Brown Yellow

HEX: #CC9966 | Modern Palette

On White
2.53:1
FAIL
On Black
8.32:1
PASS

Color Specifications

HEX
#CC9966
RGB
204, 153, 102
HSL
30°, 50% ,80%
CMYK
0, 25, 50, 20

About Brown Yellow

Brown Yellow (#CC9966) is a color with RGB(204, 153, 102) and HSL(30°, 50%, 80%). In design, it fits Warm styles and is suitable for Text, Button, Background. Its complementary color is Blue Gray (#6699CC), which creates strong contrast. Its triadic palette includes #66CC99 and Amethyst (#9966CC). The name comes from Brown Yellow (English (descriptive)).

  • HEX: #CC9966
  • RGB: 204, 153, 102
  • HSL: 30°, 50%, 80%
  • Style: Warm
  • Use case: Text, Button, Background
  • Complementary color: Blue Gray (#6699CC)
  • Triadic colors: #66CC99, Amethyst (#9966CC)
  • The name comes from Brown Yellow (English (descriptive)).

Live Components

LIGHT
DARK
System Notification Box

Color Palettes

Monochromatic Five tones of the same hue — a reliable scale for backgrounds, surfaces, and text.
Neutral + Accent Four near-neutral tones grounded by a saturated accent — clean and versatile for UI.
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

Complementary

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

Analogous

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

Triadic

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

Split-Complementary

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

Tetradic (Square)

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

Monochromatic

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

Shades & Tints

A seamless scale of #CC9966 from deepest shade to lightest tint.

Color Characteristics

Mood
Style
Warm
Use case
Text Button Background

Accessibility Simulation

Deuteranopia #AAAA64
Protanopia #A0A066
Tritanopia #D09494
Achromatopsia #A3A3A3

Frequently Asked Questions

Brown Yellow (#CC9966) is a color with RGB(204, 153, 102) and HSL(30°, 50%, 80%).

#CC9966 pairs strongly with Blue Gray (#6699CC) as its complementary color. It can also be used with neutral tones for balanced UI and design layouts.

#CC9966 is suitable for Text, Button, Background and works well with Warm styles.

The name Brown Yellow is linked to Brown Yellow from English (descriptive), meaning A color that is a blend of brown and yellow, often leaning towards an ochre or tan hue..

Name, History & Etymology

Origin Word Brown Yellow
Meaning A color that is a blend of brown and yellow, often leaning towards an ochre or tan hue.
Language English (descriptive)
First Recorded Use Likely ancient (descriptive)

History

The terms 'brown' and 'yellow' are ancient in English, with roots in Old English and Proto-Germanic. 'Brown' comes from Old English 'brūn' and Proto-Germanic '*brūnaz'. 'Yellow' comes from Old English 'geolu' and Proto-Germanic '*gelwaz'. The combination 'brown yellow' is a straightforward descriptive compound. Historically, such descriptive terms were common before a more formalized vocabulary of specific color names developed. Colors like ochre, tan, or fawn are specific named instances of what could be described as 'brown yellow'.

First Recorded Use

The descriptive combination of 'brown' and 'yellow' to describe a color would have been used as long as both individual color terms existed and were combined to describe intermediate shades. Specific named colors like 'ochre' or 'tan' emerged later, but the descriptive 'brown yellow' would predate them.

Cultural Associations

Colors that are a mix of brown and yellow are very common in nature (earth, sand, dried leaves, animal fur) and have been significant across cultures. They often evoke feelings of warmth, earthiness, naturalness, and sometimes age or decay. In art, pigments like yellow ochre have been used since prehistoric times. The specific shade #cc9966 is a medium, somewhat muted brown-yellow, reminiscent of light wood, certain types of sand, or a warm skin tone.

Similar Named Colors
Camel #C19A6B ΔE 3.30
Persian Orange #D99058 ΔE 5.34
Fawn #E5AA70 ΔE 5.61
Deer #BA8759 ΔE 5.73

Code Snippets

/* Background */
.element {
    background-color: #CC9966;
}

/* Text */
.element {
    color: #CC9966;
}

/* Border */
.element {
    border: 1px solid #CC9966;
}

/* Linear gradient to complementary */
.element {
    background: linear-gradient(
        to right,
        #CC9966,
        #B3CCE6
    );
}

/* Radial gradient */
.element {
    background: radial-gradient(
        circle,
        #CC9966,
        #B3CCE6
    );
}

// SCSS variable
$brown-yellow: #CC9966;

// With RGB channels (useful for rgba() usage)
$brown-yellow-r: 204;
$brown-yellow-g: 153;
$brown-yellow-b: 102;

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