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Navy Blue vs Cerulean: What's the Difference?

The main difference between Navy Blue and Cerulean is hue — Navy Blue is a cool blue, while Cerulean is a cool cyan. Navy Blue (#001F3F) has an HSL of 210°, 100%, 12%, whereas Cerulean (#007BA7) sits at 196°, 100%, 33%.

Navy Blue#001F3F
Cerulean#007BA7
#001F3FBlended: #004D73#007BA7
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Navy Blue vs Cerulean: Key Differences at a Glance

Aspect Navy Blue Cerulean
BrightnessVery dark (L=12%) — deep, heavy, groundedDark (L=33%) — rich, serious, substantial
SaturationVivid (S=100%) — bright, energetic, eye-catchingVivid (S=100%) — bright, energetic, eye-catching
Hue familyBlueCyan
TemperatureCoolCool
Hex code#001F3F#007BA7
RGB0, 31, 630, 123, 167

Can you use Navy Blue and Cerulean together?

Cerulean text on Navy Blue
Navy Blue text on Cerulean
Contrast Ratio:3.46:1Large Text Only

How to Tell Navy Blue and Cerulean Apart

  • ●Look at lightness first: Cerulean is noticeably lighter.
  • ●Watch the undertone: the hue shifts 14° between them, which changes the perceived temperature.
  • ●Compare them on a white background to see true saturation, and on black to see true lightness.

Navy Blue or Cerulean: Which to Use and Where

Four real design scenarios, with the recommended pick based on hue, saturation, and WCAG contrast.

◆Branding & logos
PickNavy Blue

Navy Blue is more saturated (100% HSL vs 100%) so it reads as bolder and more memorable at logo scale, while Cerulean can feel washed out when printed small.

▢Web UI & body text backgrounds
PickNavy Blue

Navy Blue hits a 16.56:1 WCAG contrast against white — safer for text-heavy interfaces — where Cerulean only reaches 4.78:1 and risks failing AA at small body sizes.

⬡Fashion & apparel
PickCerulean

Cerulean is a cool-leaning tone that flatters spring/summer collections and warmer skin undertones, while Navy Blue leans cooler and is better suited to autumn/winter layering.

▣Interior design & walls
PickNavy Blue

Navy Blue is the more muted of the two (100% saturation) and sits more calmly on large wall surfaces, while Cerulean's higher chroma can overwhelm a room when used beyond accent pieces.

When to Use Navy Blue vs Cerulean in Design

Use Navy Blue for:
●Tech and corporate trust
●Finance and banking brands
●Links and primary buttons
●Medical and professional UI
●Calm dependable visuals
Use Cerulean for:
●Cool, techy, digital branding
●Water, ice, cleaning products
●Fresh modern UI accents
●Summer and tropical themes
●Youthful playful design

Navy Blue and Cerulean Hex Codes, RGB & HSL

Navy Blue#001F3F

Navy Blue (#001F3F) is a very dark, vivid blue with a cool undertone — it feels deep, heavy, grounded and bright, energetic, eye-catching.

HEX
RGB
HSL
HSV
CMYK
PANTONE
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Tints
Cerulean#007BA7

Cerulean (#007BA7) is a dark, vivid cyan with a cool undertone — it feels rich, serious, substantial and bright, energetic, eye-catching.

HEX
RGB
HSL
HSV
CMYK
PANTONE
Shades
Tints

Navy Blue and Cerulean WCAG Contrast Ratios

Text legibility depends on the contrast ratio between foreground and background. WCAG 2.1 AA requires at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text; AAA requires 7:1. Use these numbers to choose accessible combinations for your design.

Sample text preview
Navy Blue text on white
16.56:1AAA
Sample text preview
Navy Blue text on black
1.27:1Fail
Sample text preview
Cerulean text on white
4.78:1AA
Sample text preview
Cerulean text on black
4.39:1AA Large
Sample text preview
Navy Blue text on Cerulean
3.46:1AA Large
Sample text preview
Cerulean text on Navy Blue
3.46:1AA Large

Explore Navy Blue and Cerulean individually

Each color has a dedicated page with shades, tints, CSS name, pairings, and color psychology.

Navy Blue color page#001F3F · shades, tints, pairingsCerulean color page#007BA7 · shades, tints, pairings

More Navy Blue and Cerulean Comparisons

MidnightvsNavy BlueTealvsCeruleanNavy BluevsCharcoalAzurevsCeruleanNavy BluevsSky BlueCeruleanvsAzureNavy BluevsGunmetalCeruleanvsCobaltSky BluevsCeruleanNavy BluevsBaby BlueCharcoalvsCeruleanNavy BluevsCornflower

Navy Blue vs Cerulean FAQ

What is the difference between navy blue and cerulean?+
The main difference between Navy Blue and Cerulean is hue — Navy Blue is a cool blue, while Cerulean is a cool cyan. Navy Blue (#001F3F) has an HSL of 210°, 100%, 12%, whereas Cerulean (#007BA7) sits at 196°, 100%, 33%.
Is navy blue darker than cerulean?+
Yes. Navy Blue is darker, with a lightness of 12% in HSL compared to Cerulean at 33% — a 21-point gap.
Are navy blue and cerulean the same color?+
No. Navy Blue is #001F3F and Cerulean is #007BA7. They differ by 14° in hue, 21% in lightness, and 0% in saturation.
Which is more saturated, navy blue or cerulean?+
They have nearly identical saturation — Navy Blue at 100% and Cerulean at 100% in HSL.
Is navy blue warm or cool?+
Navy Blue (#001F3F) is a cool blue. Its hue sits at 210° on the color wheel, which places it in the cool range.
Is cerulean warm or cool?+
Cerulean (#007BA7) is a cool cyan. Its hue sits at 196° on the color wheel, which places it in the cool range.
Can you use navy blue and cerulean together?+
Yes. Navy Blue (blue) and Cerulean (cyan) can work as a complementary or analogous pair. Use one as the dominant tone and the other as a 10–20% accent to keep the palette balanced.
What color family does navy blue belong to?+
Navy Blue belongs to the blue family. Its HSL is 210°, 100%, 12% — a cool tone within the broader blue group.
What is the hex code for navy blue?+
The hex code for Navy Blue is #001F3F. In RGB, that's rgb(0, 31, 63), and in HSL it's hsl(210, 100%, 12%).
What is the hex code for cerulean?+
The hex code for Cerulean is #007BA7. In RGB, that's rgb(0, 123, 167), and in HSL it's hsl(196, 100%, 33%).