Before ultrasounds and blood tests were available, parents relied on old wives’ tales to guess whether they were having a boy or a girl. From cravings and belly shape to mood changes and heart rate, these myths have been passed down for generations.
While none of these tales are scientifically proven, they’re still fun to compare against your pregnancy symptoms. If you’re curious about baby gender and wondering whether you’re having a boy or girl, here are 20 popular old wives’ tales people still love to talk about today.
Key Takeaways
- Old wives’ tales about baby gender have been passed down for generations but are not scientifically proven.
- Popular myths include cravings, bump shape, morning sickness, skin changes, and baby’s heart rate.
- Some traditions focus on pregnancy symptoms, while others involve simple at-home tests.
- While these clues can be entertaining to compare, they cannot reliably predict whether you’re having a boy or a girl.
- Medical testing, ultrasound, and birth remain the only accurate ways to determine a baby’s sex.
Old Wives’ Tales: Are You Having a Boy or a Girl?
These old wives’ tales are based on tradition and folklore, not science, but many parents enjoy seeing which ones seem to match their pregnancy. From cravings and morning sickness to baby’s heart rate and bump shape, these are some of the most popular baby gender myths passed down through generations.
1. Carrying High or Low
You will hear this old wives’ tale repeatedly throughout your pregnancy. According to legend, if you’re carrying high, you’re pregnant with a girl. If you’re carrying low, you’re having a boy.
2. The Shape of Your Bump
This is another one you’re likely to hear often. If you’re carrying all your extra baby weight out front, and it looks like a basketball, it’s a boy. If you’re carrying your pregnancy weight all over, it’s a girl.
3. Moody vs. Mellow
If you’re feeling a little moodier than usual, this might be a sign you’re having a girl because of all the extra female hormones. If you’re more relaxed and mellow, you’re expecting a boy.
Related: Signs You’re Having a Girl: 23 Fun Clues to Look For
4. Are You Craving Sweet or Salty?
This old wives’ tale to predict gender was accurate for me! If you crave sweet things like fruit, chocolate, and desserts, the stork might be bringing you a baby girl. Pregnancy cravings for sour, salty (like pretzels, French fries, and chips), or even protein-rich foods mean it might be a boy.
5. Morning Sickness
Legend predicts that you’re having a girl if you suffer from excessive nausea and morning sickness during your pregnancy. And you will have a boy if you didn’t throw up very much, or at all, during your pregnancy. Unfortunately, this pregnancy symptom doesn’t discriminate and often happens during the early weeks of pregnancy.3
6. Pregnancy Glow?
If people around you comment on how you’re glowing and your complexion is as bright and clear as ever, this might be a sign you’re having a boy. If people are asking if you’re feeling okay or tired and you’re breaking out, you might be having a girl.
Related: Signs You’re Having a Boy: 23 Fun Clues to Look For
7. The Linea Nigra
Some women are surprised to find a “dark line” appearing on their bump called the linea nigra.4 Rumor has it that you’re having a boy if the line continues above your belly button and not just below. If it stops at your belly button and doesn’t continue above, you’re having a girl.
8. The Feel of Your Skin
Supposedly, if your skin is drying out more than usual (you have dry hands), you can expect to have a boy. If your skin is silky smooth, you’re having a girl.
9. Cold Feet?
Are your feet feeling cold now that you’re pregnant? If so, you might be expecting a boy. If your feet are as warm as ever, you might be carrying a girl.
Related: How To Conceive a Certain Gender
10. The Color of Your Urine
This one may sound unusual, but if your pee is brighter yellow than usual, it’s a girl. If it’s dull yellow, it’s a boy. (Obviously, hydration plays a big part in this, but if you’re consistent with your water intake, see if you notice any differences.)
11. The Eye Test
Look into a mirror for about a minute. If you notice your pupils dilating, it means you’re having a boy. If they don’t dilate, it’s a girl.
12. How Does My Hair Look?
Some pregnant women have the most beautiful hair. Many people attribute it to taking prenatal vitamins, but there’s an old wives’ tale that can predict the gender of the baby according to your hair. If your hair becomes thick, full, and glossy, and you look like you stepped out of a Pantene Pro-V commercial, it means you’re carrying a boy. If your hair is dull and limp and hasn’t gotten any thicker, it’s a girl. The same goes for your body hair. If you have thicker and more body hair than usual, you’re having a boy. If it has remained normal, you’re having a girl.
Related: How To Conceive a Girl: Popular Gender Swaying Theories
13. The Ring Test
Out of all the old wives’ tales to predict a baby’s gender, this one is the most fun, in my opinion. 🙂 To perform the ring test, you’ll need a strand of your hair and a ring you regularly wear, like your wedding ring. Tie the strand of hair around your ring and lie down. Have someone dangle the ring over your baby bump and hold it still. If the ring starts to move in circles, you’re having a girl. If the ring swings from side to side like a pendulum, you’re having a boy.
14. The Garlic Test
This test can get stinky, so proceed with caution! If you can eat a lot of garlic but not smell like it, it means you’re carrying a girl. If you eat garlic and the odor seeps out of your pores, you’re having a boy.
15. Clumsiness
Some people are clumsier than others, but if you find yourself clumsier than usual during pregnancy, it’s a boy. If you remain grounded and still in control of your body, it’s a girl.
Related: 8 Foods That May Help You Conceive a Boy
16. One Breast Is Bigger Than the Other
It’s common to have one breast bigger than the other.5 It’s also common for your breasts to get bigger during pregnancy.6 However, during pregnancy, if you notice that your right breast is bigger than the left, you might be having a boy. If your left breast is larger, you might be having a girl.
17. Baby’s Heart Rate
Some say that baby girls have faster heartbeats than baby boys. So, pay extra attention to your baby’s heart rate at your next ultrasound. If the heart beats faster than 140 beats per minute (bpm), it’s a girl. If it’s lower than 140 beats per minute (bpm), it’s a boy. Also, wait until you’re past your first trimester, since many baby boys have higher than 140 bpm in the first trimester. Baby boys’ heartbeats supposedly slow down after that point.
18. Your Blood Pressure
A study found that the higher a pregnant woman’s blood pressure is 26 weeks before she conceived, the more likely she is to have a boy.1 So, if you had a doctor’s appointment before trying to get pregnant, look at the paperwork they gave you and see what they recorded your blood pressure as. It could be a clue to whether you’re having a little girl or boy.
Related: How to Make a Baby: Improving Your Pregnancy Chances
19. Partner’s Weight Gain
If your partner is gaining weight alongside you (also known as “sympathy weight”), that could be a sign that you’re carrying a girl. If his weight stays the same, it’s a boy.
20. Chinese Gender Calendar Myth
The Chinese Gender Calendar is a traditional chart that claims to predict a baby’s gender based on the mother’s age and the month of conception. While many parents enjoy comparing results, it is considered a cultural tradition rather than a scientific method.
If you’re curious, you can explore how it works using our Chinese Gender Predictor and Calendar.
Whether you’re team boy or team girl, these old wives’ tales are a fun way to pass the time during pregnancy. While they can be entertaining to compare, they aren’t reliable ways to predict baby’s gender. For the most accurate answer, talk with your provider about medical testing, ultrasound timing, or simply wait for the sweetest surprise at birth.
