ROYGBIV is an acronym for the visible part of the electromagnetic light spectrum:
A rainbow spans a continuous spectrum of colors; the distinct bands are an artifact of human color vision. In ROYGBIV, the colors are arranged in the order of decreasing wavelengths, with red being 650 nm and violet being about 400 nm. The reverse VIBGYOR is used in many Commonwealth countries.
In Classical Antiquity, Aristotle claimed there was a fundamental scale of seven basic colors. In the Renaissance, several artists tried to establish a new sequence of up to seven primary colors from which all other colors could be mixed. In line with this artistic tradition, Newton divided his color circle, which he constructed to explain additive color mixing, into seven colors.[1] His color sequence including the tertiary color indigo is kept alive today by the Roy G. Biv mnemonic. Originally he used only five colors, but later he added orange and indigo, in order to match the number of musical notes in the major scale.[2][3]
The Munsell color system, the first formal color notation system (1905), names only five "principal hues": red, yellow, green, blue, and purple (although note that Munsell's purple is not a spectral hue).
Another traditional mnemonic device has been to turn the initial letters of seven spectral colors into a sentence. In Britain the most common is "Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain." The mnemonic is said to refer to the defeat and death of Richard, Duke of York at the Battle of Wakefield. In order to avoid reference to this defeat, people from Yorkshire developed the alternative "Rowntrees Of York Gave Best In Value." Alternatively, the biblically inspired "Read Out Your Good Book In Verse" may be used.[4]
"Roygbiv" is a song from Boards of Canada albums Boc Maxima and Music Has the Right to Children, and has been covered many times by electronic dance band STS9.[5]
"Roy G. Biv" is a song from the They Might Be Giants album Here Comes Science. ROY G BIV is a song from 3lbs of Love.
Roy G. Biv was a recurring character in the children's television series Beakman's World, played by Paul Zaloom.
Roy G. Biv was also a pseudonym for the evil mastermind behind the plot of Sam & Max Season One.
Roy-G-BIV was the name of an example character in the Paranoia role-playing game, a pun about the great importance of the seven colors in the game's gameplay.
Roy G. Bivolo is the real name of the supervillain Rainbow Raider an enemy of the Flash (comics) who uses spectral light as his powers.
Roy G. Biv is mentioned in (Rockin') All Nite Long, a song from the YouTube Channel Bad Lip Reading.[6]