It is one of the less vibrant shades of blue, and is usually identified as a blue-gray color.

The first recorded use of steel blue as a color name in English was in 1817.

At right is displayed the web color light steel blue, a light tint of steel blue.

At right is displayed the color that is called "steel blue" in Crayola crayons.

Steel blue has been a Crayola Metallic FX color since 2001.