Gecko
Gecko is a moderately saturated yellow shade with RGB(157, 145, 60) and hex code #9D913C, reading as medium-dark at a glance.
HEX
#9D913C
RGB
157, 145, 60
HSL
53°, 45%, 43%
CMYK
0%, 8%, 62%, 38%
LAB
60, -6, 46
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Description
- •Gecko (#9D913C) is a warm-toned yellow color defined by RGB values of 157, 145, 60 and HSL values of 53 degrees hue, 45% saturation, and 43% lightness. At 43% lightness it appears medium-dark, and its moderately saturated character makes it suitable as a strong accent or brand color. It pairs naturally with its complementary shade #3C489D for high-contrast schemes, or with the analogous tones #789D3C and #9D603C for a more harmonious palette.
Psychology
As a yellow shade, Gecko tends to carry the general associations of that hue family: optimism, caution, and energy. Yellow reflects the most visible light of any hue to the human eye, which is why it is used heavily for warning signs and attention-grabbing accents.
Hue family
yellow
Saturation level
moderately saturated
Lightness level
medium-dark
Temperature
warm
Because Gecko is moderately saturated and medium-dark, it tends to feel calm and unobtrusive in a design context.
Meaning
Within the yellow family, colors like Gecko are commonly associated with optimism, caution, and energy, though exact interpretation depends on cultural context and surrounding design elements.
Hue family
yellow
Common associations
optimism, caution, and energy
Temperature
warm
History
- 1Gecko is a named point in a modern digital color palette rather than a documented historical pigment, but the yellow family it belongs to has a long design history. Yellow reflects the most visible light of any hue to the human eye, which is why it is used heavily for warning signs and attention-grabbing accents.
Color info
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Visual perception
- At HSL(53, 45%, 43%), Gecko has a relative luminance of about 0.28 on a 0-1 scale, which generally poses low risk for common color vision deficiencies, though pairing with sufficient lightness contrast is still recommended.
Technology specific
- Gecko (#9D913C) renders consistently on standard sRGB displays; on wider-gamut or uncalibrated screens, expect minor shifts in perceived saturation. For print reproduction, convert from RGB to CMYK and proof physically, since muted colors like this can shift noticeably between screen and print.
Guidance
Use Gecko with black text for readability (contrast ratio approximately 6.5:1). It is versatile enough to use for larger surfaces such as backgrounds or cards.
Examples
web design
page backgrounds
branding
neutral brand background
UI design
card and panel backgrounds
body text or subtle fill
Purpose
Gecko works well for backgrounds, body text, or supporting UI surfaces where subtlety matters, given its moderately saturated and medium-dark profile.
Benefits
visual contrast
pairs with black text for a WCAG contrast ratio of about 6.5:1
palette flexibility
combines with #3C489D (complementary) and #3C9D91/#913C9D (triadic) for varied schemes
brand consistency
reads as calm and neutral across most screens