What color is #51515C?

#51515C is a gray, closest to the named color Blackwater. It belongs to the gray family of colors.

What is the RGB value of #51515C?

The RGB value is 81, 81, 92: 81 red, 81 green and 92 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.

What is the complementary color of #51515C?

The complementary color is #5C5C51, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.

Is black or white text better on #51515C?

White text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 2.68:1 and white text 7.83:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.

#51515C color

#51515C rgb(81, 81, 92)

Shades of gray

The hex color #51515C is a gray.

In the RGB color model it is made of 31.8% red, 31.8% green and 36.1% blue (81, 81, 92).

Its hue angle is 240°, with 6% saturation and 34% lightness. For print, the CMYK equivalent is 12% cyan, 12% magenta, 0% yellow and 64% black.

The closest named color is Blackwater (#545663), a difference of 2.1 ΔE, a small difference.

White text is the more readable choice on this background (contrast 7.83:1).

#51515C color codes

HEX	`#51515C`
RGB	`rgb(81, 81, 92)`
RGB percent	`rgb(31.8%, 31.8%, 36.1%)`
HSL	`hsl(240, 6%, 34%)`
HSV / HSB	`hsv(240, 12%, 36%)`
CMYK	`cmyk(12%, 12%, 0%, 64%)`
CIE LAB	`lab(34.82, 2.5, -6.4)`
CIE LCH	`lch(34.82, 6.87, 291.33)`
CIE XYZ	`xyz(8.267, 8.407, 11.31)`
Decimal	`5329244`
Short hex	`None (no 3-digit form)`

Color harmonies

Colors that go with #51515C, based on their position on the color wheel.

Complementary

The color opposite on the color wheel (180°). Strongest contrast.

Analogous

Neighbors 30° either side. Calm, natural combinations.

Split complementary

The two colors next to the complement (150° and 210°).

Triadic

Three colors evenly spaced, 120° apart.

Tetradic (square)

Four colors 90° apart.

Shades, tints and tones

Shades (darker, mixed with black)

Tints (lighter, mixed with white)

Tones (mixed with gray)

Contrast and accessibility

Text on #51515C	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	2.68:1	Fail	Fail	Fail
Sample text	7.83:1	Pass	Pass	Pass

#51515C as text on	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	7.83:1	Pass	Pass	Pass
Sample text	2.68:1	Fail	Fail	Fail

WCAG 2 asks for 4.5:1 for normal text (AA), 7:1 for AAA, and 3:1 for large text. Check other pairs.

Color blindness simulation

How #51515C looks to people with the most common types of color vision deficiency.

CSS examples

.background { background-color: #51515c; }
.text { color: #51515c; }
.border { border: 2px solid #51515c; }
.transparent { background-color: rgb(81 81 92 / 50%); }
.gradient { background: linear-gradient(to right, #51515c, #57515c); }

Background

Text color

Border

Similar colors

Closest common color name: Charcoal.

Questions

What color is #51515C?: #51515C is a gray, closest to the named color Blackwater. It belongs to the gray family of colors.
What is the RGB value of #51515C?: The RGB value is 81, 81, 92: 81 red, 81 green and 92 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.
What is the complementary color of #51515C?: The complementary color is #5C5C51, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.
Is black or white text better on #51515C?: White text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 2.68:1 and white text 7.83:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.