diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/template_dialog.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/template_dialog.py
index 9b31c3c929..f02678363b 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/template_dialog.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/template_dialog.py
@@ -207,10 +207,15 @@ class TemplateDialog(QDialog, Ui_TemplateDialog):
             cols = sorted([k for k in displayable_columns(fm)])
             self.colored_field.addItems(cols)
             self.colored_field.setCurrentIndex(self.colored_field.findText(color_field))
+            colors = QColor.colorNames()
+            colors.sort()
+            self.color_name.addItems(colors)
         else:
             self.colored_field.setVisible(False)
             self.colored_field_label.setVisible(False)
-
+            self.color_chooser_label.setVisible(False)
+            self.color_name.setVisible(False)
+            self.color_copy_button.setVisible(False)
         if mi:
             self.mi = mi
         else:
@@ -235,6 +240,7 @@ class TemplateDialog(QDialog, Ui_TemplateDialog):
             self.textbox.setPlainText(text)
         self.buttonBox.button(QDialogButtonBox.Ok).setText(_('&OK'))
         self.buttonBox.button(QDialogButtonBox.Cancel).setText(_('&Cancel'))
+        self.color_copy_button.clicked.connect(self.color_to_clipboard)
 
         try:
             with open(P('template-functions.json'), 'rb') as f:
@@ -263,6 +269,11 @@ class TemplateDialog(QDialog, Ui_TemplateDialog):
                 '<a href="http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/template_ref.html">'
                 '%s</a>'%tt)
 
+    def color_to_clipboard(self):
+        app = QApplication.instance()
+        c = app.clipboard()
+        c.setText(unicode(self.color_name.currentText()))
+
     def textbox_changed(self):
         cur_text = unicode(self.textbox.toPlainText())
         if self.last_text != cur_text:
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/template_dialog.ui b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/template_dialog.ui
index 674100fe04..9037e70b94 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/template_dialog.ui
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/template_dialog.ui
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@
   </property>
   <layout class="QVBoxLayout" name="verticalLayout">
    <item>
-    <layout class="QHBoxLayout">
-     <item>
+    <layout class="QGridLayout">
+     <item row="0" column="0">
       <widget class="QLabel" name="colored_field_label">
        <property name="text">
         <string>Set the color of the column:</string>
@@ -32,10 +32,35 @@
        </property>
       </widget>
      </item>
-     <item>
+     <item row="0" column="1">
       <widget class="QComboBox" name="colored_field">
       </widget>
      </item>
+     <item row="1" column="0">
+      <widget class="QLabel" name="color_chooser_label">
+       <property name="text">
+        <string>Copy a color name to the clipboard:</string>
+       </property>
+       <property name="buddy">
+        <cstring>color_name</cstring>
+       </property>
+      </widget>
+     </item>
+     <item row="1" column="1">
+      <widget class="QComboBox" name="color_name">
+      </widget>
+     </item>
+     <item row="1" column="2">
+      <widget class="QToolButton" name="color_copy_button">
+       <property name="icon">
+        <iconset resource="../../../../resources/images.qrc">
+         <normaloff>:/images/edit-copy.png</normaloff>:/images/edit-copy.png</iconset>
+       </property>
+       <property name="toolTip">
+        <string>Copy the selected color name to the clipboard</string>
+       </property>
+      </widget>
+     </item>
     </layout>
    </item>
    <item>