The hex color code #c7c7c7 represents a light gray shade. Hex codes are used in web design, digital design, and other computing applications to represent colors numerically. The hex code #c7c7c7 is made up of the RGB color values (199, 199, 199). When converted to decimals, this hex code has a red value of 199, a green value of 199, and a blue value of 199. This makes #c7c7c7 a shade of gray, as the red, green, and blue values are equal. To human eyes, this exact shade appears as a very light gray that has a slight hint of blue. While hex codes precisely define colors digitally, human color perception is more complex. There are a few different names that are commonly used to refer to the light gray shade #c7c7c7.
Common Color Names for #c7c7c7
Here are some of the most widely used color names for this light gray hue:
| Color Name | Description |
| Light Gray | A general term for light shades of gray. |
| Silver | Named for its metallic, silvery appearance. |
| Light Slate Gray | Slate refers to a bluish dark gray color. |
| Gainsboro | A grayish-blue pastel tint. |
| Platinum | Resembles the precious metal platinum. |
As you can see, most names for this pale gray color refer to materials or substances that naturally exhibit a similar soft, cool gray color. The most generic color name is simply “light gray,” as this hue falls somewhere near the midpoint of the graduated scale from white to black. More specific names like “silver,” “slate gray,” and “platinum” liken this color to metals with a soft silvery sheen. While not exact matches, these color names help situate the color within a spectrum of grays.
Closest Paint Color Names
Paint brands develop and market their own proprietary color names. Here are some of the closest paint color names to the light gray shade #c7c7c7 from major paint brands:
| Paint Brand | Color Name |
| Sherwin-Williams | Functional Gray SW 7024 |
| Benjamin Moore | Platinum Gray 2136-60 |
| Behr | Silver Drop PPU18-14 |
| Valspar | Rockport Grey 4004-10B |
Paint brands go through extensive color matching to assign names to precise shades. As a result, the proprietary color names above should closely match the exact shade #c7c7c7. Keep in mind paint colors can look different depending on lighting conditions, application technique, and surface texture. For digital design, the hex code will remain constant.
Web Color Names
Web colors are a standardized color naming system supported across web browsers. The web color names were originally established in the late 1990s to ensure color consistency on websites. The web color closest to #c7c7c7 is:
| Web Color | Hex Value |
| Gainsboro | #DCDCDC |
As you can see, the web color Gainsboro is slightly darker than #c7c7c7. Web colors provide a useful reference for basic color names that will be consistent across web platforms. However, for precise color matching, hex codes like #c7c7c7 remain the best choice.
English Language Color Names
Beyond specialized color naming systems like paint brands and web colors, there are also a wide range of descriptive color names in the English language. Some informal English color names that can describe the light gray #c7c7c7 include:
| Color Name | Description |
| Pale Gray | A lighter shade of gray. |
| Light Blue-Gray | Reflects subtle blue undertone. |
| Ash Gray | Resembling the color of ash particles. |
| Smoke Gray | The color of thin smoke. |
These types of descriptive color names originate from shared cultural and linguistic associations with colors. While open to broader interpretation, they provide meaningful context and mental imagery related to real-world textures and materials.
Technical Gray Color Names
There are also some more technical gray color names used in color theory, design, and printing:
| Color Name | Description |
| Cool Gray | Contains blue/green bias, opposite of warm grays. |
| Neutral Gray | Lacks color bias, balanced between warm and cool. |
| Tint of Black | Darkened with white to produce a pale shade. |
| Tone of Gray | Subtle range of lightness/darkness of a hue. |
These terms help communicate subtle variations within the range of gray colors. They provide a nuanced vocabulary for design professionals to discriminate between shades based on temperature, intensity, and mixing.
Converting Between Color Systems
The hex code #c7c7c7 precisely defines a color digitally. But color names help bring human-friendly meaning, context, and visual association. Multiple naming systems have been developed, each with their own unique color designations. Converting between systems can help connect these relationships:
| System | Color Name |
| Hex Code | #c7c7c7 |
| RGB | rgb(199, 199, 199) |
| HSL | hsl(0, 0%, 78%) |
| CMYK | cmyk(0, 0, 0, 22) |
| Pantone | Pantone P 124-15 C |
This demonstrates how the exact same color can be translated across different color models. While the hex code remains fixed, naming systems attach meaning, emotion, and visual associations that enhance human understanding.
Conclusion
In summary, the light gray color represented by the hex code #c7c7c7 is most commonly referred to using names such as silver, light slate gray, gainsboro, or platinum. These metallic color names reflect the soft, cool tone of this pale gray shade. Paint brands, web colors, and other specialized naming systems provide standard designations closest to this precise color. More descriptive color names from the English language attach meaningful real-world qualities for improved human comprehension. Converting between naming systems links the human color experience with technical color definitions. So while #c7c7c7 numerically defines a color, the richness of human color naming deepens the meaning and context of this light gray shade.
