 In the early years of the breed through to the mid @-@ 20th century , Labradors of a shade we would now call " yellow " were in fact a dark , almost butterscotch , colour ( visible in early yellow Labrador photographs ) . The shade was known as " Golden " until required to be changed by the UK Kennel Club , on the grounds that " Gold " was not actually a color . Over the 20th century a preference for far lighter shades of yellow through to cream prevailed , until today most yellow Labradors are of this shade . Also fawn has been a common colour in the yellow lab variety . 
