Color me intrigued

Before the pantone: 10 color shades with old names

Colors come in a multitude of shades, most of them with a very specific name. Some of these names are a reference to a common object of that color —for example, ruby, maize, or lavender— while others, much more modern, are just a product of marketing, popular use, or just imagination —such as razzle dazzle rose, school bus yellow, or French blue. But some specific shade names have a story that goes back centuries, across different cultures and traditions. Here are ten color shades and the history behind their name.

This vibrant red-orange shade takes its name from an ancient pigment, highly toxic, made from cinnabar, a form of mercury. Its name comes from the Old French vermeillon, derived from vermiculus, a diminutive of the Latin vermis (‘worm’). What did this toxic pigment have to do with worms? An insect called Kermes vermilio was used to make a natural dye in a similar shade, but much more common than cinnabar, so its name became popular and was used for all similar red-orange shades.

Described as a shade that goes from light-brown to brownish-orange, tawny is associated with tanned leather, not only in color but in the origin of its name. Celts used tannum or crushed oak bark to treat animal hides and produce leather. Though Latin, this word made its way into Old French as tauné, ‘tan leather colored’, and then into English.

With a name that alludes to the sea, the origin of this deep blue shade seems to be quite straightforward, except it isn’t. Ultramarine blue takes its name from the Ultramarine pigment, made from grinding lapis lazuli stone. This pigment, as costly as gold, was imported from Afghanistan by Venetian merchants, who called it (azzurro) oltramarino or ‘(blue) from beyond the sea’.

Now described as cream or grayish yellow, ecru was initially used to describe the color of unbleached linen. Before bleached into a creamy white color, linen would retain the color of the dried flax fibers used to weave it. The French word écru, meaning ‘raw’ or ‘unbleached’, initially served as a mere descriptor of the fabric's state, but was eventually associated with its color.

To no one’s surprise, the name of this blueish-green shade comes from French. But although its French equivalent, vert-de-gris, means ‘green of gray’, there is no gray in its origin. There are two possible origins for this name: the first one is vert d'aigre or ‘green made with vinegar’, because a pigment of this name was made using copper and vinegar. The second one ties this shade to art objects imported from Greece, which gave way to the name vert-de-Grèce, ‘green of Greece’.

Indigo is used to describe a variety of blue shades, from the dark blue in the rainbow to various blue hues that can be achieved using indigo dye. Originally, the term indigo, from the Latin indicum (‘Indian’), was specifically used for a pigment made from the Indigofera plant and exported from India. Later on, the term became synonymous with the various blue shades resulting from that dye.

Nowadays, we automatically associate the color sepia with old photographs, but did you know its name and hue come from a fish? In ancient Greece and Rome, the ink of the sepia cuttlefish was used for writing, and it remained a commonly used drawing ink up until the early 19th century, when it started being used for watercolors and oil paints.

This one is tricky. As a color, auburn is a shade of brown, though it is often used to describe a specific type of red hair that has a mixture of red and brown tones. The term auburn, however, has nothing to do with red nor with brown. It comes from the French alborne, derived from the Latin alburnus or ‘off-white’, and it was used for blond people. How did it come to mean reddish-brown? Auburn and brown sounded similar.

Technically, there is no color named purpura in modern English, but there used to be. Made from crushed sea snails, the purpura dye was extremely expensive, and it became associated with royalty. Originally called porphura by the Greeks, the word was latinized as purpura, and was later adopted into English as purpul, from where we get the modern ‘purple’. So, while purpura is the original purple, it is nowadays called Tyrian or royal purple to avoid confusion.

This reddish-orange shade gets its name from the jasper, a semiprecious quartz known for having a pattern. The name ‘jasper’ comes from the Greek iaspis, meaning ‘spotted or speckled stone’. While there are multiple colors of jasper stones, the most common one is red, so the name of the stone became synonymous with that shade.

Stop! You’ve been using these 11 objects the wrong way

Image: Diana Polekhina

We use countless objects daily without questioning their design, yet many have hidden features or were meant for entirely different purposes. From kitchen tools to bananas, here are 11 everyday items you might be using all wrong—or that at least have surprising secrets built in.

Image: Anastasia Nikitina

Yes, toothpaste was always intended to clean and polish teeth, but its mild abrasives make it effective for cleaning jewelry, removing stains from clothing, and even defogging mirrors.

Interestingly, the first toothpaste-like substance dates back to ancient Egypt, where a blend of pumice and vinegar was used for oral care. Modern toothpaste, which includes ingredients like baking soda—another household staple—explains why it’s so effective on surfaces beyond just teeth.

Image: Markus Winkler

That hole in your pasta spoon isn’t just for draining water; it can also help measure a perfect portion of dry spaghetti!

A single serving of spaghetti is about the amount that fits through the hole. This design prevents cooking too much or too little, though not all pasta spoons have holes large enough for accurate measuring.

Image: engin akyurt

The latch inside gas pump nozzles was originally designed to shut off fuel flow automatically when the tank is full, not to hold the pump open.

Modern pumps use this mechanism as a safety feature, preventing spills and overflows. In some places, using the latch to hold the nozzle open is even illegal due to fire risks.

Image: Karsten Winegeart

Those metal loops on the back of grocery cart seats aren’t just for show—they’re designed to hold plastic bags with fragile items.

Hanging lighter bags here prevents them from being crushed by heavier groceries in the cart, yet few shoppers take advantage of this simple design. So, next time you go shopping, give it a try—it could be a real lifesaver.

Image: Bam Mccarthy

The hole in a soda can tab isn’t just part of the opening mechanism—it can double as a straw holder. Once you pop the can open, turning the tab around aligns the hole perfectly for a straw. This prevents the straw from floating or shifting while drinking.

While this wasn’t the original intent behind the design, it’s a clever and surprisingly convenient way to make use of an otherwise inconsequential design quirk.

Image: Annie Spratt

If you're like me, this has likely been a brain teaser since childhood: What is the blue side of a two-tone eraser for? Popular wisdom says it's for ink removal, but have you ever tried erasing ink with that side? It just completely obliterates the paper.

Well, it turns out the blue side of a two-tone eraser was actually designed for use on heavier paper, not for removing ink.

Image: Matúš Kameniar

The small bumps on the ‘F’ and ‘J’ keys exist to help typists find their hand placement without looking.

These tactile guides help your fingers find their way back to the home row, enabling faster and more efficient typing. Even if you're not a professional typist, you can rely on this feature to improve both speed and accuracy while writing.

Image: Monika Guzikowska

Ever watched a monkey peel a banana? You might be in for a surprise, because it turns out the easiest way to peel a banana is from the bottom, not the stem.

Monkeys naturally pinch the bottom of the banana and pull, avoiding the struggle of breaking the tough stem. This method also reduces the risk of squishing the fruit inside.

Image: Brett Jordan

The small hole at the end of a measuring tape is designed to hook onto nails or screws for one-person measurements. This feature provides a more stable grip when measuring long distances without needing an extra set of hands.

Also, the serrated edge on some tapes doubles as a tool for marking surfaces. So, next time you don't have a buddy around to help, don’t worry—your measuring tape has you covered!

Image: Andrea Davis

Many people use the drawer under their oven for storage, but it was originally designed as a warming drawer.

This compartment keeps cooked food warm while the rest of the meal finishes, though in some modern models, it may simply be intended for extra storage. Checking your oven’s manual might reveal its true purpose.

Image: Mockup Free

Ever heard someone say you can judge a good wine by the depth of the indentation at the bottom of the bottle? Well, that’s a myth, though it may suggest a better-designed bottle.

The indent at the bottom of a wine bottle, called a punt, helps distribute pressure and maintain structural integrity. Originally designed to support the bottle against carbonation in sparkling wines, it’s now mostly tradition but still improves durability.