The world of color names reveals fascinating contrasts. Many of us recognize romantically-named hues like cherry blossom, lavender mist, and blush —colors that evoke feelings of tenderness and warmth. However, at the opposite end of the spectrum exist designations that surprise us with their crude or unappetizing qualities — like Goose Turd Green, Snugglepuss, or Bastard-Amber. These unusual color names demonstrate how our linguistic associations can range from the poetic to the profane, reflecting the diversity of human expression.

This article presents 20 funny and amusing color names you likely haven’t heard before. Each color name is accompanied by its historical background to make it more interesting.

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1. Goose Turd Green

Hex: #4EA809
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During the Elizabethan era, dressmakers gave strange and interesting names to describe fabric colors to pique the interests of customers. One of these was Goose Turd Green, which as the name suggests, has a pale yellow-green color that closely resembles that of goose poop.

2. Drunk-Tank Pink

Hex: #FF91AF
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In the early 1980s, psychologists conducted a study showing that jail cells painted with Drunk-Tank Pink, a bubble-gum pink color, calmed aggressive prisoners.

Soon, bus companies painted their seats pink and discovered that vandalism rates declined; football coaches used pink locker rooms in hopes to pacify their opponents; and door-to-door charity workers donned pink shirts and saw donations increased threefold.

3. Puke

Hex: #947706
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Although Puke is a shade of dark, sandy brown, its name isn’t derived from the color of a regurgitated food. (Sorry to disappoint you guys!). The color was first mentioned in a Shakespeare play in which a poet wrote of a puke stocking, which was a fabric made of wool.

It’s just purely a coincidence that puke stocking and Puke have a similar color.

4. Dangerous Robot

Hex: #C2BEBD
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Although US paint manufacturer Dunn-Edwards did not explain how it came up with this unusual name, it’s possible that Dangerous Robot refers to the color’s bold, metallic dark, and futuristic-looking shade with a hint of brown.

5. Elephant’s Breath

Hex: #CDC3B7
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Elephant’s Breath was first used to describe a pale olive-green hue in 1880, before it became a cool purple-gray in 1909. But nowadays, the color name is associated with warm and contemporary gray created by John Fowler, a notable English interior designer.

6. Snugglepuss

Hex: #9C94BB
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Snugglepuss is not an amusing insult children throw at their peers but rather a medium light shade of blue-magenta created by paint manufacturer Benjamin Moore. So, the next time your interior designer asks about your favorite color, don’t be embarrassed to say out loud Snugglepuss if you happen to love the light purple hue.

7. Dead Salmon

Hex: #C4A998
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We hate to break it to you, but Dead Salmon does not refer to the color of a dead fish. The word “dead” refers to the paint’s flat matte finish. Think of a wall with a non-reflective, chalky appearance that absorbs light rather than reflects it.

8. Un-Teal We Meet Again

Hex: #7EC9C8
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“Un-Teal We Meet Again” is a blue-green hue, often described as a calming and versatile color. Paint manufacturer Benjamin Moore came up with this silly pun to catch the attention of customers.

9. Nacho Cheese

Hex: #FFC057
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If you want your room to look like yummy nacho cheese, or you appreciate the vibe of lazy summer days, then this charming yellow-orange color is perfect for you.

10. Marry Me

Hex: #F1D6CF
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Another amusing color name by Benjamin Moore, this upbeat pink has a warming glow that is reminiscent of bridal bouquets and rose petals. Thanks to its pinkish-neutral vibe, it can go well with a variety of colors and designs.

11. Naughty Neutral

Hex: #B6A4A0
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Neutral colors are often seen as safe or even boring options — unless you opt for Naughty Neutral that can probably make you feel like you’re being scandalous and adventurous with your paint color choices. This warm medium light shade of red-orange is far from looking boring. In fact, it works well in many spaces.

12. Sulking Room Pink

Hex: #A98F88
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Although this color has a depressing name, it is actually inspired by boudoir, a French word that means women’s bedroom or private room. Boudoir comes from the word bouder, which means “to sulk.” Now you’d probably wonder if there’s a connection between bedrooms and sulking people in France.

13. Startling Orange

Hex: #F17616
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This color is a striking and super-saturated orange hue, which is why it’s described as “startling.” Thus, it is often considered an excellent accent or statement color.

14. Baby Tears

Hex: #D2E8ED
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Have you ever watched classic cartoons as a child? If yes, you’ve probably seen this steel-gray color artists used when drawing a child’s tears. Baby Tears is a cool, muted color with a metal-inspired shade akin to silver but is a bit bluer. It is primarily a hue from the blue color family.

15. Bastard-Amber

Hex: #FFCC88
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This color refers to the amber-colored spotlight used in theaters to produce a warm peach or pink glow on stage. According to one tale, theater electrician Louis Hartman was at his wits’ end looking for an amber-colored filter, prompting him to say, “that bastard amber!” Arguably one of the most popular color filters, Bastard-Amber is often used to recreate sunlight or to give the illusion of dawn or dusk.

16. Drake’s-Neck

Hex: #4F7781
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This rich, green-colored dye was developed in the early 18th century and was inspired by a male mallard duck’s head and neck with iridescent, bottle-green feathers.

17. Flame-of-Burnt-Brandy

Hex: #A76F4D
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Have you ever been to a club where bartenders make specialty drinks that they light on fire? If yes, did you notice the oranges, yellows, and blues from the actual flame? Then, this color combination is the best way to describe Flame-of-Burnt-Brandy.

18. Banan-Appeal

Hex: #FCEBB7
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This interesting color name refers to the pale or washed-out shade of yellow on the inside layer of a banana peel. Banan-Appeal is perfect for small spaces that lack natural light because it creates a sense of openness and brightness, as it reflects more light.

19. Fuzzy Wuzzy

Hex: #CC6666
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Fuzzy Wuzzy is a name used to describe a Crayola crayon that has a soft, whimsical reddish-brown hue that combines the earthiness of brown and the warmth of red, akin to autumn leaves, tree bark, and fur of woodland animals. It is a funny color name to say, especially if you say it several times in a row.

20. Razzmatazz

Hex: #E3256B
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In 1993, Crayola held the Name the New Colors contest in which five-year-old Laura Bartolomei-Hill was announced as a winner. When you look up razzmatazz in the dictionary, it pertains to a colorful or exaggerated way of talking about something in an attempt to impress or distract people. Thus, it is a fitting name for this rich shade of crimson-rose.

If you’re going to name a color, what would it be called? Do you want it to reflect your quirky personality or fickle spirit, or do you like to rely on wordplay and puns? Create your own unique color names by combining existing words or using sound-based words (onomatopoeia). Share your creative ideas in the comments below