To name a color in memory of someone, choose a shade that brings them to mind (a favorite sweater, their garden, the paint in their kitchen), register it under their name with a short dedication, and keep or share the certificate. It costs $9.99 and is ready immediately. It is a symbolic act of remembrance: the registry records the exact shade once, but it grants no legal rights, and the name and dedication appear in the public registry, which some families find comforting and others prefer to keep brief.
If you are here because you have lost someone, we are sorry. This page is meant to be practical and plain, because grief does not need a sales pitch.
What naming a color in someone's memory is
It is a small, symbolic act. You choose a shade that reminds you of them, give it their name or a name connected to them, and it is recorded in our registry with the date and an optional dedication. You receive a certificate with the color on it. It does not create anything official or legal, and it is not a substitute for a memorial, a grave marker or a donation in their name. Some people find it a gentle thing to do alongside those.
Choosing the color
There is no right answer. People choose the color of something the person wore, grew, painted, drove or loved. Sometimes it is a color they disliked and joked about. If you have a photo, you can sample the exact shade from it and use that HEX code. If the exact code has been registered already, a code one step away will look the same.
Wording the dedication
Short usually reads best. Dates of birth and death are common; so is a phrase they used to say. Because the dedication appears in the public registry along with the name, some families keep it brief and put the longer words in a card or the memorial itself.
Ways people use the certificate
- Printed and placed in a memory book or beside a photo.
- Shared with family members who live far away, as a downloaded image.
- Framed, using the optional print-ready 8x10 file.
- Given to a grieving friend, as a way of saying you remember the person too.
If you are giving it to someone who is grieving
Consider asking a close family member first, or choosing a color you know the person loved rather than one you associate with them yourself. Give it quietly, with a note, rather than as a big reveal. And be ready for it to land differently on different days.
Color name ideas to get you started
Examples only. Check availability in the claim flow: each exact HEX code can be registered once.
Nana's Hydrangeas
#7D8FC7
Their garden is often where people go first.
Dad's Cardigan
#7A6A55
Ordinary objects carry the most memory.
Always Rosa
#C96F7A
A name and one word can be enough.
Lake House Morning
#9DB8C4
A place you shared.
Choose the shade that brings them back, add a few words, and keep a certificate to print, frame or share with family. $9.99.
Name a color in their memory
Name a color for themFrequently asked questions
Can I name a color after someone who has died?
Yes. You can register a color in their memory with their name and a dedication. It is a symbolic registration with a certificate, not an official or legal designation.
Is a memorial color public?
Yes. Registrations, including the recipient name and dedication, appear in the public registry. Some families keep the dedication short for that reason.
What should I write in a memorial dedication?
Short tends to work best: their dates, a phrase they used, or a single line about what the color means. Longer words can go in a card or the memorial itself.
Is this an appropriate sympathy gift?
It can be, given quietly and with a note, especially if you choose a color the person loved. If you are unsure, ask someone close to the family first.
Can the certificate be printed for a service or memory table?
Yes. It can be printed at home immediately, and the optional print-ready file is sized for an 8x10 frame.
The Official Color Registry is an independent novelty registry. It is not a standards body and is not affiliated with Pantone or any color system. A registration is symbolic and grants no legal ownership, trademark or exclusive rights to a color. Registrations, including the recipient name and dedication, appear in the public registry. How the registry works.