What’s in a (color) name?

Ok, so I’ve got a confession. I choose colors based on their names…for everything! Interior paint? Yes. Nail polish? Definitely. That’s not to say that I pick colors solely on the name, but if I know I’m looking for a creamy light blue, I’m definitely going to pick “tide pools” over “light teal.” Of course “mint julep” is a better color than just “mint,” and of course “porpoise” is a better color than “medium grey.” Now we’re getting really subjective here.

Side note: In my secret fantasy world, I’m an official color name creator. Whatever that job title is, I want it. Ok, so that might still be my dream job.

Then I fell into the internet rabbit hole of color naming and found some interesting stuff. Here’s Pantone’s infographic on 50 years of color, and this color naming experiment through HP.

After more searching, I stumbled upon this book, which seems like a fascinating exploration of  the language behind color and an introduction to the linguistic implications of color naming within a cultural context. I’m geeking out over here.

Ok, fess up. Does anyone else get really into colors names? Tell me I’m not the only one!