Every color has a name; the primary colors, for example, are called red, yellow, and blue. When these are mixed in pairs, you get the secondary colors of orange, green, and purple, and so on and so forth. But what happens when color mixing isn’t so straightforward? What would you call a dusky, pale, purple-blue or a orangey rose gold?
Fortunately, a handful of individuals at Crayola have been answering these questions since 1903 when the company Binny & Smith first started the crayon line. With all the colors that can be produced, however, sometimes you need to push the boundaries of normal color names. You’ve probably seen the colors dandelion and mango tango before, but here’s a list of 12 other interesting Crayola colors that are still being made today:
1. Wild Blue Yonder
While not named after the 2005 sci-fi film of the same name, the phrase “wild blue yonder” might come from the official US Air Force song whose first verse is “Off we go into the wild blue yonder.”
2. Purple Mountains’ Majesty
This crayon’s comparatively lengthy name is derived from the American patriotic song “America the Beautiful.”
3. Jazzberry Jam
I think it goes without saying that jazzberry is not a real type of berry, but it is a punchy pink hue.
4. Mauvelous
A play on the word “marvelous,” mauve can be described as a dusty pink-purple color whose usage first appeared in the late 1700s.
5. Cerise
This seemingly unfamiliar word actually translates to “cherry” in French, which is fitting of its vibrant red hue.
6. Razzmataz
Not only is this color fun to say, but it even has its own Halloween costume on Amazon.
7. Macaroni and Cheese
Originally brought to the US mainland by Thomas Jefferson in the late 1700s and early 1800s, it’s no surprise that this beloved American dish was turned into a crayon color as well.
8. Banana Mania
While really just another goofy way to describe yellow, here’s a picture of a shirt made from “banana mania” colored crayons made by Rebecca Minkoff.
9. Fuzzy Wuzzy
This brown hue is most likely derived from the color of a typical brown teddy bear that can be described using the term “fuzzy wuzzy.”
10. Inchworm
Green and vibrant, this color is named after arguably one of the cutest worms in the animal kingdom.
11. Outer Space
If you’ve ever wanted to debate between coloring your night skies dark blue or black, Crayola’s got you covered with this color specifically to compliment your twinkly, hastily drawn stars.
12. Tickle Me Pink
According to this website, the origin of the phrase “tickled pink” means to be so happy with something that one “glows with pleasure.”
In late June 2017, a naming competition was held to replace the color dandelion with a new shade of blue― later on that year in September, it was announced that the color would be called “bluetiful.” While the final decision ended up drawing some criticism, some of the other options that Crayola gave to voters included “Star Spangled Blue” and “Reach for the Stars,” showing the recurring theme of patriotism and whimsy in other color names.
Thank you, Crayola, for giving names to colors that we wouldn’t have known what to call otherwise. The breadth and variety of titles given to all 120 colors that Crayola makes is incredible, giving a little something extra to what would be a seemingly mundane looking box of crayons.
