Bluish violet is a color between blue and violet on the color wheel. It’s a tertiary color made by combining the primary colors blue and red. Bluish violet is known by several other names including:
Purple
The most common name for bluish violet is simply purple. Purple is used as a generic term for colors between blue and red including bluish violet shades. There are many shades of purple ranging from red-purples to blue-purples.
The first recorded use of the word purple in English was in the year 975 AD. It comes from the Old English word purpul which was adapted from the Latin word purpura meaning a shellfish dye. This dye was made from mollusks and was used to create the coveted Tyrian purple color in ancient times.
While purple can refer to a range of hues, its basic definition is a color between blue and red, making it a perfect term for bluish violet.
Violet
Violet is another name used for bluish violet shades. Violet is defined as a spectral color meaning it has its own wavelength on the light spectrum. Violet light has a wavelength between 380-450 nanometers.
The color violet was named after the violet flower. Violet flowers have petals that range from blue to violet to purple in color. They were named “violets” because their shape resembles the nymph Io from Greek mythology who was turned into a heifer or cow. In Latin, the word for violet is “viola” which is similar to the Latin word for cow “vacca”.
So while violet can refer specifically to shades close to the violet wavelength, it is also used interchangeably with purple for bluish violet hues.
Royal Purple
Royal purple is a richer, deeper shade of purple with a red and blue tone. It was historically associated with royalty and rich nobility due to the expense of producing the Tyrian purple dye.
Here is a table with some key facts about royal purple:
| Other Names | Imperial Purple, Tyrian Purple |
| Hex Code | #7851A9 |
| RGB Values | R: 120, G: 81, B: 169 |
| CMYK Values | C: 29, M: 51, Y: 0, K: 34 |
Royal purple sits between red-violet and blue-violet on the color wheel. It combines the stability of blue with the power of red. This mix of strength and sophistication is what made it a color associated with rulership and ceremony.
Indigo
Indigo is a deep vivid blue-violet. Sir Isaac Newton decided to make indigo its own separate color when he divided the optical spectrum into the ROYGBIV colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet).
The decision was controversial even in Newton’s time since indigo does not have its own distinct wavelength like the other spectral colors. Many experts over the centuries have suggested removing indigo from the list of main colors.
Still, indigo remains on the spectrum today and often refers to the deep blue-violet tones between blue and violet. It is a fitting name for bluish violet hues even if they don’t match exactly with the light frequency Newton labeled indigo.
Electric Purple
Electric purple is a bright, vivid purple shade leaning toward violet. It is bold and eye-catching compared to soft pastel purples.
Electric purple first became popular in the 1960s. The development of Bright Brilliant Toner dye allowed much brighter and bolder purple shades to be achieved. Electric purple became a popular color for clothes, makeup, advertisements, and psychedelic posters.
While neon purple is made by mixing pink and electric blue, electric purple retains more of a blue tone from ultramarine blue pigments. This gives it a striking bluish violet color.
Orchid
Orchid is a light delicate purple with blue undertones. It’s one of the many flower names used to describe shades of purple.
Here are some facts about the color orchid:
| Hex Code | #DA70D6 |
| RGB Values | R: 218, G: 112, B: 214 |
| CMYK Values | C: 0, M: 49, Y: 2, K: 15 |
Orchid is a lightened shade of purple, but it keeps a bluish tinge through the addition of blue. The blue tones distinguish it from pinkish pastel purples.
Lavender
Lavender is a soft, airy purple with a light blue tone. It is often described as a pale violet.
The name lavender comes from the flowering plant Lavandula angustifolia. This plant has flowers in shades of violet, blue, and purple. Lavender likely developed its purple association from being dried and used to create blue-purple colored perfumes and potpourris.
In addition to its use for the flower, lavender has evolved into a generic term for both pale purples and pale pinks. But at its core, lavender retains a light blue tone that makes it fitting for bluish violet hues.
Wisteria
Wisteria is a light purple named after the flowering Chinese Wisteria plant. The wisteria bloom has petals in lavender, violet, blue, and purple shades.
Here is some key information about the color wisteria:
| Hex Code | #C9A0DC |
| RGB Values | R: 201, G: 160, B: 220 |
| CMYK Values | C: 9, M: 27, Y: 0, K: 14 |
Wisteria is a pale, delicate purple that falls in the range between lavender and lilac. It retains its blue tones but is slightly lighter than lavender. The color wisteria captures the whimsical, airy feeling of the cascading wisteria blooms it was named after.
Lilac
Lilac is a light violet shade associated with the lilac flowering shrubs. Lilacs have clusters of small flowers ranging from violet to lavender blue.
Some details about the color lilac are:
| Hex Code | #CEA2FD |
| RGB Values | R: 206, G: 162, B: 253 |
| CMYK Values | C: 19, M: 36, Y: 0, K: 1 |
Lilac sits between a true violet and a soft lavender shade. It has vibrancy from violet but is muted down with blue-gray tones. The result is a gentle, romantic light purple.
Mauve
Mauve is a pale purple with a raspberry tinge. The color name comes from the French word for the mallow flower which has bluish-purple petals.
Some key facts about mauve:
| Hex Code | #E0B0FF |
| RGB Values | R: 224, G: 176, B: 255 |
| CMYK Values | C: 12, M: 31, Y: 0, K: 0 |
Mauve sits between pink and purple on the color wheel. It combines the tranquility of blue with the energy of red through its violet base. The result is a soft elegant purple tone.
Thistle
Thistle is a light purple-gray color inspired by the thistle plant. It has a dusty, subdued look.
Here are some details on thistle:
| Hex Code | #D8BFD8 |
| RGB Values | R: 216, G: 191, B: 216 |
| CMYK Values | C: 0, M: 11, Y: 0, K: 15 |
Thistle has a grayness that dims down its violet tones. The result is a pale purple with a somewhat faded look. It retains a subtle blue undertone that keeps it in the bluish violet family.
Heliotrope
Heliotrope is a purple tinted toward blue. Its name comes from heliotropium, a genus of flower that ranges from blue to purple.
Some key details about heliotrope:
| Hex Code | #DF73FF |
| RGB Values | R: 223, G: 115, B: 255 |
| CMYK Values | C: 13, M: 55, Y: 0, K: 0 |
Heliotrope is a vivid purple with strong blue undertones. It lacks the red and pink tones found in shades like magenta and orchid. The blue tones give it a striking, electric look.
Conclusion
Bluish violet encompasses a wide range of beautiful purple shades. It can be pale and soft like lilac and wisteria or vivid and intense like heliotrope and electric purple. Other popular shades include lavender, orchid, mauve, and thistle.
While the generic term purple is most common, all these more specific names help identify the exact hue, tone, and saturation of different bluish violet colors.
So in summary, bluish violet is known broadly as purple. But it can be further defined as violet, lavender, lilac, mauve, orchid, and many other evocative color names that capture its beauty and nuance.
