Colorants (both dyes and pigments) are listed according to Colour Index Generic Names and Colour Index Constitution Numbers. These numbers are prefixed with C.I. or CI. For example, Copper Chromite Black Spinel has the CI Constitution Number of 77428 and the CI Generic Name is Pigment Black 28. With pigments, the CI Generic Name is used more often than the 5-digit CI Constitution Number.
Colour Index International is a reference database jointly maintained by the Society of Dyers and Colourists and the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists. It was first printed in 1925 but is now published exclusively on the web. The index serves as a common reference database of manufactured color products and is used by manufacturers and consumers.