What Was the Pantone Color of the Year When You Were Born? Anna LoganSeptember 14, 2025 at 6:30 PM 1 A Look Back at Pantone's Colors of the Year Becky LuigartStayner for Country Living You may know your zodiac sign, but do you know the official color of the year you were born? Probably not.
- - What Was the Pantone Color of the Year When You Were Born?
Anna LoganSeptember 14, 2025 at 6:30 PM
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A Look Back at Pantone's Colors of the Year Becky Luigart-Stayner for Country Living
You may know your zodiac sign, but do you know the official color of the year you were born? Probably not. These days, it seems every company even remotely adjacent to color or design trend forecasting releases its own "Color of the Year." But for the past few decades there's only one color company whose trend forecast looms large in the minds (and wallets) of everyday Americans: Pantone.
Founded by New Jersey-born Lawrence Herbert in the early 1960s, Pantone has cornered the market on any and all "Color of the Year" forecasts. Thanks to the Pantone Color Institute, which was founded in 1986, it has expanded beyond its original ink business and built out a color authority with no rival. Pantone has been happily handing out a color trend report each December for many, many years. While we wait in anticipation of this year's 2026 release in just a few short months, I'm rounding up every color the institute has ever released as their Color of the Year. Search through to find the one that matches your birth year!
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2025: Mocha Mousse
Pantone's most recent Color of the Year (aka, COTY) is a soft, warm brown with subtle peachy undertones. "It nurtures us with its suggestion of the delectable qualities of chocolate and coffee, answering our desire for comfort," Pantone said in their release. We love it on a door or in a sun-lit bedroom.
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Courtesy Pantone
2024: Peach Fuzz
In 2024, Pantone channeled a subdued peach for its color celebration. "In seeking a hue that echoes our innate yearning for closeness and connection, we chose a color radiant with warmth and modern elegance. A shade that resonates with compassion, offers a tactile embrace, and effortlessly bridges the youthful with the timeless," said Leatrice Eiseman, the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. Interior designers love peach for its universally flattering glow, which makes it a great choice for almost any room in your home.
Courtesy Pantone
2023: Viva Magenta
2023 saw a return to the nostalgic hot pinks Pantone kicked off their Color of the Year lists with (more on them below). Viva Magenta is a true magenta, a perfect blend of purple-pinks and true reds. "Rooted in the primordial, PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta reconnects us to original matter," said Leatrice. "Invoking the forces of nature, PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta galvanizes our spirit, helping us to build our inner strength."
Courtesy Pantone
2022: Very Peri
Lauded as a novel take on blue—which you'll see is a go-to for the crew at Pantone when choosing a COTY—Very Peri feels, as the name suggests, periwinkle. "Very Peri displays a spritely, joyous attitude and dynamic presence that encourages courageous creativity and imaginative expressions," says Leatrice. Purple is notoriously a polarizing paint color but makes a sweet highlight shade in children's rooms or playrooms.
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2021: Ultimate Gray and Illuminating
Pantone's choice for 2021's Color of the Year was a little divisive—going for a subdued gray shade for the first time in their history. They paired it with a snappy yellow, Illuminating, to bring levity to the paired-down palette. "Practical and rock solid but at the same time warming and optimistic, this is a color combination that gives us resilience and hope," says Leatrice.
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Courtesy Pantone
2020: Classic Blue
A return to the, well, classics was the driving force behind Pantone's choice of Classic Blue in 2020. Leatrice described this shade as a "solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on," and we couldn't agree more.
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Courtesy Pantone
2019: Living Coral
Described by Pantone as "life-affirming," this cheery, nature-inspired shade is full of the poppy optimism that defined 2019. Pair it with olive greens, mauve, or soft purples to create a cohesive palette sure to wow.
Courtesy Pantone
2018: Ultra Violet
The language around Ultra Violet's introduction as the 2018 COTY invoked space, exploration, and out-of-this-world creativity. Soft greens, shades of melon, and warm copper tones are a great way to bring this celestial shade down to earth.
Courtesy Pantone
2017: Greenery
You could argue that the late 2010s's and early 2020s's obsession with all things green started here, with Pantone's Greenery in 2017. Softer than the popular verdant shades that followed, this foamy, yellow-green is bright and effervescent. At the time, Leatrice said this shade was meant to "provide us with the reassurance we yearn for amid a tumultuous social and political environment" by "satisfying our growing desire to rejuvenate and revitalize."
RELATED: These Are the Green Paint Colors Designers Use Again and Again
Courtesy Pantone
2016: Rose Quartz and Serenity
2015 marked the first year that Pantone did a two-color announcement. The two shades, this sleepy ballet-slipper pink and a soft periwinkle blue, were chosen to promote relaxation and mindfulness. Together, they make a great example of how to do contrast trim with Rose Quartz walls and Serenity trim.
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Courtesy Pantone
2015: Marsala
A rich, ruddy brown, Marsala was seen as a welcome departure from the vibrant hues of the early 2010s. Its subtle red undertones give the shade a grounded feel, making it the perfect choice for virtually any room.
Courtesy Pantone
2014: Radiant Orchid
Touted as a color that would "enliven the skin, making all who wear it feel more healthy and energetic," 2014's Radiant Orchid is a poppy-yet-soft purple-pink. Pantone recommended pairing it with beige, gray, or taupe.
Courtesy Pantone
2013: Emerald
2013 marked the first year that Pantone went with a verdant shade as their COTY. Emerald, as the name suggests, is a strong green and was chosen to enhance "our sense of well-being further by inspiring insight as well as promoting balance and harmony." It's no secret that green looks great in a kitchen, but we could totally see this in a high-gloss finish in a mudroom as well.
RELATED: These Are the Best Green Paint Colors for Your Kitchen, According to Designers
Courtesy Pantone
2012: Tangerine Tango
2012's Tangerine Tango is a middle-of-the-road orange with slight red undertones. "Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy," said Leatrice.
Courtesy Pantone
2011: Honeysuckle
Ten years on from the first poppy pink that was introduced by Pantone (see below), Honeysuckle offered a bold-yet-subdued take on the shade. Dubbed a "dynamic reddish pink" by Pantone, Honeysuckle is meant to elevate "our psyche beyond escape, instilling the confidence, courage and spirit to meet the exhaustive challenges that have become part of everyday life."
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Courtesy Pantone
2010: Turquoise
Pantone started the 2010s off with this cheery, tropical-inspired shade. Pantone chose it to create a "comforting escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of wellbeing." This shade would be great in a beach house!
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Courtesy Pantone
2009: Mimosa
The first yellow in Pantone's forecast, Mimosa is positively sunny. Bolder than butter yellow, this mid-tone yellow feels more in keeping with the '70s trend we've been seeing so much of lately.
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Courtesy Pantone
2008: Blue Iris
Deeper than periwinkle, this blue-purple is very similar to 2022's Very Peri. "Blue Iris brings together the dependable aspect of blue, underscored by a strong, soul-searching purple cast," said Leatrice. "Emotionally, it is anchoring and meditative with a touch of magic." Leatrice recommended pairing Blue Iris with deeper shades of purple-reds such as plum or grape.
Courtesy Pantone
2007: Chili Pepper
A bold red with just a hint of purple, Chili Pepper personifies the late 2000s. (Just think about all those Tuscan-style kitchens with red backdrops!) These days, it would look great in a high-gloss finish on a ceiling or in a sleek powder bath.
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Courtesy Pantone
2006: Sand Dollar
Sand Dollar, the 2006 COTY, was a major departure from the deeply saturated colors of the six previous years. A grounded, warm neutral, Sand Dollar is a great choice for just about any space in your home.
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Courtesy Pantone
2005: Blue Turquoise
When Pantone picks a shade they like, they stick with it. Blue Turquoise was the third blue shade in the first six years and the first of two shades named "turquoise" on their list. While a turquoise-adjacent shade hasn't been on their list in 15 years, I wouldn't be surprised if it makes a comeback in the 2020s.
RELATED: These Are the Best Blue Paint Shades, According to Designers
Courtesy Pantone
2004: Tigerlily
Pantone's 2004 COTY, Tigerlily, is a creamy take on a classic orange. Invigorating but still subdued, this shade is more orange than 2012's Tangerine Tango.
Courtesy Pantone
2003: Aqua Sky
Any girl who grew up in the early 2000s knows that this bright aqua blue was the *it* shade. Somewhere between a duck egg and a true aqua, the subtle green undertones add depth to this happy hue.
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Courtesy Pantone
2002: True Red
It seems the unexpected red theory was a thing even back in 2002. Like the name suggests, this shade is a classic red without any overly blue or orange undertones. Use it on a front door for a classic Americana feel.
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Courtesy Pantone
2001: Fuchsia Rose
The first of many pinks, 2001's Color of the Year was the deep, but still bright, berry-pink shade of Fuchsia Rose. Pair it with other jewel tones to craft a sophisticated palette.
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Courtesy Pantone
2000: Cerulean
The first official color of the year, Cerulean, was a soft sky shade with hints of periwinkle undertones. Meant to promote peace and relaxation, this classic blue was also dubbed the "Color of the Millennium."
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Courtesy Pantone
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