Tan is a pale tone of brown. The name is derived from tannum (oak bark) used in the tanning of leather. The first recorded use of tan as a color name in English was in the year 1590. Colors which are similar or may be considered synonymous to tan include: tawny, tenné, and fulvous.

Tan is the color of the United States Army Rangers beret as well as Canada's Canadian Special Operations Regiment and Joint Task Force 2.