Cobalt

HEX: #0047AB | Modern Palette

On White
8.44:1
PASS
On Black
2.49:1
FAIL

Color Specifications

HEX
#0047AB
RGB
0, 71, 171
HSL
215°, 100% ,67%
CMYK
100, 58.48, 0, 32.94

About Cobalt

Cobalt (#0047AB) is a color with RGB(0, 71, 171) and HSL(215.09°, 100%, 67.06%). It is commonly associated with Bold, Playful moods. In design, it fits Vivid, Neon styles and is suitable for Text, Button, Accent. Its complementary color is #AB6400, which creates strong contrast. Its triadic palette includes #AB0047 and #47AB00. The name comes from Kobold (German).

  • HEX: #0047AB
  • RGB: 0, 71, 171
  • HSL: 215.09°, 100%, 67.06%
  • Mood: Bold, Playful
  • Style: Vivid, Neon
  • Use case: Text, Button, Accent
  • Complementary color: #AB6400
  • Triadic colors: #AB0047, #47AB00
  • The name comes from Kobold (German).

Live Components

LIGHT
DARK
System Notification Box

Color Palettes

Cobalt #0047AB is used in Monochromatic, Neutral + Accent, Analogous, 3 + 1 + 1 palettes, giving designers ready-made combinations for backgrounds, surfaces, accents, and interface elements.

Monochromatic Five tones of the same hue — a reliable scale for backgrounds, surfaces, and text.
 
COBALT
 
 
 
Neutral + Accent Four near-neutral tones grounded by a saturated accent — clean and versatile for UI.
 
 
COBALT
 
 
Analogous Five hues drifting across a 60° arc — naturally harmonious and pleasing to the eye.
 
 
 
 
 
3 + 1 + 1 Three analogous base colors, one complementary accent, one dark anchor — bold yet balanced.
 
 
 
 
 

Color Harmonies

Cobalt #0047AB pairs with #AB6400 as its complementary color, and #AB0047 and #47AB00 in triadic combinations. These harmony relationships help create balanced color combinations for UI, branding, and design work.

Complementary

The color directly opposite on the color wheel — creates maximum contrast and vibrance.

COBALT
Analogous

Colors adjacent on the wheel — naturally harmonious and pleasing to the eye.

COBALT
Triadic

Three colors equally spaced 120° apart — bold, balanced, and visually rich.

COBALT
Split-Complementary

Two colors flanking the complement — high contrast with less tension than full complementary.

COBALT
Tetradic (Square)

Four colors at 90° intervals — rich variety, best when one color dominates.

COBALT
Monochromatic

Shades and tints of the same hue — cohesive, elegant, and easy to work with.

COBALT

Shades & Tints

The shade and tint range for Cobalt #0047AB moves from dark #000B1A tones through the base color to lighter #E6F0FF tones, making it useful for depth, hierarchy, and background variation.

COBALT

Color Characteristics

Mood
Bold Playful
Style
Vivid Neon
Use case
Text Button Accent

Accessibility Simulation

Deuteranopia #3C3CAB
Protanopia #4343AB
Tritanopia #005C5C
Achromatopsia #4D4D4D

Frequently Asked Questions

Cobalt (#0047AB) is a color with RGB(0, 71, 171) and HSL(215.09°, 100%, 67.06%).

#0047AB pairs strongly with #AB6400 as its complementary color. It can also be used with neutral tones for balanced UI and design layouts.

#0047AB is suitable for Text, Button, Accent and works well with Vivid, Neon styles.

#0047AB is commonly associated with Bold, Playful.

The name Cobalt is linked to Kobold from German, meaning goblin, mischievous spirit.

Name, History & Etymology

Origin Word Kobold
Meaning goblin, mischievous spirit
Language German
First Recorded Use 18th Century

History

The element Cobalt was discovered by Swedish chemist Georg Brandt in 1735. He named it after the German word 'Kobold' because miners in the Harz Mountains of Germany believed that a mischievous goblin (Kobold) was responsible for the fact that the cobalt-containing ores, while resembling copper ores, yielded no copper and also emitted noxious fumes when smelted. These ores were often associated with arsenic, which produced toxic arsenic trioxide during smelting, making the process dangerous and unproductive for copper. Brandt was able to isolate a new metal from these ores, which he identified as the source of the blue pigment used in glass and ceramics for centuries prior, but whose elemental nature was not understood.

First Recorded Use

1735 (by Georg Brandt)

Cultural Associations

Cobalt compounds have been used for centuries to produce vibrant blue colors in glass, ceramics, and paints, dating back to ancient Egyptian and Persian civilizations. The 'cobalt blue' pigment is renowned for its stability and intensity. In modern culture, cobalt is crucial in various high-tech applications, including superalloys for jet engines, magnets, and especially in rechargeable batteries (lithium-ion batteries), making it a vital component in electronics and electric vehicles. Its mining, particularly in certain regions, has raised significant ethical and environmental concerns.

Similar Named Colors
Violet Blue #324AB2 ΔE 3.79
Sapphire #0F52BA ΔE 3.85
Medium Teal Blue #0054B4 ΔE 4.47
Yale Blue #0F4D92 ΔE 4.48

Code Snippets

/* Background */
.element {
    background-color: #0047AB;
}

/* Text */
.element {
    color: #0047AB;
}

/* Border */
.element {
    border: 1px solid #0047AB;
}

/* Linear gradient to complementary */
.element {
    background: linear-gradient(
        to right,
        #0047AB,
        #FFB957
    );
}

/* Radial gradient */
.element {
    background: radial-gradient(
        circle,
        #0047AB,
        #FFB957
    );
}

// SCSS variable
$cobalt: #0047AB;

// With RGB channels (useful for rgba() usage)
$cobalt-r: 0;
$cobalt-g: 71;
$cobalt-b: 171;

// Usage
.element {
    background-color: $cobalt;
    color: rgba($cobalt-r, $cobalt-g, $cobalt-b, 0.8);
}