#856DB0 Color
#856DB0 is rgb(133, 109, 176) in RGB, hsl(261, 30%, 56%) in HSL, and about cmyk(24%, 38%, 0%, 31%) in CMYK. It has no registered color name of its own — the closest is Middle Blue Purple (#8B72BE), clearly related but distinguishable side by side at ΔE 5.24. Black text is the more readable choice on this background.
#856DB0rgb(133, 109, 176)hsl(261, 30%, 56%)hsv(261, 38%, 69%)cmyk(24%, 38%, 0%, 31%)oklch(58.5% 0.103 299.7)lab(50.47% 20.54 -32.48)lch(50.47% 38.43 302.31)What #856DB0 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 #856DB0, 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 purple in the library.
#856DB0 Channel Values
How #856DB0 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 133 · G 109 · B 176 | 8-bit channels as sent to the display |
| HSL | H 261° · S 30% · L 56% | Easiest model for building lighter and darker variants |
| HSV | H 261° · S 38% · V 69% | Matches the picker in most design tools |
| CMYK | C 24% · M 38% · Y 0% · K 31% | Approximate ink mix; confirm with an ICC profile before printing |
| Luminance | 4.36:1 vs white · 4.81:1 vs black | WCAG 2.2 relative-luminance contrast ratios |
Text Contrast & Accessibility
WCAG 2.2 contrast ratios for text on a #856DB0 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 #856DB0 in the contrast checker.
Colors That Go With #856DB0
Pairings derived from color-wheel relationships. The complementary color sits opposite #856DB0; 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 #856DB0
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 #856DB0.
How #856DB0 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.
#856DB0#7272B0#7A70B0#7676B0#7C72B0#7B7878#7F7492#797979Using #856DB0 in Code
Copy-ready declarations for the places this color usually ends up.
--color-856db0: #856DB0;background-color: #856DB0;colors: { 'color-856db0': '#856DB0' }Color(red: 0.522, green: 0.427, blue: 0.690)<color name="color_856db0">#856DB0</color>fill="#856DB0"More Purple Colors
#856DB0 sits in the purple family. These are its neighbours across that family's full range, each with its own breakdown.
#856DB0 Frequently Asked Questions
What color is #856DB0?
#856DB0 is a mid-tone purple — rgb(133, 109, 176) in RGB and hsl(261, 30%, 56%) in HSL. It carries no registered color name of its own; the closest named color is Middle Blue Purple (#8B72BE), which is clearly related but distinguishable side by side at a CIE76 distance of 5.24.
What is the RGB value of #856DB0?
#856DB0 is rgb(133, 109, 176) — red 133, green 109, and blue 176 on the 0-255 scale.
What is the CMYK value of #856DB0?
#856DB0 converts to approximately cmyk(24%, 38%, 0%, 31%). CMYK output is a mathematical approximation for planning; confirm production print colors with your printer and ICC profile.
Should text on #856DB0 be black or white?
Black text is the more readable choice. #856DB0 scores 4.36:1 against white and 4.81:1 against black, and WCAG 2.2 asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal body text.
Can I write #856DB0 as a CSS color keyword?
No. #856DB0 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 mediumpurple (#9370DB) at a CIE76 distance of 21.68, which is visibly different.
Open #856DB0 in a Tool
Keep exploring: every purple in the color library, the guide to shades of purple, or the full color library.