“What’s your favorite color?” is a question that never goes out of style. The answer varies greatly depending on the person, so how can the most popular color in the world be determined?
As it turns out, the world’s most popular color is clear because a large percentage of people share the same favorite color. However, it’s more than just a pleasant hue because there’s some research to back it up!
The World’s Most Popular Color
Several studies revealed that the most popular color in the world is blue. The only studies that showed different results still ended up with a type of blue, such as teal.
Most people in the world seem to love blue, no matter where they live. Many people also consider blue their favorite color. Blue used to be thought of as a “boy color,” but now it’s more complex than that, and all genders seem to favor it.
At first, it didn’t seem possible to confirm that blue is most popular, but researchers determined a few explanations as to why people are so drawn to the color.
Why Is Blue So Popular?
A person’s favorite color is often chosen because they associate that color with good things. For example, someone who likes the sunshine might favor the color yellow. People who adore nature might choose green. However, the same is true for the opposite. If people associate a color with something unpleasant, they’re less likely to feel drawn to that color.
So, one of the reasons blue is so popular is because there are very few negative things that are blue. When people think of blue, they think of the sky and water, which are positive aspects that we see all around us. Other items that are blue, such as denim or pens, are neutral to most people, so they don’t make people like the color any less.
With many colors, there are cultural differences in their meanings, so a color that may evoke positive emotions in one region could evoke negative ones elsewhere. Yet, blue is consistent across the world. We all experience the sky and water similarly, so most people see blue as a calming color, no matter where they live. Blue is also a sign of trust, loyalty, and security.
Anything negative that has a blue tint isn’t focused on because it’s usually paired with other colors. For example, bruises are mostly blue, but they also have hints of other colors like purple and yellow in them. Blue mold often looks more green than blue. So, it’s rare that someone would associate blue with a negative meaning, which is why it’s so popular.
Influencing Someone’s Favorite Color
Using that information about blue, researchers did a study in 2013 to see if associations could change someone’s color preferences. They showed two groups of people red and green objects. One group saw positive red images, such as roses and strawberries, and negative green objects, like vomit and boogers. The other group saw negative red images, like blood and wounds, and positive green images, such as plants and kiwis.
As expected, people favored the color they saw more positive images of. However, those opinions were only temporary. The next day, the people went back to having the same favorite colors as before, regardless of the images they were shown during the study. While the results weren’t permanent, they proved that association can affect someone’s view on colors temporarily.
Is Blue’s Popularity Related to Its Rarity?
Blue may be one of the primary colors on the RYB and RGB color model, but it’s actually the rarest naturally-occurring color. There are very few plants and animals that appear blue naturally, and the animals that appear blue often don’t contain a blue pigment. Instead, they appear blue due to the physics of light. These light tricks are difficult to achieve, which is why so few plants and animals are blue. You may also notice that food is rarely blue naturally.
It’s unclear if blue’s rarity in nature affects its popularity, but there’s a chance it does. Many people are drawn to things they don’t see often. For example, we see green plants all the time, so we’re not as excited to see something green in a garden as we are to see something pink or purple. Blue could be the same way since seeing naturally blue objects is a rare occurrence.
What Other Colors Are Popular in the World?
Other than blue, the two most favorable colors are green and purple. Both colors are calming and are rarely associated with bad things.
Green
Green is most commonly associated with nature, health, luck, and money. Even though it can be seen as sickly or envious in certain shades, those aren’t the first things people think of when looking at this color. Green symbolizes harmony, safety, and growth, and it’s especially positive when mixed with blue.
Purple
Purple is a unique color that’s not used as often as the other colors of the rainbow, but that’s what makes it special. Many people value its creativity and uniqueness. It’s sometimes viewed as a luxurious color, and it’s a symbol of royalty, imagination, and mystery.
Other Popular Colors
The other most popular colors aren’t always consistent. It’s suggested that colors like red and orange are favorable because they’re vibrant and full of energy. However, red is sometimes associated with violence and anger, making it not desirable for everyone. Orange can be too overwhelming for many people, making it unable to compete with calming hues like blue.
So, even though these are a few other consistently popular colors, they don’t compare to blue because they have both positive and negative meanings associated with them while blue is mostly a positive color.
Does the Most Popular Color Ever Change?
Overall, the most popular color rarely changes. However, seasons and events can affect which colors are perceived positively. The time of year is a big factor when it comes to popular colors.
During most of the year, colors like golden yellows, dark reds, and browns aren’t favorable. Yet, during autumn, many of those colors are popular since they’re associated with the beautiful colors of the changing leaves and festive activities.
Another example is during elections. Both parties seem to favor the color blue the majority of the time, but when an election is coming up, Republicans favor the color red since it’s associated with their party.
Throughout the decades, popular colors have fluctuated a lot as well. In the early 1900s, neutral colors and toned-down primary colors were prevalent, but as color became more important in life, more vibrant colors entered the spotlight. Today, the most popular colors are a mix of modern neutrals and pastel colors, but those will change with the trends each year.
Blue remains a popular color through every season and event, but the other most popular colors may vary depending on what’s going on in the world.
Most Popular Colors for Various Objects
The most popular color overall differs from the most popular color in various categories. So, let’s compare the most popular colors for certain objects.
Cars
The most popular car color is white, followed by black, gray, silver, and then blue. Blue is the most popular vibrant color for cars, but it can’t compete with the neutral colors that rank above it. People lean toward simple colors for cars because they’re practical and go with everything. Many people don’t like their cars to stand out in a crowd, and neutral colors are also the easiest to find for sale.
Phones
Phone colors are similar to car colors because people prefer neutral colors. Black is the most common phone color, followed by white. Even with so many phone case options, people still choose to keep their phone a simple color. Yet, many people use phone colors and phone cases to express themselves, so the color of your phone could say a lot about you.
Eyes
Even though brown is by far the most common eye color in the world, it’s not the most popular. When it comes to eye color preferences and buying colored contacts, people tend to favor blue over any other color. Not only is blue a favorite color for many, but it’s more desirable for eye color because it’s not seen as often. Blue eyes are something positive associated with the color blue, so they’re another example of why blue is the world’s most popular color.
Hair
Black is the most common hair color, but like eye color, people favor less popular colors instead. For example, people looking to dye their hair are more likely to turn to blonde or a type of red-brown rather than black or brown. However, hair color trends are constantly changing, and people looking to dye their hair will usually be most intrigued by colors that are very different than their natural hair color.
Interior Paint
Paint color trends are constantly changing, but interior colors usually lean toward neutral or pale colors since those are the easiest to look at. Some of the most popular interior paint colors include white, gray, and beige. However, unique colors like pale blue and pale green are increasing in popularity because they’re colorful while still feeling calm.
Exterior Paint
Like interior paint, the trends for exterior paint on a house are constantly changing too. Various blues, grays, and browns seem to consistently be some of the most popular house colors in recent years, but it all depends on what type of look the owner is going for. People who want something simple and classic will be drawn to neutral colors while people hoping to stand out will favor vibrant ones.
All Colors Are Favored by Someone
Even though blue is always the most popular color overall, popular colors can vary based on certain seasons, events, and objects. All colors can evoke positive and negative emotions in certain scenarios, so it’s normal for popular colors to change slightly as time goes on.
Yet, no matter what colors are at the top of the list, all colors will be special. After all, every color is a favorite for someone, even if it’s not a popular choice for the general public. So, embrace your favorite color because the colors we admire can bring a lot of joy and excitement into our lives.
