Navy Blue Color Palette
Navy Blue is hex #000080, rgb(0, 0, 128). Navy is the darkest common blue, originally the uniform color of the British Royal Navy. On screen it works as a softer alternative to black for text, headers and dark backgrounds.
By Mohamed Farhan · Updated Oct 19, 2026
Navy Blue color codes
Reading the navy blue color codes
The hex code #000080 is three pairs of base-16 numbers for red, green and blue. 00 is 0, 00 is 0 and 80 is 128, each on a scale from 0 to 255. That is why the same color is written rgb(0, 0, 128) in CSS. The blue channel is the strongest here, which is what gives navy blue its indigo character.
HSL describes the same color the way people think about it. A hue of 240 degrees places navy blue in the indigo part of the color wheel. Saturation of 100% makes it vivid, and lightness of 25% makes it a dark color. HSL is the easiest format to adjust by hand: keep the hue, then raise or lower lightness to create tints and shades that stay in the same family.
For print, the approximate CMYK mix is 100% cyan, 100% magenta, 0% yellow and 50% black. Screen and print colors never match perfectly, because monitors emit light while ink absorbs it, so always proof a printed sample before committing to navy blue for packaging or stationery. See MDN's guide to CSS color values for every format browsers accept.
Navy Blue shades and tints
A full 50 to 950 scale built around #000080, so you can use navy blue for backgrounds, borders, buttons and text without leaving the family. Click any shade to copy it.
// tailwind.config.js
theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
"navy-blue": {
50: "#DADAEC",
100: "#BEBEDF",
200: "#A3A3D1",
300: "#8888C4",
400: "#6D6DB6",
500: "#5252A9",
600: "#36369B",
700: "#1B1B8E",
800: "#000080",
900: "#000062",
950: "#000045",
},
},
},
}:root {
--navy-blue-50: #DADAEC;
--navy-blue-100: #BEBEDF;
--navy-blue-200: #A3A3D1;
--navy-blue-300: #8888C4;
--navy-blue-400: #6D6DB6;
--navy-blue-500: #5252A9;
--navy-blue-600: #36369B;
--navy-blue-700: #1B1B8E;
--navy-blue-800: #000080;
--navy-blue-900: #000062;
--navy-blue-950: #000045;
}A shade-by-shade guide to navy blue
The 50 to 950 scale above follows the same structure as Tailwind's built-in palettes, so each step has a natural job. The lightest steps, 50 (#DADAEC) and 100 (#BEBEDF), are page and card backgrounds: they carry the navy blue mood without competing with content. Steps 200 (#A3A3D1) and 300 (#8888C4) suit borders, dividers, hover states and selected rows.
The middle of the scale, 400 to 600, is where navy blue is most recognizable, so use it for brand moments, illustrations and primary buttons. White text reaches the 4.5:1 body-text contrast minimum from step 400 upward, so use step 400 or darker when a button label needs to be white. Near-black text stays readable on steps 50 to 300.
The darkest steps, 800 (#000080) through 950 (#000045), make headings, body text and dark-mode surfaces that stay clearly related to navy blue. Using step 900 or 950 for text instead of pure black is one of the simplest ways to make an interface feel designed rather than default.
Colors that go with navy blue
How the navy blue color combinations work
Complementary. Directly across the color wheel from navy blue is #808000, which sits closest to olive green among common named colors. Complementary pairs create the strongest contrast of hue, so use the second color sparingly, for a single call to action or highlight, rather than in equal amounts.
Analogous. #004080 and #400080 sit 30 degrees either side of navy blue. Analogous palettes feel calm and cohesive because the colors share undertones; they are ideal for illustrations, gradients and backgrounds where you want harmony more than contrast.
Triadic and split complementary. The triadic set (#800000 and #008000) is evenly spaced around the wheel and feels playful; the second color is closest to maroon. The split complementary set (#804000 and #408000) keeps much of the complementary contrast but is easier to balance, which makes it a good choice for data visualization and multi-category tags.
Monochromatic. The monochromatic set runs from #1A1AFF to #000029. A single-hue palette is the safest way to build a calm, premium interface: rely on lightness for hierarchy, then add one neutral and one accent if you need emphasis.
Navy Blue compared with similar colors
midnight blue (#191970) is about as light and more muted, and shares almost the same hue. Choose midnight blue if you want a softer, airier version; choose navy blue if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
indigo (#4B0082) is about as light and similarly saturated, and leans further around the wheel toward violet. Choose indigo if you want a softer, airier version; choose navy blue if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
cobalt blue (#0047AB) is lighter (34% vs 25% lightness) and similarly saturated, and leans back the wheel toward blue. Choose cobalt blue if you want a softer, airier version; choose navy blue if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
Navy Blue in a real interface
Swatches only tell half the story. Here navy blue carries the primary action, with tints from its own scale for the surface and panels.
Weekly summary
Revenue grew 12% this week. Three invoices are waiting for approval.
Using navy blue in UI: buttons, text, backgrounds and dark mode
- Buttons. Navy Blue carries white labels at 16.01:1, which passes AA for normal text.
- Text. Navy Blue works as text on white backgrounds.
- Backgrounds. Use steps 50 and 100 for large areas and keep the base color for smaller surfaces. Big blocks of a vivid dark color draw attention, so give them a reason, like a hero section or pricing highlight.
- Dark mode. Steps 900 and 950 make a dark surface tinted with navy blue. On dark backgrounds the base color often needs a lighter step (300 or 400) to keep enough contrast for icons and borders, as required by WCAG non-text contrast.
- States. Shift one step darker for hover and two steps darker for pressed. Keep focus rings in a contrasting color so keyboard users can always see them.
Contrast and accessibility
AA needs 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text. AAA needs 7:1.
Color contrast is measured as a ratio from 1:1 (no contrast) to 21:1 (black on white). Navy Blue scores 16.01:1 against white (AAA) and 1.31:1 against black (Fail). The WCAG 2.1 contrast guideline asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text, which is why the shade guide above recommends specific steps for text and labels.
Contrast is only half of accessibility. Around 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women have some form of color vision deficiency, so never use navy blue alone to signal meaning such as success, error or selection. Pair it with an icon, a label or a change in weight.
What navy blue means
Blue is the most trusted color in digital products. It signals stability, competence and calm, which is why banks, SaaS tools and health platforms default to it.
Navy blue was adopted as the official uniform color of the British Royal Navy in 1748, and navies around the world followed. That history is why navy still reads as disciplined, dependable and established. It is one of the most common corporate colors because it signals trust without the coldness of black.
Because so many products already use blue, the shade matters more than the hue. Pair it with an unexpected neutral or accent so the interface does not look like every other dashboard.
Where navy blue works best
- Finance and legal brands
- Corporate websites
- Dark mode surfaces
- Uniform and fashion design
How to style navy blue
Navy pairs naturally with white, cream, gold and tan for a classic look, and with coral or mustard for something more modern. In interfaces it makes an excellent text color and dark-mode background: it is softer than black but still gives white text very high contrast. Use a slightly lighter, more saturated blue for links so they are distinguishable from navy body text.
Build a UI with navy blue
Inspo AI generates a full React + Tailwind screen using #000080 as the brand color, grounded in real shipped designs.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Navy Blue · History and definition of navy blue.
- WCAG 2.1: Contrast (Minimum) · The W3C rule behind the 4.5:1 and 3:1 thresholds used on this page.
- WCAG 2.1: Use of Color · Why color should never be the only way information is shown.
- MDN: CSS color values · Reference for hex, rgb() and hsl() syntax.
- Tailwind CSS: Customizing colors · How to add a custom color scale to your theme.
Similar colors
Questions people ask
What is the hex code for navy blue?
The hex code for navy blue used on this page is #000080. In RGB that is rgb(0, 0, 128), and in HSL it is hsl(240, 100%, 25%).
What colors go well with navy blue?
Navy Blue pairs well with #1F2A5C, #E8EBF5, #F2C14E (the Harbour palette above). Its complementary color is #808000, and analogous colors are #004080 and #400080.
Is navy blue a warm or cool color?
Navy Blue is a cool color. Its hue sits at 240 degrees on the color wheel with 100% saturation.
Can I use navy blue for text?
Navy Blue has a contrast ratio of 16.01:1 against white and 1.31:1 against black. Body text needs at least 4.5:1, so it works as text on white backgrounds.
What does navy blue mean?
Blue is the most trusted color in digital products. It signals stability, competence and calm, which is why banks, SaaS tools and health platforms default to it. Navy Blue in particular is used for finance and legal brands and corporate websites.
How do I use navy blue in Tailwind CSS?
Use an arbitrary value like bg-[#000080] for a one-off, or add the 50-950 scale from this page to theme.extend.colors in tailwind.config.js and use classes like bg-navy-blue-500 and text-navy-blue-900.
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