Cerulean
Also known as: Blue Jeans, Adamantine Blue, Xed, Acapulco Dive
Part of the blue family, Cerulean pairs a soft base with a cool and professional presence — ideal for SaaS products and finance apps. Set it against a orange accent when you want the combination to pop. Against dark backgrounds it stays legible (8.37:1), but avoid it as text on white.
Cerulean color codes
- HEX
- #55AAEE
- RGB
- rgb(85, 170, 238)
- RGBA
- rgba(85, 170, 238, 1)
- HSL
- hsl(207, 82%, 63%)
- HSV
- hsv(207, 64%, 93%)
- CMYK
- cmyk(64%, 29%, 0%, 7%)
- LAB
- lab(66.5 -10.8 -42.5)
- OKLCH
- oklch(71.4% 0.129 245.2)
Color intelligence
Displays accurately on every screen and translates well to print.
Temperature
cool
Nearest standard colors
- CSS: dodgerblue#1E90FF · ΔE 8.3
- RAL 5024 — Pastel blue#6A93B0 · ΔE 10.2 · approximate
RAL values are widely published approximations of the physical standard. For Pantone-adjacent workflows, match by eye against a physical fan deck — Pantone's values are proprietary and device-dependent, so we don't print lookups.
Where Cerulean works
- Web & UI: Best as a button fill, badge, or accent — pair it with white text only at large sizes, and check contrast.
- Interiors: Strong for a whole room, excellent in doses: an accent wall, cabinetry, or a statement chair.
- Fashion: Wears best as the statement piece — a top, scarf, or shoes — against neutral basics.
- Branding: Sits in the trust register — a natural primary for finance, health, and B2B brands.
- Web & UI: A supporting-cast color for UI: chart fills, tags, empty-state illustrations — not text.
- Branding: A secondary brand color by nature: it supports a stronger primary and shines in illustration.
Copy as — every ecosystem
Tints, shades, and tones of Cerulean
Tints (lighter)
Shades (darker)
Color harmonies
Palettes built from Cerulean by rotating its hue in OKLCH space. Click any swatch to copy its hex code.
Complementary
Analogous
Triadic
Split-complementary
Tetradic
Monochromatic
Contrast & accessibility
Aa — on white
contrast 2.51:1
AA failAAA failAA large fail
Aa — on black
contrast 8.37:1
AA passAAA passAA large pass
Best text color on a Cerulean background: #000000
Palettes featuring Cerulean
Cerulean with its complement
Soft neighbors of Cerulean
Cerulean triad
Similar colors
- Windjammer#62A5DF · ΔE 2.4
- High Blue#4CA8E0 · ΔE 3.1
- Sub-Zero#57A1CE · ΔE 5.0
- Cousteau#55A9D6 · ΔE 5.1
- Thalassophile#44AADD · ΔE 5.1
- High Seas#7DABD8 · ΔE 5.3
Looking for maximum contrast instead? The complement of Cerulean is closest to Caramelise.
Cerulean FAQs
What color is Cerulean?
Cerulean is a medium blue with the hex code #55AAEE. In HSL terms it has a hue of 207°, 82% saturation, and 63% lightness.
What is the hex code for Cerulean?
The hex code for Cerulean is #55AAEE. In RGB it's rgb(85, 170, 238), and in CMYK it's cmyk(64%, 29%, 0%, 7%).
What colors go well with Cerulean?
Cerulean pairs naturally with orange tones from its complementary harmony, and with red accents from its split-complementary palette. Its own tints and shades always work as a monochrome scheme.
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