Hairline Gender Test & Other Fun Ways To Predict Baby’s Sex

According to Native American folklore, the gender of your next baby can be determined by examining the hairline at the back of your current (or youngest) child’s neck.

A straight hairline supposedly indicates a baby of the same gender, while a pointed hairline indicates your next baby will be the opposite gender.

OBGYN Patricia Santiago-Munoz points out that, “While gender prediction tests may be fun, they certainly aren’t scientifically proven.” 

In my experience, the results of this fun prediction haven’t always been accurate.

However, when you take the results with a grain of salt, it can be fun to give the test a try!

How To Perform the Hairline Gender Test

This gender prediction test is temptingly easy to do! You can do it in just a matter of seconds. 

  1. Find the hairline. Look at the nape (back) of your youngest or current child’s neck, and lift their hair so that you can clearly see their hairline.
  2. Identify the shape of their hairline. Look to see if it goes straight across or comes to a peak in the middle.
  3. Analyze the results!
  • Flat and straight across the back of their neck: You’ll supposedly be welcoming a baby of the same gender.
  • Hairline comes to a point: If their hairline meets in the middle to a point (like a widow’s peak), this signifies that a baby of the opposite gender is on the way.
  • Wavy/somewhere in between: Your child may be too young and have too little hair to do the test.

Hairline Gender Test Accuracy

The test is thought to have originated from a Native American tradition that the sex of your next child can be seen in the hairline of your eldest or current child.

Some mothers on parenting threads and forums have found this hairline test to be correct in predicting their next child’s gender, but there are also many cases where it didn’t prove to be true. 

Accurate? Not so much, but it’s fun to try all the same!

Be mindful and take the results with a grain of salt, but pregnancy is an exciting time, and there is nothing wrong with a little bit of fun! 

Old Wives’ Tales & Other Fun Ways To Predict Gender

There’s no shortage of funny old wives’ tales to have a go at predicting the sex of your next little bundle.

While the fact is that you won’t truly know your baby’s sex until an ultrasound (normally around 20 weeks, it doesn’t hurt to have some fun in the meantime and see if your predictions come true! 

Toddler’s Interest in Baby Bump

You’ll need a little boy for this test!

If your own male toddler (or a friend’s male toddler) has a keen interest in your bump, you’re said to be carrying a girl, but if they show no/little interest, you’re having a boy.

On the flip side, a female toddler will get excited around your bump if you have a boy on the way but will ignore it if the baby’s a girl!

The Key Test

Here’s one for the partner of mom-to-be: Place a regular house door key on a surface (not the floor!), and ask your pregnant partner to pick up the key.

If she picks it up by the round, broad end, a boy’s on the horizon. If she picks up the key by the long, pointy end, you’re having a girl.

Weight Gain Prediction

Moms-to-be with male partners: Have they been piling on some sympathy pounds since your pregnancy began? Or are they slimmer and trimmer than ever?

Apparently, a daddy’s gut signifies a little girl, while a toned bod means a son is in the cards!

The Baking Soda Test

If you’re up for a weird mini-science experiment, collect some of your morning urine in a cup (morning pee is best for this apparently).

Next, mix a little baking soda in with your pee — if it fizzes, it means you’re having a boy, and if there’s no reaction, a girl’s on the way.

Red Cabbage Test

To perform this test, you’ll need some red cabbage and a morning urine sample! 

Begin by boiling a few leaves of red cabbage in a pot of hot water. After a few minutes, let it cool, and then pour the remaining liquid into a clear cup.

Take the sample of your morning urine, and mix equal parts with the cabbage water.

Swirl it around, and look at the color of the liquid.

If the liquid turns more purple, it is said that you are carrying a girl. If the liquid retains its red or pink color, it may be interpreted as a sign of a boy.

The Swinging Necklace or Ring Test

Hold either a necklace or a ring on a string over the pregnant person’s belly.

If the jewelry moves in a circular or swinging motion, it is commonly believed to indicate she is carrying a girl, and a back-and-forth motion can be associated with a boy. 

The Chinese Gender Prediction Test

The Chinese gender prediction test, also known as the Chinese gender calendar or Chinese gender chart, is a traditional method used to predict a baby’s gender based on the mother’s age at conception and the month of conception.

The first step is to find the mother’s lunar age at the time of conception.

This is not the same as the mother’s actual age according to the Western calendar. The lunar age is calculated based on the Chinese lunar calendar.

Next, determine the lunar month in which conception occurred. This is also based on the Chinese lunar calendar, which has 12 lunar months in a year.

Once you have both the mother’s lunar age and the lunar month of conception, refer to the Chinese gender chart.

The chart is typically organized in a grid format with the lunar age on one axis and the lunar month on the other. Cross-reference the mother’s lunar age with the lunar month to find the intersection point on the chart.

The intersection point on the chart will indicate whether the prediction is for a boy or a girl. 

The Mayan Test

The Mayan test uses the mother’s age at conception and the month of conception to predict the baby’s gender.

Consult our Mayan gender prediction chart to find out the gender based on these two factors.

Linea Nigra Test

There are various superstitions and beliefs about the appearance of the linea nigra (the line that often appears on a pregnant woman’s belly) that may be associated with the baby’s gender.

Some people believe that if the linea nigra extends above the navel and reaches higher on the abdomen, it may be associated with carrying a girl.

Conversely, it is believed by some that if the linea nigra remains below the navel and does not extend as high on the abdomen, it may be associated with carrying a boy.

Shape of the Bump Test

The shape of the mama’s bump is often said to be a sign of the gender of her baby.

If the bump is high and round, it may be interpreted as a sign of carrying a girl. In contrast, a low and more pointed bump may suggest a boy.

Skin Changes During Pregnancy

Ever heard of the “pregnancy glow”? Hormones are certainly the root of skin changes during pregnancy. 

Clearer and brighter skin is sometimes seen as a sign of carrying a boy while an increase in acne or skin issues is often associated with carrying a girl. 

Cravings Test

Paying attention to the types of foods a woman craves while pregnant may give you clues as to whether she is carrying a boy or a girl.

A preference for sweet foods may suggest a girl, while cravings for salty or savory foods may indicate a boy.

Dreams Test

The “Dreams test” is an old wives’ tale that suggests that the dreams a pregnant woman has can provide insight into the baby’s gender.

According to the superstition, if a pregnant woman consistently dreams about scenarios involving baby girls, feminine imagery, or anything associated with the color pink, it might be interpreted as a sign that they are carrying a girl.

On the other hand, if the person’s dreams consistently feature baby boys, masculine imagery, or themes related to the color blue, it could be taken as an indication of carrying a boy.

Moody or Calm?

It’s said that increased moodiness may be linked to a girl, while a calmer mood is often associated with a boy.

Hair Growth Test

How is your hair during your pregnancy?

If your hair gets thicker and more lustrous during pregnancy, it can be seen as a sign of carrying a boy.

If your hair seems more dull, limp, and lifeless, you might have a girl! Girls do suck away their mother’s beauty, right? 

Similarly, it is said that if you experience excessive hair growth, especially in places you wouldn’t prefer, you are carrying a boy! 

Heart Rate Test

This wives’ tale is based on the baby’s heart rate as heard during prenatal check-ups.

A faster heart rate might be interpreted as a sign of having a girl, while a slower heart rate is often associated with a boy. 

Morning Sickness

The severity and duration of morning sickness are used to determine the outcome of this test.

More severe morning sickness is commonly associated with a girl, while milder symptoms might suggest a boy.

According to a 2021 study published by the Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics, women carrying a female fetus as opposed to a male fetus “reported a significantly higher frequency of NVP (nausea and vomiting during pregnancy) in their first trimester.”

A pregnant woman in a denim dress holding a question mark sign over her belly.

Baby Gender Prediction Studies 

There are a few ways to predict your baby’s gender that may have a little bit more scientific backing and support.

They include using the weight of your first baby and considering the father’s family history. 

Second Baby Gender Prediction From First Baby

A 2002 Med Hypotheses paper relating to birth weight theorized that the neonatal weight of your first child may indicate the gender of your second child.

In data taken from 227 healthy mothers, the probability of giving birth to a boy in the second pregnancy was said to be higher if their first-born was relatively heavy.

However, this relationship is reportedly only significant “after a first-born daughter, not a first-born son.”

In the meantime, certain studies have found factors in the father’s family history to potentially play a part in baby gender prediction.

A 2020 research paper published by Newcastle University, UK found that a father with many brothers was more likely to have male children, and many sisters meant a higher likelihood of having baby girls.

How To Know Baby Gender Without Ultrasound

For parents who can’t wait until the 12-week ultrasound scan to find out the gender, many are turning to early at-home gender tests.

Both of these tests are said to accurately predict the gender between 6 and 9 weeks and can be done in the privacy and comfort of your own home.

They both require you to collect a maternal blood sample and send it to a lab for testing and analysis. 

In the lab, the fetal DNA in the mother’s blood is analyzed for Y chromosomes.

If any male Y chromosomes are found, the baby is a boy. If none are found, you’re having a girl.

Be sure to check out my full comparison of these popular tests.

Sneak Peek Gender Test

This is the #1 gender prediction test recommended by OBGYNs. It claims 99.9% accuracy and even guarantees your money back if the test is inaccurate.

There are a few different test options to choose from that vary in price, contamination risk, and speed.

Each of the tests, however, has a very low (if any) risk of contamination, meaning your sample is not likely to be affected by human error that could make the results inaccurate. 

Peekaboo Gender Test

This is a more budget-friendly option that has a similar accuracy rate.

You can use this test as early as 6 weeks and have your test results just 1-2 business days after the lab has received the sample. 

Unlike the Sneak Peek test, however, Peekaboo does not offer your money back for inaccurate results.

Also, according to the reviews, the collection process can be a bit tricky, and there is a lot of potential for human error that can invalidate the results.