RAL and NCS values are nearest equivalents, not official designations.
In Western cultures, gray often symbolizes neutrality and compromise, while in some Eastern traditions, it can represent humility and wisdom. The duality of gray allows it to convey both stability and uncertainty, making it a complex color in various contexts.
The term 'gray' originates from the Old English word 'grǽg', which was used as early as the 12th century. Initially, it described the color of ash and was associated with the clothing of the lower classes, contrasting sharply with the vibrant colors of the elite.
Ranked by CIE76 ΔE — the perceptual distance from Gray. Lower ΔE means a closer match (below ~2 is barely distinguishable).
All 27 Grays →Nine steps of Gray by lightness — from #434343 (darkest) to #BDBDBD (lightest). Click any to copy.
Curated 5-color combinations featuring Gray.
A 50–900 tonal scale with Gray anchored at 500 — ready to drop into a design system. Click any step to copy.
Works well as text on dark backgrounds; fails on light.
Thresholds: AA needs 4.5:1 (normal text) / 3:1 (large); AAA needs 7:1 / 4.5:1. Large = 18pt+ or 14pt+ bold.
Copy-ready values for CSS, screen and print, plus the extra conversions designers reach for.
color: gray; color-mix(in srgb, gray 70%, white) 0°, 0%, 50% 0, 0, 0, 50 8421504 #999999 How Gray appears to viewers with the three main types of color blindness (~1 in 12 men, 1 in 200 women). Simulated approximations.