AILSA CHANG, HOST:
There are a lot of artists, singers and writers who make us see the world a little bit differently, but not many who inspire a brand new color.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "PURPLE RAIN")
PRINCE: (Singing) Purple rain, purple rain.
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
That is, of course, the artist formerly known as Prince, sometimes known as an unpronounceable symbol.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "PURPLE RAIN")
PRINCE: (Singing) Purple rain, purple rain.
CHANG: But always he is known as the Purple One. He wore purple, dropped purple and violet into some of his songs. And of course, he made the film, "Purple Rain." And now the late rock star has his own personal hue.
GREENE: That's right. Pantone, the company that has seemingly catalog every imaginable color, says it is naming a shade of purple after Prince.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "PURPLE RAIN")
PRINCE: (Singing) I only wanted to see you underneath the purple rain.
CHANG: It's called Love Symbol #2.
GREENE: Or maybe it's called The Color Formerly Known As Love Symbol #2. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.