacy, which is an approximation rather than a per-person clinical model.
#797B81#7B7B81#7A7B81#7A7A81#7A7B81#787C7C#797B7E#7B7B7BUsing #797B81 in Code
Copy-ready declarations for the places this color usually ends up.
--color-797b81: #797B81;background-color: #797B81;colors: { 'color-797b81': '#797B81' }Color(red: 0.475, green: 0.482, blue: 0.506)<color name="color_797b81">#797B81</color>fill="#797B81"More Gray Colors
#797B81 sits in the gray family. These are its neighbours across that family's full range, each with its own breakdown.
#797B81 Frequently Asked Questions
What color is #797B81?
#797B81 is a mid-tone gray — rgb(121, 123, 129) in RGB and hsl(225, 3%, 49%) in HSL. It carries no registered color name of its own; the closest named color is Steel (#71797E), which is very hard to tell apart at a CIE76 distance of 2.79.
What is the RGB value of #797B81?
#797B81 is rgb(121, 123, 129) — red 121, green 123, and blue 129 on the 0-255 scale.
What is the CMYK value of #797B81?
#797B81 converts to approximately cmyk(6%, 5%, 0%, 49%). CMYK output is a mathematical approximation for planning; confirm production print colors with your printer and ICC profile.
Should text on #797B81 be black or white?
Black text is the more readable choice. #797B81 scores 4.23:1 against white and 4.96:1 against black, and WCAG 2.2 asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal body text.
Can I write #797B81 as a CSS color keyword?
No. #797B81 is not one of the CSS color keywords, so it has to be written as a hex, rgb() or hsl() value. The closest keyword is gray (#808080) at a CIE76 distance of 4.08, which is very hard to tell apart.
Open #797B81 in a Tool
Keep exploring: every gray in the color library, the guide to shades of gray, or the full color library.