Just for fun
Baby Gender Quiz: 10 Old Wives’ Tales, Just for Fun
Ten old wives' tales, one guess. Answer them all and see which way the folklore points — while being clear that it cannot actually tell you anything about your baby.
Before you play
What these tales are, and what they aren't
Every question in the quiz is a folk belief that has been passed around for generations. Some are harmless fun, some contradict each other, and none of them have any established link to a baby's sex.
| Question | The honest answer |
|---|---|
| Do any of them work? | No. There is no established relationship between cravings, carrying position, skin, hair, mood or a ring on a string, and whether you are having a boy or a girl. Where studies have looked, guesses land close to a coin toss. |
| Why do people still do them? | Because they are fun, because they are a way of talking about a pregnancy, and because a guess that feels right is memorable. That's a good reason to take a quiz. It isn't a reason to trust it. |
| Are the tales consistent? | Barely. Even the ring test disagrees with itself about which direction means which. We picked a direction for each so the quiz can score, not because one is correct. |
| Can I use this to plan? | No. Please don't paint a nursery or buy clothes on the strength of this. If you want to know, ask your provider about a scan or a test — those are the only things that can tell you. |
A game, not a diagnosis
Am I having a boy or a girl?
Answer ten old wives' tales and see which way the folklore points. Before you start, one thing worth saying plainly: none of these tales can tell you your baby's sex. They are beliefs people have passed around for generations, and several of them contradict each other. That's the fun. It isn't information.
All ten tales, and what they actually claim
If you would rather read than answer, here is every tale in the quiz with the belief explained and the honest verdict on it.
Sweet or salty cravings
The belief is that craving sweet things means a girl, and salty or sour means a boy. Cravings are real and common in pregnancy — there is just no established link between what you crave and your baby's sex.
Sweet = girl · salty or sour = boy
Carrying high or low
That carrying high means a girl and low means a boy. How you carry has far more to do with your height, your torso length and your baby's position than with sex.
High = girl · low = boy
Morning sickness
Severe sickness is popularly said to mean a girl. Morning sickness varies enormously between pregnancies and people, and it is not a reliable indicator of sex.
Severe = girl · mild = boy
Skin and breakouts
That acne means a girl and a clear glow means a boy. Pregnancy hormones genuinely affect skin — the direction they push you says nothing about your baby.
Breakouts = girl · clear = boy
Hair thickness
Thicker, shinier hair is said to mean a boy; dull or thinning hair, a girl. Hormones do change hair growth, but not according to sex.
Thicker = boy · thinner = girl
Mood and irritability
That carrying a girl makes you more irritable. Mood changes in pregnancy are common and real; attributing them to your baby's sex is folklore.
More irritable = girl · calmer = boy
The ring on a string
A ring suspended over your bump — circles are said to mean one sex, side to side the other. Sources disagree about which is which, which tells you how much weight to give it.
Circles = boy · side to side = girl
Skull theory
Reading skull shape on a scan: rounder is said to mean a girl, squarer a boy. This is not a diagnostic method and sonographers do not use it.
Round = girl · squared = boy
Chinese gender calendar
A traditional chart predicting sex from the mother's age and month of conception. It is a cultural artefact with a long history, not a predictive tool.
Predicted per chart entry
Parental intuition
The sense that you already know. Studies suggest parents guess slightly better than chance — most likely reflecting how much you have been paying attention rather than any signal.
Whatever you think
If you genuinely want to know your baby's sex, ask your midwife or doctor about an ultrasound, NIPT, amniocentesis or CVS. Those are the only methods that can tell you, and they carry their own considerations your provider will explain.
The useful part
Boy or girl, it's the same list
This is the one genuinely useful thing a gender quiz can tell you: almost nothing you need changes based on your baby's sex. The big purchases — the car seat, the stroller, the bassinet — are identical either way. That means you can shop now without waiting to find out, and without guessing.
- Infant car seatThe one purchase where fit matters most. A seat that does not fit your car is not a safe seat.Check Price
- StrollerChoose it around your car boot and your front door, not the other way round.Check Price
- BassinetCheck the mattress pad actually fits the model before you buy sheets for it.Check Price
- Diaper bagYou will open it one-handed while holding a baby. Test that in the shop.Check Price
- Nursing pillowUseful for whoever is doing the feeding, and for propping during the night.Check Price
- Sound machineThe least controversial baby purchase there is. Nearly every parent ends up with one.Check Price
If you are building a registry rather than shopping, the registry checklist covers all 118 items by stage and priority — and you can copy the finished list straight into Amazon, Babylist or Target.
If you really want to know
How people actually find out
This quiz cannot tell you. These are the methods that can, listed so you know they exist and can ask the right questions — your provider is the person who should explain them, including timing, accuracy and what each one involves.
| Method | Typically |
|---|---|
| Ultrasound | Usually from around the anatomy scan in the second trimester, though it can sometimes be seen earlier. Accuracy depends on how clear the view is and the position of the baby. |
| NIPT (cell-free DNA) | A blood test, generally offered from around 10 weeks. It screens for certain chromosomal conditions and can also report fetal sex. Not offered universally — eligibility varies. |
| Amniocentesis / CVS | Diagnostic tests that use a sample of amniotic fluid or placental tissue. These carry small but real risks, which is why they are offered for specific clinical reasons rather than for finding out the sex. |
Not medical advice, and nothing here is a recommendation. Whether any of these is appropriate for you, and when, is a conversation with your midwife, doctor or provider.
Questions
Gender quiz questions, answered
Can a gender quiz actually predict my baby's sex?
No. The quiz scores ten old wives' tales, and none of those tales have any established connection to a baby's sex. It is a game. The only things that can tell you are an ultrasound, NIPT, amniocentesis or CVS, and your provider is the person to ask about those.
When can you find out the sex of a baby?
It varies by method. NIPT can report sex from around 10 weeks. An ultrasound often gives an answer around the anatomy scan in the second trimester, though it depends on the view. Your provider will tell you what is offered and when in your case.
Does carrying high mean a girl?
That is the folklore, and it is not backed by evidence. How you carry is influenced far more by your height, the length of your torso, your muscle tone and how your baby is lying than by sex.
Does morning sickness mean a girl?
No. Morning sickness is common and varies enormously between pregnancies and individuals. There is no reliable relationship between how sick you feel and your baby's sex. If sickness is severe, that is worth raising with your provider for your own sake, not as a clue.
What is the ring on a string test?
A folk test where a ring or needle on a string is held over the bump and the direction it swings is said to predict sex. Sources disagree about which direction means which, and there is no evidence it works.
Is the Chinese gender calendar accurate?
It is a traditional chart predicting sex from the mother's age and month of conception. It has a long cultural history, but it is not a predictive tool and there is no evidence it performs better than chance.
Next
More useful than guessing
Whenever you find out — or decide not to — these are the things that actually need deciding before a baby arrives.