Colors can have some very long and complicated names. While basic color names like “red”, “blue”, and “green” are nice and simple, there are many more obscure color shades that have much lengthier names. So which color actually has the longest name?
Examining Long Color Names
To determine which color has the longest name, we need to look at some examples of lengthy and complex color names. Here are a few contenders for the longest color name:
- Tetraethylcarbinol chlorobenzeneaminoeosin: This 39 letter chemical name refers to a shade of red.
- Southampton Blue Pincushion: A 34 letter name for a light blue-gray color.
- Falu Red: A simple 8 letter name, but it refers to a traditional Swedish pigment made from copper mining waste.
- Bleu de France: A 12 letter French name meaning “blue of France” and referring to a dark blue pigment.
- Blue-magenta violet: A 22 letter name combining three color shades into one descriptor.
As you can see, color names can get very long and descriptive when trying to precisely capture a specific shade or hue. But which of these has the longest name?
The Longest Color Name
After comparing many lengthy color names, the winner for the longest name is:
Tetraethylcarbinol chlorobenzeneaminoeosin
At 39 letters long, this chemical name for a shade of red takes the record for the longest color name. The name comes from the chemical components used to create the pigment.
Tetraethylcarbinol refers to the alcohol C2H5)3CCH2OH. Chlorobenzene is an aromatic organic compound with formula C6H5Cl. Aminoesosin refers to amino derivatives of the red dye eosin. So the full chemical name describes the complex pigment composition resulting in a distinctive red hue.
But most people probably aren’t familiar with this obscurately named shade of red. So are there any more common color names that come close to this 39 letter record length?
Other Long Color Names
While tetraethylcarbinol chlorobenzeneaminoeosin is the longest chemical color name, there are some fairly well-known colors that still have lengthy names:
- International Klein Blue: A deep blue pigment trademarked by artist Yves Klein. At 22 letters long, this color name still holds the record for longest common color name.
- Phthalo Green: An 18 letter name for a synthetic green pigment used in paints and dyes.
- Feldgrau: A 10 letter German color name meaning “field gray”, used for military uniforms.
- Carolina Blue: A 12 letter name referencing the uniform color of University of North Carolina athletic teams.
Here’s a table summarizing some of the longest color names and their lengths:
| Color Name | Length |
|---|---|
| Tetraethylcarbinol chlorobenzeneaminoeosin | 39 letters |
| International Klein Blue | 22 letters |
| Phthalo Green | 18 letters |
| Feldgrau | 10 letters |
So while obscure chemical names can be incredibly long, common color names max out at around 22 letters. But some shades with simple short names actually have more complex meanings, like Falu Red referencing the traditional Swedish pigment manufacturing process.
Criteria for a Long Name
When determining the length of a color name, there are a couple factors that come into play:
- Number of letters: The most basic way to measure name length is by simple letter count. By this measure, tetraethylcarbinol chlorobenzeneaminoeosin is clearly the longest at 39 letters.
- Number of words: Some color names like “blue-green” or “yellow-orange” combine two words. The space increases readability but doesn’t add to letter count.
- Origin and meaning: A short name like “Falu Red” gains length in meaning by referencing the town of Falun, Sweden where the copper mines that produce the pigment are located.
- Root language: Non-English color names like the German “Feldgrau” or Swedish “Falu Rödfärg” may be longer simply because of linguistic differences.
- Specificity: More generic color names tend be shorter, while more precise names denoting a narrow shade range tend to be longer.
So while letter count provides an objective length measurement, the complexity and meaning behind a color name can make it seem subjectively longer or shorter.
Creative Color Names
In addition to lengthy chemical names, there are some creatively named colors that have been invented by paint companies and artists trying to capture a vividly descriptive hue.
For example, Crayola crayons have some imaginatively named colors like:
- Banana Mania
- Laser Lemon
- Outer Space
These 12-16 letter names evoke the colors’ bright, vibrant qualities. Other creatively named shades include:
- Livid Brown
- Psychedelic Purple
- Neon Carrot
- Atomic Tangerine
While these descriptive names can be very long, they don’t actually hold the record for longest. But they do capture our imaginations and fascination with color in creative ways.
Conclusion
When considering both chemical terminology as well as commonly used color names, the longest name belongs to tetraethylcarbinol chlorobenzeneaminoeosin at a lengthy 39 letters. This obscure shade of red far exceeds common color names that max out at around 22 letters, like International Klein Blue. While chemical names utilize specificity for unique hues, creatively invented color names evoke vivid imagery with 12-16 letter descriptions. So the next time you’re challenged to name a long color, go ahead and rattle off tetraethylcarbinol chlorobenzeneaminoeosin – it’s unlikely anyone will come up with something longer!
