Colors That Start With P: Popular, Rare & Unique Shades

Colors that start with P cover more ground than almost any other letter. Pink and Purple alone come in dozens of documented variants. Persian, Pale, and Pastel each work as prefixes across an enormous range of hues, from Persian Blue to Pastel Pink.

This list of colors that start with P only includes names with a real, checkable source. That means CSS/X11 web standards, Crayola’s official naming, Pantone references, or long-documented historical pigments. Every hex code here was cross-checked against at least two sources before it made the list.

That research turned up 75 real colors that start with P, more than any other letter in this series so far. Eleven official CSS standards live here alone, from Pink to Purple to PowderBlue. The rest comes from Crayola’s crayon lineup, historic art pigments, and traditional dye names, all verified rather than pulled from unreliable lists claiming over 2,000 entries with no real sourcing behind most of them.

The list below groups colors that start with P by family, then by real-world use. Designers will find genuine CSS staples here. Painters will find centuries-old pigment names like Prussian Blue. Anyone curious about the many shades of Persian and Pale colors can browse freely, since every entry below is backed by a source you can check yourself.

Quick Answer: Standout P Colors

Short on time? Here are eight P colors worth knowing first. Pink (#FFC0CB) is the standard CSS shade, soft and universally recognized. Purple (#800080) delivers a deep, formal shade tied to royalty and luxury for centuries. Peach (#FFE5B4) offers a warm, gentle tone drawn from the fruit.

Quick Answer: Standout P Colors
Eight standout colors that start with P, from soft Pink to deep Purple, shown as hex-coded swatches.

Prussian Blue (#003153) provides a deep, historic blue that changed the course of art history. Periwinkle (#CCCCFF) delivers a soft, pastel purple-blue named after the flower. Puce (#CC8899) rounds out the unusual end with a muted, brownish-pink. Pistachio (#93C572) offers a soft, food-inspired green. Persimmon (#EC5800) delivers a bold, warm orange-red. Each of these earns its spot through wide recognition, not alphabetical luck.

What P Colors Mean and Evoke

Color names carry emotional weight, and colors that start with P span one of the widest emotional ranges of any letter. Pink suggests gentleness and warmth, one of the most universally soft colors in the entire alphabet. Purple carries the opposite weight entirely, tied for centuries to royalty and luxury, since purple dye was once so expensive that only rulers could afford it.

What P Colors Mean and Evoke

Prussian Blue carries genuine historical significance beyond emotion, since its accidental discovery in the early 18th century marked the first modern synthetic pigment, changing how painters worked with blue forever. Periwinkle suggests calm and quiet nostalgia, tied to serenity and even winter in various cultural traditions.

Peach and Pearl both lean soft and comforting, evoking gentleness rather than anything bold. Puce breaks from that softness with a slightly unusual, almost unflattering history, since its name comes from the French word for flea, referencing the reddish-brown color of a flea’s body after feeding.

Color Families: Where P Colors Belong

Color Families: Where P Colors Belong

Blues

Pacific Blue, Pale Aqua, Pale Cerulean, PaleTurquoise, Peacock Blue, Perano, Periwinkle, Persian Blue, Phthalo Blue, Picotee Blue, PowderBlue, and Prussian Blue anchor this large family. Prussian Blue carries the deepest historical weight, while PaleTurquoise and Pale Aqua both stay soft and pastel. Peacock Blue leans richer and more saturated, closer to the bird’s actual feather color.

Greens

Pakistan Green, Paolo Veronese Green, PaleGreen, Paris Green, Pear, Pearl Aqua, Peridot, Persian Green, Phthalo Green, Pine Green, Pine Tree, and Pistachio cover this large family. Paris Green carries a genuinely dark history, once used as both a pigment and a pesticide before its toxicity became widely understood. Pistachio and Pear both stay lighter and more food-inspired.

Purples

Palatinate Purple, Pansy Purple, Pale Purple (Pantone), Pearly Purple, Persian Indigo, Phlox, Plum, Purple (HTML/CSS), Purple (Crayola), Purple Heart, Purple Mountain Majesty, Purple Pizzazz, Purple Plum, Purple Taupe, and Purpureus make up the largest single family in this entire letter group. Purple (HTML/CSS) stays the most universally recognized, while Purple Pizzazz pushes to a far bolder, more electric intensity. Purple Taupe softens considerably, closer to a muted brown-purple neutral.

Pinks

Pale Dogwood, Pale Pink, PaleVioletRed, Paradise Pink, Pastel Pink, Persian Pink, Pink, Pink Lace, Pink Lavender, Pink Sherbet, Pink Flamingo, Pink Pearl, and Puce round out this large family. Pink itself stays the most recognizable, while Pink Flamingo pushes to a much bolder, more saturated intensity. Puce stands apart with its unusual brownish undertone.

Oranges and Reds

Persian Orange, Persimmon, Portland Orange, Pumpkin, Persian Plum, and Persian Red anchor this warm family. Persimmon and Pumpkin both stay bold and saturated, while Persian Orange leans softer and more muted. Persian Plum crosses into deep red-brown territory, far darker than the others in this group.

Yellows

PaleGoldenrod and Peridot cover this smaller family, though Peridot leans close enough to green that it could sit in either category. PaleGoldenrod stays soft and muted, while Peridot pushes brighter, named directly after the gemstone.

Browns and Neutrals

Parchment, Pearl, Peru, Pewter, Pewter Blue, Platinum, Peach, Peach (Crayola), PeachPuff, and Piggy Pink round out this family. Parchment and Pearl both lean warm and pale, while Pewter and Platinum stay cooler and more metallic. Peach in all its variants stays warm and gentle, closer to a soft neutral than a bold color.

Design & Branding Favorites

Certain colors that start with P show up constantly in branding work. Pink dominates beauty, youth, and lifestyle branding across countless industries. Purple appears often in luxury and creative branding, borrowing centuries of royal association. Prussian Blue and Persian Blue both get used in formal, artistic, or historical branding, valued for a rich, sophisticated depth.

Below is a quick reference for how four of these colors typically get used in real design work. Notice how the soft, pastel entries lean toward gentle branding, while the deep, saturated entries lean toward luxury and formality.

Design & Branding Favorites
Pink, Purple, Prussian Blue, and Peach are shown together as four of the most-used colors that start with P in branding.
ColorHexTypical Use
Pink#FFC0CBBeauty, youth, lifestyle branding
Purple (HTML/CSS)#800080Luxury, creative branding
Prussian Blue#003153Formal, historical branding
Peach#FFE5B4Gentle, warm background tone

Pink and Purple pair naturally together, since both sit close on the color wheel while carrying slightly different moods. Prussian Blue works best as a bold anchor color, rarely blended with more than one or two supporting neutrals.

Fashion & Beauty Shades

Fashion draws heavily on several P names. Pink remains one of the most enduring colors in fashion history, spanning nearly every category from bridal to streetwear. Peach crosses over into beauty and cosmetics constantly, since its warm, gentle tone flatters a wide range of skin types.

Puce deserves a mention here too, since despite its unusual, slightly unflattering etymology, it has carved out a genuine niche in vintage and avant-garde fashion. Its muted, brownish-pink quality sets it apart from a brighter entry like Pink Flamingo, which almost never appears in the same understated product category.

Nature-Inspired Names

Several colors that start with P borrow directly from the natural world. Peach and Pear both pull from fruit, capturing warm and fresh tones respectively. Periwinkle and Pansy Purple both take their names from flowers, two of the more direct nature-to-color connections in this letter group.

Pearl closes out this group with a genuine gemstone connection, matching the soft, warm white of the actual material. Peacock Blue, meanwhile, borrows its rich, saturated tone directly from the bird’s iridescent feathers, one of the more visually dramatic nature references in the entire alphabet.

Rare or Unusual P Color Names

Some colors that start with P rarely surface outside specialist circles, but each has a real story behind it. Prussian Blue carries genuine chemistry history, discovered entirely by accident around 1706 when a chemist’s contaminated potash reacted unexpectedly, producing the first modern synthetic pigment and permanently changing how artists accessed the color blue. Puce holds a stranger origin story, its name borrowed directly from the French word for flea, describing the reddish-brown stain left by a crushed flea.

Rare or Unusual P Color Names
Rare colors that start with P — Prussian Blue, Puce, Paua, and Payne’s Grey — with hex codes labeled.

Paua takes its name from a New Zealand shellfish known for its iridescent shell, giving the deep indigo-purple color a genuinely regional origin most people outside the area would never guess. Payne’s Grey rounds out this group as a real, centuries-old artist’s mixing color, named after 18th-century watercolorist William Payne, who developed it as an alternative to pure black for shading. Each of these names shows that “obscure” in the P family usually means “historically or scientifically specific,” not “made up.”

  • Prussian Blue (#003153) — the first modern synthetic pigment, discovered by accident around 1706
  • Puce (#CC8899) — named after the French word for flea
  • Paua (#1F005E) — named after an iridescent New Zealand shellfish
  • Payne’s Grey (#536878) — a mixing color developed by 18th-century painter William Payne

These four sit at the edge of common knowledge, but each one has a stable, checkable source. That’s what separates a genuinely rare color name from a vague one that different sites define inconsistently.

Colors Easily Confused With Each Other

A few P pairs trip people up constantly. Periwinkle and Periwinkle (Crayola) both read as pale purple-blue at a glance, but the Crayola version leans noticeably grayer and more muted. Persian Blue and Prussian Blue also cause confusion, since both are deep, historic blues, but Prussian Blue runs darker and more formal.

Colors Easily Confused With Each Other
Periwinkle vs. Periwinkle Crayola and Purple HTML/CSS vs. Purple Crayola, shown side by side to highlight subtle hue differences.

Purple (HTML/CSS) and Purple (Crayola) get mixed up constantly too, since both share a name, but the Crayola version runs far brighter and more saturated than the deep, muted CSS standard. Peach and Peach (Crayola) also blur together, though the Crayola version leans slightly more orange and less pale.

The table below lines up the clearest pairs directly so the difference is easy to see at a glance. Pay attention to the RGB numbers, not just the names, since two colors can look nearly identical in a small swatch but read very differently once scaled up.

Color AHex AColor BHex BKey Difference
Periwinkle#CCCCFFPeriwinkle (Crayola)#C3CDE6Crayola version is grayer and more muted
Persian Blue#1C39BBPrussian Blue#003153Prussian Blue is darker, more formal
Purple (HTML/CSS)#800080Purple (Crayola)#9457EBCrayola version is far brighter
Peach#FFE5B4Peach (Crayola)#FFCBA4Crayola version leans more orange

Purple (HTML/CSS) versus Purple (Crayola) is the pair most likely to confuse someone shopping for design assets, since both share the exact same name despite reading quite differently side by side. Persian Blue versus Prussian Blue matters most for anyone doing historical or art-inspired design work, since the two colors carry genuinely different origins despite sitting close together on the color wheel.

Master Alphabetical List of P Colors

This list includes standard CSS/X11 names, Crayola-official names, Pantone references, and long-documented traditional and historical names. Standard CSS/X11 names are marked with an asterisk, since those carry a single, universally agreed hex code. Every other name below is still verified against its cited source, though minor variation can exist across informal color-naming sites.

Master Alphabetical List of P Colors
  • Pacific Blue — #1CA9C9
  • Pakistan Green — #006600
  • Palatinate Purple — #682860
  • Pale Aqua — #BED3E5
  • Pale Cerulean — #9BC4E2
  • Pale Dogwood — #ED7A9B
  • PaleGoldenrod* — #EEE8AA
  • PaleGreen* — #98FB98
  • Pale Pink — #FADADD
  • Pale Purple (Pantone) — #FAE6FA
  • Pale Spring Bud — #ECEBBD
  • PaleTurquoise* — #AFEEEE
  • PaleVioletRed* — #DB7093
  • Pansy Purple — #78184A
  • Paolo Veronese Green — #009B7D
  • PapayaWhip* — #FFEFD5
  • Paradise Pink — #E63E62
  • Parchment — #F1E9D2
  • Paris Green — #50C878
  • Pastel Pink — #DEA5A4
  • Paua — #1F005E
  • Payne’s Grey — #536878
  • Peach — #FFE5B4
  • Peach (Crayola) — #FFCBA4
  • PeachPuff* — #FFDAB9
  • Peacock Blue — #006380
  • Pear — #D1E231
  • Pearl — #EAE0C8
  • Pearl Aqua — #88D8C0
  • Pearly Purple — #B768A2
  • Perano — #94B1FF
  • Peridot — #E6E200
  • Periwinkle — #CCCCFF
  • Periwinkle (Crayola) — #C3CDE6
  • Persian Blue — #1C39BB
  • Persian Green — #00A693
  • Persian Indigo — #32127A
  • Persian Orange — #D99058
  • Persian Pink — #F77FBE
  • Persian Plum — #701C1C
  • Persian Red — #CC3333
  • Persimmon — #EC5800
  • Peru* — #CD853F
  • Pewter — #96A8A1
  • Pewter Blue — #8BA8B7
  • Phlox — #DF00FF
  • Phthalo Blue — #000F89
  • Phthalo Green — #123524
  • Picotee Blue — #2E2787
  • Piggy Pink — #FDDDE6
  • Pine Green — #01796F
  • Pine Tree — #2A2F23
  • Pink* — #FFC0CB
  • Pink Lace — #FFDDF4
  • Pink Lavender — #D8B2D1
  • Pink Sherbet — #F78FA7
  • Pink Flamingo — #FC74FD
  • Pink Pearl — #E7ACCF
  • Pistachio — #93C572
  • Platinum — #E5E4E2
  • Plum* — #DDA0DD
  • Portland Orange — #FF5A36
  • PowderBlue* — #B0E0E6
  • Prussian Blue — #003153
  • Puce — #CC8899
  • Pumpkin — #FF7518
  • Purple (HTML/CSS)* — #800080
  • Purple (Crayola) — #9457EB
  • Purple Heart — #69359C
  • Purple Mountain Majesty — #9678B6
  • Purple Navy — #4E5180
  • Purple Pizzazz — #FE4EDA
  • Purple Plum — #9C51B6
  • Purple Taupe — #50404D
  • Purpureus — #9A4EAE

Notice how many entries carry “Persian,” “Pale,” or “Purple” as a root word, together making up nearly a third of this entire letter group. That concentration reflects just how many independent naming traditions, from Crayola to Pantone to historic pigment records, have each contributed their own version of these popular hues.

Hex/RGB Crosswalk: Why Exact Codes Matter

A color name alone isn’t enough for real design work. Two designers using “purple” without a hex code might land on two noticeably different shades. That’s why any serious project needs the exact hex or RGB value locked in before production starts.

Hex/RGB Crosswalk: Why Exact Codes Matter

Hex codes matter most for web and app design, since browsers read hex values directly. RGB values matter more for video, screen graphics, and design software that calculates color mathematically. The table below gives both formats for five of the most frequently searched colors that start with P, so you can copy whichever your tool requires.

ColorHexRGB
Pink#FFC0CB255, 192, 203
Purple (HTML/CSS)#800080128, 0, 128
Peach#FFE5B4255, 229, 180
Prussian Blue#0031530, 49, 83
Periwinkle#CCCCFF204, 204, 255

Purple’s RGB values show equal red and blue channels with zero green, which is exactly what gives it that balanced, formal depth. Prussian Blue, by contrast, keeps all three channels low with blue dominant, producing its deep, historic intensity rather than anything bright or soft.

Full Comparison Table: All 75 P Colors

This table brings every color from the alphabetical list together with hex, RGB, color family, and common use. Use the family column to quickly find colors that will sit well together in a single palette, and use the common use column to match a color to your actual project type.

Full Comparison Table: All 75 P Colors
ColorHexRGBFamilyCommon Use
Pacific Blue#1CA9C928, 169, 201BlueCoastal, travel branding
Pakistan Green#0066000, 102, 0GreenCultural, national branding
Palatinate Purple#682860104, 40, 96PurpleFormal historic accent
Pale Aqua#BED3E5190, 211, 229BlueSoft pastel background
Pale Cerulean#9BC4E2155, 196, 226BlueCalm pastel accent
Pale Dogwood#ED7A9B237, 122, 155PinkPantone soft fashion accent
PaleGoldenrod#EEE8AA238, 232, 170YellowSoft pastel background
PaleGreen#98FB98152, 251, 152GreenFresh, gentle accent
Pale Pink#FADADD250, 218, 221PinkBridal, soft background
Pale Purple (Pantone)#FAE6FA250, 230, 250PurpleDelicate pastel accent
Pale Spring Bud#ECEBBD236, 235, 189Yellow/GreenSoft seasonal accent
PaleTurquoise#AFEEEE175, 238, 238Blue/GreenCalm pastel accent
PaleVioletRed#DB7093219, 112, 147PinkSoft fashion accent
Pansy Purple#78184A120, 24, 74PurpleBold floral accent
Paolo Veronese Green#009B7D0, 155, 125GreenArtistic, historic accent
PapayaWhip#FFEFD5255, 239, 213NeutralPale warm background
Paradise Pink#E63E62230, 62, 98PinkBold Pantone accent
Parchment#F1E9D2241, 233, 210NeutralVintage warm background
Paris Green#50C87880, 200, 120GreenHistoric pigment accent
Pastel Pink#DEA5A4222, 165, 164PinkSoft muted accent
Paua#1F005E31, 0, 94PurpleDeep regional accent
Payne’s Grey#53687883, 104, 120Blue/GrayArtistic mixing color
Peach#FFE5B4255, 229, 180Neutral/OrangeGentle warm background
Peach (Crayola)#FFCBA4255, 203, 164OrangePlayful crayon-toned accent
PeachPuff#FFDAB9255, 218, 185Neutral/OrangeSoft warm background
Peacock Blue#0063800, 99, 128BlueRich, saturated accent
Pear#D1E231209, 226, 49Green/YellowFresh food-inspired accent
Pearl#EAE0C8234, 224, 200NeutralElegant warm background
Pearl Aqua#88D8C0136, 216, 192Green/BlueSoft calming accent
Pearly Purple#B768A2183, 104, 162PurpleSoft fashion accent
Perano#94B1FF148, 177, 255BlueBright modern accent
Peridot#E6E200230, 226, 0Yellow/GreenGemstone-inspired accent
Periwinkle#CCCCFF204, 204, 255Purple/BlueCalm, nostalgic branding
Periwinkle (Crayola)#C3CDE6195, 205, 230Purple/BlueMuted pastel accent
Persian Blue#1C39BB28, 57, 187BlueHistoric rich accent
Persian Green#00A6930, 166, 147GreenCultural, rich accent
Persian Indigo#32127A50, 18, 122PurpleDeep dramatic accent
Persian Orange#D99058217, 144, 88OrangeWarm muted accent
Persian Pink#F77FBE247, 127, 190PinkBold fashion accent
Persian Plum#701C1C112, 28, 28Red/BrownDeep formal accent
Persian Red#CC3333204, 51, 51RedBold cultural accent
Persimmon#EC5800236, 88, 0OrangeBold food-inspired accent
Peru#CD853F205, 133, 63BrownWarm neutral background
Pewter#96A8A1150, 168, 161GraySophisticated metallic neutral
Pewter Blue#8BA8B7139, 168, 183Blue/GrayMuted professional accent
Phlox#DF00FF223, 0, 255Purple/PinkBold electric accent
Phthalo Blue#000F890, 15, 137BlueFine art pigment
Phthalo Green#12352418, 53, 36GreenFine art pigment
Picotee Blue#2E278746, 39, 135Blue/PurpleBold Crayola accent
Piggy Pink#FDDDE6253, 221, 230PinkSoft playful accent
Pine Green#01796F1, 121, 111GreenDeep natural accent
Pine Tree#2A2F2342, 47, 35Green/BrownDark natural accent
Pink#FFC0CB255, 192, 203PinkBeauty, youth branding
Pink Lace#FFDDF4255, 221, 244PinkDelicate pastel accent
Pink Lavender#D8B2D1216, 178, 209Pink/PurpleSoft romantic accent
Pink Sherbet#F78FA7247, 143, 167PinkPlayful dessert-inspired accent
Pink Flamingo#FC74FD252, 116, 253PinkBold vibrant accent
Pink Pearl#E7ACCF231, 172, 207PinkElegant soft accent
Pistachio#93C572147, 197, 114GreenFood-inspired soft accent
Platinum#E5E4E2229, 228, 226NeutralSophisticated metallic neutral
Plum#DDA0DD221, 160, 221PurpleSoft romantic accent
Portland Orange#FF5A36255, 90, 54OrangeBold energetic accent
PowderBlue#B0E0E6176, 224, 230BlueSoft calming background
Prussian Blue#0031530, 49, 83BlueFormal, historical branding
Puce#CC8899204, 136, 153Pink/BrownVintage muted accent
Pumpkin#FF7518255, 117, 24OrangeBold seasonal accent
Purple (HTML/CSS)#800080128, 0, 128PurpleLuxury, creative branding
Purple (Crayola)#9457EB148, 87, 235PurpleBright playful accent
Purple Heart#69359C105, 53, 156PurpleBold formal accent
Purple Mountain Majesty#9678B6150, 120, 182PurpleSoft scenic accent
Purple Navy#4E518078, 81, 128Purple/BlueMuted formal accent
Purple Pizzazz#FE4EDA254, 78, 218Pink/PurpleBold electric accent
Purple Plum#9C51B6156, 81, 182PurpleRich fashion accent
Purple Taupe#50404D80, 64, 77Purple/BrownSophisticated neutral accent
Purpureus#9A4EAE154, 78, 174PurpleBold historic accent

A few rows deserve a second look. The many Purple-family variants together make up the largest single cluster on this entire table, spanning from the muted CSS standard to the electric Purple Pizzazz. Prussian Blue stands out as the only entry with a documented scientific discovery date, unlike most other colors on this list drawn from nature or tradition. Peach, in all three of its documented variants, proves how much even a single, seemingly simple color name can shift depending on the source defining it.

Decision-Flow Table: Picking the Right P Color

Choosing between seventy-five similar-sounding names gets easier with a clear project goal in mind. The table below matches common use cases to a recommended color that starts with P, so you can skip the guesswork and go straight to a shade that fits the job.

Decision-Flow Table: Picking the Right P Color
A sample color pairing — Purple with soft Pearl — shown together to balance a rich, formal palette.
If you need…Pick this colorWhy
A soft beauty or lifestyle brandPink or Pink SherbetGentle, approachable, universally liked
A luxury or creative brandPurple (HTML/CSS)Rich, established, tied to royal history
A formal, historical design projectPrussian Blue or Persian BlueRooted in genuine pigment or dye history
A gentle, warm background tonePeach or ParchmentSoft, versatile, easy to pair
A bold, high-energy accentPurple Pizzazz or Pink FlamingoImpossible to miss
A calm, nature-inspired palettePine Green or PistachioGrounded, fresh, natural
A sophisticated metallic neutralPewter or PlatinumCool, refined, versatile

Use this table as a starting point rather than a final answer. A palette built entirely around Purple, for instance, often benefits from a neutral like Pearl or Platinum alongside it to keep the overall design from feeling too heavy. Pair the recommended color with a calmer neutral from the comparison table above for a balanced result.

Conclusion

Colors that start with P stretch further than almost any other letter, from the gentle warmth of Peach to the deep history of Prussian Blue. This list sticks to 75 verified names with real hex and RGB codes, so nothing here is guesswork or padding. Whether you’re building a brand, mixing paint, or just curious, these colors that start with P give you a solid, checkable starting point.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many colors actually start with the letter P?

This guide covers 75 verified colors that start with P, drawn from CSS/X11 standards, Crayola’s official naming, Pantone references, and documented historical pigments. Larger lists claiming 150 or more usually include unverifiable entries from unreliable fan-made color charts.

What are some common colors that start with P?

Pink, Purple, Peach, Periwinkle, and Prussian Blue are among the most recognized. Each has a fixed hex code and shows up regularly in design, fashion, and branding.

Is Pink a real CSS color?

Yes. Pink is a standard CSS/X11 color with the hex code #FFC0CB, one of the most universally recognized named colors in web design.

Why are there two different Purple colors?

Purple (HTML/CSS), hex #800080, is the deep, muted CSS standard, while Purple (Crayola), hex #9457EB, runs far brighter and more saturated, reflecting Crayola’s independent calibration.

What color is Prussian Blue exactly?

Prussian Blue is a deep, historic blue with the hex code #003153, discovered by accident around 1706 as the first modern synthetic pigment.

Is Puce really named after an insect?

Yes. Puce, hex #CC8899, takes its name from the French word for flea, referencing the reddish-brown stain left behind by a crushed flea.

What’s the difference between Peach and Peach (Crayola)?

Peach, hex #FFE5B4, stays pale and soft, while Peach (Crayola), hex #FFCBA4, leans noticeably more orange and saturated.

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