Look around right now. Unless you’re in a rave, you’re probably not surrounded by purple. It’s the rarest color in nature. Only 1 in 1,000 species of plants and animals have purple pigmentation. That’s why purple flowers like lavender and violets feel so special—they’re the unicorns of the garden.
But we humans have gone overboard. Purple is the color of cosplay, grape jelly, Barney the Dinosaur, and every other “look at me” thing. It’s also the official color of Mardi Gras, which makes perfect sense because Mardi Gras is basically a giant excuse to wear purple and behave like a pirate.
Purple Color Names
A Few Surprising Facts to Impress Your Friends at Parties
Here’s a quick trivia dump: The Purple Heart medal is actually purple, because the color symbolizes courage and sacrifice. But originally, George Washington invented it as a funny-looking piece of silk to honor brave soldiers. It wasn’t a heart shape until 1932. Also, the purple dye used by ancient Greeks smelled like rotting fish. So, all those emperors walking around smelling like a shrimp boat? Absolutely.
And here’s the kicker: purple is the favorite color of only 6% of people, but it’s the most popular color for superhero costumes (looking at you, Thanos, Wanda, and the Joker). Why? Because purple screams, “I am powerful, but also slightly unstable.” It’s the color of someone who will save the world or set it on fire, and they’ll do it while looking fabulous.
