Prince's favorite color enshrined by Pantone

Prince's purple now has an official name.

Pantone Color Institute created the color, inspired by Prince's custom-made purple Yamaha piano, which was scheduled to go on tour with him before he died at his home in Chanhassen in April 2016.

The color most commonly associated with the late megastar will be called "Love Symbol #2," his estate said Monday.

Love Symbol #2 was the name Prince gave to his copyrighted glyph.

"The color purple was synonymous with who Prince was and will always be. This is an incredible way for his legacy to live on forever," Troy Carter, entertainment adviser to Prince's estate, said in a news release.

Often referred to as the "Purple One," his fascination with the color purple was apparent with the release of the 1984 film "Purple Rain," which was largely filmed in the Twin Cities and at First Avenue. The Academy Award-winning soundtrack featured the song of the same name.

In 1993, Prince changed his name to the unpronounceable symbol, later copyrighted as "Love Symbol #2."

"While the spectrum of the color purple will still be used in respect to the 'Purple One,' Love Symbol #2, will be the official color across the brand he left behind," according to the news release. "The color pays tribute to Prince's indelible mark on music, art, fashion and culture."

"We are honored to have worked on the development of Love Symbol #2, a distinctive new purple shade created in memory of Prince," said Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute.

"Long associated with the purple family, Love Symbol #2 enables Prince's unique purple shade to be consistently replicated and maintain the same iconic status as the man himself," Pressman said

Karen Zamora • 612-673-4647