diff --git a/res/css/views/messages/_SenderProfile.scss b/res/css/views/messages/_SenderProfile.scss
index 060709b82e..a8ebcedc2b 100644
--- a/res/css/views/messages/_SenderProfile.scss
+++ b/res/css/views/messages/_SenderProfile.scss
@@ -13,3 +13,41 @@ WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
+
+.mx_SenderProfile_name {
+    font-weight: 600;
+}
+
+.mx_SenderProfile_color1 {
+    color: #1e7ddc;
+}
+
+.mx_SenderProfile_color2 {
+    color: #a756a8;
+}
+
+.mx_SenderProfile_color3 {
+    color: #7ac9a1;
+}
+
+.mx_SenderProfile_color4 {
+    color: #f2809d;
+}
+
+.mx_SenderProfile_color5 {
+    color: #ffc666;
+}
+
+.mx_SenderProfile_color6 {
+    color: #76ddd7;
+}
+
+.mx_SenderProfile_color7 {
+    color: #45529b;
+}
+
+.mx_SenderProfile_color8 {
+    color: #bfd251;
+}
+
+
diff --git a/res/css/views/rooms/_EventTile.scss b/res/css/views/rooms/_EventTile.scss
index f74e2e0850..52074563f6 100644
--- a/res/css/views/rooms/_EventTile.scss
+++ b/res/css/views/rooms/_EventTile.scss
@@ -55,11 +55,6 @@ limitations under the License.
     line-height: 22px;
 }
 
-.mx_EventTile .mx_SenderProfile .mx_SenderProfile_name,
-.mx_EventTile .mx_SenderProfile .mx_SenderProfile_aux {
-    opacity: 0.5;
-}
-
 .mx_EventTile .mx_SenderProfile .mx_Flair {
     opacity: 0.7;
     margin-left: 5px;
diff --git a/src/PhasedRollOut.js b/src/PhasedRollOut.js
index a9029d07e6..b17ed37974 100644
--- a/src/PhasedRollOut.js
+++ b/src/PhasedRollOut.js
@@ -15,21 +15,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 */
 
 import SdkConfig from './SdkConfig';
-
-function hashCode(str) {
-    let hash = 0;
-    let i;
-    let chr;
-    if (str.length === 0) {
-        return hash;
-    }
-    for (i = 0; i < str.length; i++) {
-        chr = str.charCodeAt(i);
-        hash = ((hash << 5) - hash) + chr;
-        hash |= 0;
-    }
-    return Math.abs(hash);
-}
+import {hashCode} from './utils/FormattingUtils';
 
 export function phasedRollOutExpiredForUser(username, feature, now, rollOutConfig = SdkConfig.get().phasedRollOut) {
     if (!rollOutConfig) {
diff --git a/src/components/views/messages/SenderProfile.js b/src/components/views/messages/SenderProfile.js
index 0f767675e2..a40addf0d1 100644
--- a/src/components/views/messages/SenderProfile.js
+++ b/src/components/views/messages/SenderProfile.js
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import sdk from '../../../index';
 import Flair from '../elements/Flair.js';
 import FlairStore from '../../../stores/FlairStore';
 import { _t } from '../../../languageHandler';
+import {hashCode} from '../../../utils/FormattingUtils';
 
 export default React.createClass({
     displayName: 'SenderProfile',
@@ -96,6 +97,7 @@ export default React.createClass({
     render() {
         const EmojiText = sdk.getComponent('elements.EmojiText');
         const {mxEvent} = this.props;
+        const colorNumber = hashCode(mxEvent.getSender()) % 8;
         const name = mxEvent.sender ? mxEvent.sender.name : mxEvent.getSender();
         const {msgtype} = mxEvent.getContent();
 
@@ -119,7 +121,7 @@ export default React.createClass({
 
         // Name + flair
         const nameFlair = <span>
-            <span className="mx_SenderProfile_name">
+            <span className={`mx_SenderProfile_name mx_SenderProfile_color${colorNumber}`}>
                 { nameElem }
             </span>
             { flair }
diff --git a/src/utils/FormattingUtils.js b/src/utils/FormattingUtils.js
index a27851951f..435b33ac5d 100644
--- a/src/utils/FormattingUtils.js
+++ b/src/utils/FormattingUtils.js
@@ -37,3 +37,24 @@ export function formatCount(count) {
 export function formatCryptoKey(key) {
     return key.match(/.{1,4}/g).join(" ");
 }
+/**
+ * calculates a numeric hash for a given string
+ *
+ * @param {string} str string to hash
+ *
+ * @return {number}
+ */
+export function hashCode(str) {
+    let hash = 0;
+    let i;
+    let chr;
+    if (str.length === 0) {
+        return hash;
+    }
+    for (i = 0; i < str.length; i++) {
+        chr = str.charCodeAt(i);
+        hash = ((hash << 5) - hash) + chr;
+        hash |= 0;
+    }
+    return Math.abs(hash);
+}