Dark Red (#8B0000)
The hex code for Dark Red is #8B0000. It is rgb(139, 0, 0) in RGB, hsl(0, 100%, 27%) in HSL, and about cmyk(0%, 100%, 100%, 45%) in CMYK — a dark red. White text is the more readable choice on this background.
#8B0000rgb(139, 0, 0)hsl(0, 100%, 27%)hsv(0, 100%, 55%)cmyk(0%, 100%, 100%, 45%)oklch(40% 0.164 29.2)lab(28.76% 51.45 42.80)lch(28.76% 66.93 39.75)Colors Closest to Dark Red
Dark Red is a registered color name. These are the named colors nearest to it, measured as CIE76 distance in CIELAB — a perceptual scale, so the ordering matches what the eye sees rather than how close the raw RGB numbers happen to sit.
Browse the full index of named colors A-Z or every red in the library.
#8B0000 Channel Values
How Dark Red 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 139 · G 0 · B 0 | 8-bit channels as sent to the display |
| HSL | H 0° · S 100% · L 27% | Easiest model for building lighter and darker variants |
| HSV | H 0° · S 100% · V 55% | Matches the picker in most design tools |
| CMYK | C 0% · M 100% · Y 100% · K 45% | Approximate ink mix; confirm with an ICC profile before printing |
| Luminance | 10.01:1 vs white · 2.1:1 vs black | WCAG 2.2 relative-luminance contrast ratios |
Text Contrast & Accessibility
WCAG 2.2 contrast ratios for text on a Dark Red 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 #8B0000 in the contrast checker.
Colors That Go With Dark Red
Pairings derived from color-wheel relationships. The complementary color sits opposite Dark Red; 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 Dark Red
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 #8B0000.
How Dark Red 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.
#8B0000#3B3B00#652D00#525200#6E4000#8B0000#8B0000#424242Using #8B0000 in Code
Copy-ready declarations for the places this color usually ends up.
--dark-red: #8B0000;background-color: #8B0000;colors: { 'dark-red': '#8B0000' }Color(red: 0.545, green: 0.000, blue: 0.000)<color name="dark_red">#8B0000</color>fill="#8B0000"More Red Colors
Dark Red sits in the red family. These are its neighbours across that family's full range, each with its own breakdown.
#8B0000 Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hex code for Dark Red?
The hex code for Dark Red is #8B0000. That is rgb(139, 0, 0) in RGB, hsl(0, 100%, 27%) in HSL, and approximately cmyk(0%, 100%, 100%, 45%) in CMYK.
What is the RGB value of #8B0000?
#8B0000 is rgb(139, 0, 0) — red 139, green 0, and blue 0 on the 0-255 scale.
What is the CMYK value of #8B0000?
#8B0000 converts to approximately cmyk(0%, 100%, 100%, 45%). CMYK output is a mathematical approximation for planning; confirm production print colors with your printer and ICC profile.
Should text on #8B0000 be black or white?
White text is the more readable choice. #8B0000 scores 10.01:1 against white and 2.1:1 against black, and WCAG 2.2 asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal body text.
Is DarkRed a CSS named color?
Yes. DarkRed is one of the CSS named colors, so you can write color: darkred instead of the hex code.
Open Dark Red in a Tool
Keep exploring: every red in the color library, the guide to shades of red, or the full color library.