diff --git a/components/Message.vue b/components/Message.vue
index 82bc151..71f0e9c 100644
--- a/components/Message.vue
+++ b/components/Message.vue
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 		</div>
 		<div class="message-data">
 			<div class="message-metadata">
-				<span class="message-author-username" tabindex="0">
+				<span class="message-author-username" tabindex="0" :style="`color: ${props.authorColor}`">
 					{{ author?.display_name || author?.username }}
 				</span>
 				<span class="message-date" :title="date.toString()">
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ import { parse } from 'marked';
 import type { MessageProps } from '~/types/props';
 import MessageMedia from './MessageMedia.vue';
 import MessageReply from './UserInterface/MessageReply.vue';
+import generateIrcColor from '~/utils/generateIrcColor';
 
 const props = defineProps<MessageProps>();
 
diff --git a/components/MessageArea.vue b/components/MessageArea.vue
index c91efe8..9a8f17f 100644
--- a/components/MessageArea.vue
+++ b/components/MessageArea.vue
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 				:margin-bottom="(messages[i + 1] && messagesType[messages[i + 1].uuid] == 'normal') ?? false"
 				:last="i == messages.length - 1" :message-id="message.uuid" :author="message.user" :me="me"
 				:message="message" :is-reply="message.reply_to"
+				:author-color="`${generateIrcColor(message.user.uuid)}`"
 				:reply-message="message.reply_to ? getReplyMessage(message.reply_to) : undefined" />
 		</div>
 		<div id="message-box" class="rounded-corners">
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 5d7d19e..42347b1 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@
     "pinia-plugin-persistedstate": "^4.2.0",
     "typescript": "^5.8.3",
     "vue": "^3.5.13",
-    "vue-router": "^4.5.1"
+    "vue-router": "^4.5.1",
+    "xxhash-wasm": "^1.1.0"
   },
   "packageManager": "pnpm@10.11.0",
   "license": "MIT",
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 6a8cf2c..6b461e5 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@ importers:
       vue-router:
         specifier: ^4.5.1
         version: 4.5.1(vue@3.5.13(typescript@5.8.3))
+      xxhash-wasm:
+        specifier: ^1.1.0
+        version: 1.1.0
     devDependencies:
       '@iconify-json/lucide':
         specifier: ^1.2.44
@@ -4744,6 +4747,9 @@ packages:
     engines: {node: '>= 0.10.0'}
     hasBin: true
 
+  xxhash-wasm@1.1.0:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-147y/6YNh+tlp6nd/2pWq38i9h6mz/EuQ6njIrmW8D1BS5nCqs0P6DG+m6zTGnNz5I+uhZ0SHxBs9BsPrwcKDA==}
+
   y18n@5.0.8:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-0pfFzegeDWJHJIAmTLRP2DwHjdF5s7jo9tuztdQxAhINCdvS+3nGINqPd00AphqJR/0LhANUS6/+7SCb98YOfA==}
     engines: {node: '>=10'}
@@ -10146,6 +10152,8 @@ snapshots:
       cssfilter: 0.0.10
     optional: true
 
+  xxhash-wasm@1.1.0: {}
+
   y18n@5.0.8: {}
 
   yallist@3.1.1: {}
diff --git a/types/props.ts b/types/props.ts
index aa6ff0c..fe2b049 100644
--- a/types/props.ts
+++ b/types/props.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ export interface MessageProps {
 	format: "12" | "24",
 	type: "normal" | "grouped",
 	marginBottom: boolean,
+	authorColor: string,
 	last: boolean,
 	messageId: string,
 	replyingTo?: boolean,
diff --git a/utils/generateIrcColor.ts b/utils/generateIrcColor.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..24d4946
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils/generateIrcColor.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import xxhash from "xxhash-wasm"
+
+let h64: CallableFunction;
+(async () => {
+	h64 = (await xxhash()).h64;
+})();
+
+export default (seed: string): string => {
+	const lightness = 50
+	
+	// this should probably be cached eventually
+	const idHash = h64(seed)
+
+	return `hsl(${idHash % 360n}, 100%, ${lightness}%)`
+}
\ No newline at end of file