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Boston Blue

#218BAB

Boston Blue is a cool medium color with the hex code #218BAB. This vibrant hue can be represented as RGB 33, 139, 171 in digital design or CMYK 81%, 19%, 0%, 33% for print applications. Find matching Pantone color.

Boston Blue color values

HEX
#218BAB
RGB
33, 139, 171
HSL
194°, 68%, 40%
CMYK
81, 19, 0, 33

Shades & tints

Darker Lighter

About this color

Boston Blue sits at 194° on the color wheel with 68% saturation and 40% lightness, placing it in the cyan segment of the spectrum. At 68% saturation, the hue is fully legible and confident — richly chromatic without tipping into high-contrast territory. Its mid-range lightness positions it as a mid-tone: neither a background color nor a deep accent, but something in between.

In digital environments, Boston Blue is rendered as rgb(33, 139, 171), where the blue channel is highest at 171, anchoring the color in the cool register. The mid-range lightness and strong saturation make this versatile for both foreground and background roles, depending on what it is paired against.

For print, Boston Blue translates to a CMYK breakdown of 81C 19M 0Y 33K. With a moderate key (33%), this color uses black to deepen the chromatic channels rather than replace them, a profile that typically holds up well in both offset and digital print. No brands in the brandkit.pro library currently specify this exact hex as a named brand color.

Color harmonies

Complementary

Split-Complementary

How to use Boston Blue

CSS Variable 

:root {
  --brand-primary: #218BAB;
  --brand-primary-rgb: 33, 139, 171;
}

Define as a CSS custom property for consistent theming across your site.

Tailwind Config 

colors: {
  brand: '#218BAB',
}

Add to your Tailwind config to use classes like bg-brand.

Print Design (CMYK) 

C: 81%
M: 19%
Y: 0%
K: 33%

Use these CMYK values in Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, or print specifications.

RGB for Screens 

rgb(33, 139, 171)
rgba(33, 139, 171, 0.8)

Use RGB notation for compatibility or add alpha channel for transparency.

Brands using similar hue

24 brand s with colors near 194° on the color wheel

Slack logo
Slack
Vimeo logo
Vimeo
Cisco logo
Cisco
Intel logo
Intel

Frequently asked questions

What color is #218BAB?
#218BAB is Boston Blue, a cool medium color with RGB values of 33, 139, 171. It has a hue of 194°, 68% saturation, and 40% lightness in the HSL color space.
What is the RGB value of #218BAB?
The RGB color code for #218BAB is rgb(33, 139, 171). This means it contains 33 red, 139 green, and 171 blue in the RGB color model.
Is Boston Blue a warm or cool color?
Boston Blue (#218BAB) is a cool color with a hue between 120-300° on the color wheel.
How do I use #218BAB in CSS?
You can use #218BAB in CSS with: background-color: #218BAB; or color: #218BAB; or as an RGB value: rgb(33, 139, 171). For print design, use CMYK: 81%, 19%, 0%, 33%.

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