Create a hexadecimal colour based on a string with JavaScript

I want to create a function that will accept any old string (will usually be a single word) and from that somehow generate a hexadecimal value between #000000 and #FFFFFF, so I can use it as a colour for a HTML element.

Maybe even a shorthand hex value (e.g: #FFF) if that's less complicated. In fact, a colour from a 'web-safe' palette would be ideal.

Here's an adaptation of CD Sanchez' answer that consistently returns a 6-digit colour code:

var stringToColour = function(str) {
  var hash = 0;
  for (var i = 0; i < str.length; i++) {
    hash = str.charCodeAt(i) + ((hash << 5) - hash);
  }
  var colour = '#';
  for (var i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
    var value = (hash >> (i * 8)) & 0xFF;
    colour += ('00' + value.toString(16)).substr(-2);
  }
  return colour;
}

Usage:

stringToColour("greenish");
// -> #9bc63b

Example:

http://jsfiddle.net/sUK45/

(An alternative/simpler solution might involve returning an 'rgb(...)'-style colour code.)

Just porting over the Java from Compute hex color code for an arbitrary string to Javascript:

function hashCode(str) { // java String#hashCode
    var hash = 0;
    for (var i = 0; i < str.length; i++) {
       hash = str.charCodeAt(i) + ((hash << 5) - hash);
    }
    return hash;
} 

function intToRGB(i){
    var c = (i & 0x00FFFFFF)
        .toString(16)
        .toUpperCase();

    return "00000".substring(0, 6 - c.length) + c;
}

To convert you would do:

intToRGB(hashCode(your_string))

I wanted similar richness in colors for HTML elements, I was surprised to find that CSS now supports hsl() colors, so a full solution for me is below:

Also see How to automatically generate N "distinct" colors? for more alternatives more similar to this.

function colorByHashCode(value) {
    return "<span style='color:" + value.getHashCode().intToHSL() + "'>" + value + "</span>";
}
String.prototype.getHashCode = function() {
    var hash = 0;
    if (this.length == 0) return hash;
    for (var i = 0; i < this.length; i++) {
        hash = this.charCodeAt(i) + ((hash << 5) - hash);
        hash = hash & hash; // Convert to 32bit integer
    }
    return hash;
};
Number.prototype.intToHSL = function() {
    var shortened = this % 360;
    return "hsl(" + shortened + ",100%,30%)";
};

document.body.innerHTML = [
  "javascript",
  "is",
  "nice",
].map(colorByHashCode).join("<br/>");

span {
  font-size: 50px;
  font-weight: 800;
}

In HSL its Hue, Saturation, Lightness. So the hue between 0-359 will get all colors, saturation is how rich you want the color, 100% works for me. And Lightness determines the deepness, 50% is normal, 25% is dark colors, 75% is pastel. I have 30% because it fit with my color scheme best.