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Discover the meanings & origins of the most bizarre and beautiful hues
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If you think color names like periwinkle or cornflower sound a bit silly or bizarre, just wait until you read our list of the 50 weirdest color names of all time! From puke to bastard-amber to Xanadu, we’re covering the rarest and strangest color names you may not have even heard of—yet.

5

Bastard-Amber: A Theatrical Golden Hue

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  1. Don’t worry, we’re not throwing around any nasty insults here! In theatrical lighting, a “bastard” color refers to a colored gel or plastic filter that mixes primary hues to make a new color. “Bastard-amber” was used in film or on stage to create a rich, golden-colored hue that added depth and warmth to the actors and scenery, similar to dawn or dusk. It’s a bit pinker than true amber, possibly due to a color-mixing error that looked flattering on some actors’ skin tones.[6]
    • Hex code: FFCB8C
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23

Isabella: A Royal Off-White

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33

Puke: A Deep Brown-Black

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  1. https://www.wordgenius.com/unusual-color-names/Yrs2CwQMEAAGRb3v
  2. https://www.colormatters.com/color-and-the-body/drunk-tank-pink
  3. https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2018/02/13/eau-de-nil-light-green-color-egypt-obsessed-europe/
  4. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eburnean
  5. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/why-are-all-swedish-cottages-painted-red-180975914/
  6. https://paint-by-number.com/blogs/colors/fandango-color-meaning-and-history
  7. https://snargl.com/colors/feldgrau/
  8. https://underthemoonlight.ca/2020/04/19/weird-names-for-colour-examined/
  9. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fulvous
  10. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gamboge
  11. https://www.wordgenius.com/unusual-color-names/Yrs2CwQMEAAGRb3v
  12. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glaucous
  13. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heliotrope
  14. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incarnadine
  15. https://snargl.com/colors/isabelline/
  16. https://www.gemsociety.org/article/labradorite-jewelry-and-gemstone-information/
  17. https://www.wordgenius.com/unusual-color-names/Yrs2CwQMEAAGRb3v
  18. https://encyclopedia.design/2024/06/12/mazarine-blue-a-historical-overview/
  19. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/melichrous
  20. https://underthemoonlight.ca/2021/01/27/mikado-yellow-the-imperial-royal-colour-of-past-empires/
  21. https://ktcolor.com/en/colorshop/nattiers-blue/
  22. https://encycolorpedia.com/df00ff
  23. https://extension.umn.edu/flowers/tall-garden-phlox
  24. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/ponceau
  25. https://www.etymonline.com/word/puce
  26. https://editorialstage.wordgenius.com/8-colors-you-didnt-know-existed/
  27. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quercitron
  28. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rufous
  29. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sang+de+boeuf
  30. https://writing-games.com/rare-colors-list/
  31. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skobeloff+green
  32. https://www.dictionary.com/e/word-of-the-day/smaragdine-2022-12-29/
  33. https://www.wordnik.com/words/solferino
  34. https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20180801-tyrian-purple-the-regal-colour-taken-from-mollusc-mucus
  35. https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/vantablack
  36. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/verditer
  37. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vinaceous
  38. https://www.etymonline.com/word/viridian
  39. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/watchet
  40. https://snargl.com/colors/wenge/
  41. https://www.etymonline.com/search?type=all&q=wheaten
  42. https://artincontext.org/xanadu-color/
  43. https://dictionary.langeek.co/en/word/217293?entry=zaffre

About This Article

João Homem
Co-authored by:
Film & Media Industry Expert
This article was co-authored by João Homem and by wikiHow staff writer, Dan Hickey. João Homem is a Professional Colorist and Film & Media Industry Expert based in Vancouver, British Columbia. As the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Escuro Studios, a Canadian full-service production company, he oversees creative development and both pre- and post-production for diverse projects, including music videos, commercials, films, and TV series. He is also the CEO and founder of Cromatic Elements, an online asset store for filmmakers that supports emerging professionals by providing a platform to share high-quality tools, insights, and assets across multiple creative fields. Originally created to develop filmic assets for personal use, Cromatic has grown into a community-driven space where up-and-coming creatives can access resources designed by top industry professionals. João’s commitment to fostering a collaborative environment and offering accessible, authentic tools has positioned Cromatic as a valuable resource for filmmakers around the world. This article has been viewed 7,686 times.
4 votes - 75%
Co-authors: 5
Updated: October 28, 2025
Views: 7,686
Categories: Science
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 7,686 times.

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