The neckline does not fit as close as a crewneck; it is slightly larger. I suppose one could wear a turtleneck shirt underneath for extra warmth. If worn outdoors, on a windy day, that might be a good idea. The cowlneck fleece top is not meant to fit close to the body, so a shirt underneath would probably not be too warm. You can also fluff the cowl part of the top up a little more; the cowl is a generous size.
I agree with your thoughts about colors. I'm not a fan of "poetic" and/or "whimsical" color names that every person imagines to be something different.