Height Predictor Calculator

Will You Be Taller Than Your Parents? The “Height Predictor Calculator” Reveals Your Genetic Destiny

It is the question every teenager asks while looking in the mirror. It is the question every parent asks while marking a doorframe with a pencil.

How tall will I be?

Height is one of the few physical traits that feels like a lottery. We know it comes from our parents, but the math seems mysterious. Why are some siblings taller than others? Why do two short parents sometimes have a basketball player for a son?

While environment (diet, sleep) plays a role, roughly 80% of your height is determined by genetics.

We built the Height predictor calculator (above) to decode that genetic lottery. It uses the “Mid-Parental Method”—the gold standard formula used by pediatricians and endocrinologists worldwide—to give you a scientifically accurate glimpse into your future.

How Doctors Predict Your Height (The Science)

There are many old wives’ tales about predicting height (like the “double your height at age 2” rule), but the most reliable method for adults and older children relies on Target Height.

This formula works because height is “polygenic”—meaning it is influenced by hundreds of different genes inherited from both the mother and father.

The Mid-Parental Formula:

• For Boys: (Mother’s Height + Father’s Height + 13 cm) ÷ 2
• For Girls: (Mother’s Height + Father’s Height – 13 cm) ÷ 2

Why 13 cm (or 5 inches)? This is the average statistical difference in height between adult males and adult females due to hormonal differences (testosterone vs. estrogen) during puberty.

How to Use the Calculator

This tool acts as your personal geneticist.

Step 1: Choose Your Units Are you a “5 foot 10” person or a “178 cm” person? Use the toggle at the top to switch between Imperial and Metric.

Step 2: Input Parental Data Be accurate.

• Father’s Height: If you don’t know the exact number, an estimate works, but it will widen the margin of error.
• Mother’s Height: Enter her height.

Step 3: Select Gender This applies the “+5 inches” or “-5 inches” adjustment mentioned above.

Step 4: Predict Hit “Predict Future Height.” The calculator will generate a visual graph comparing the parents to the predicted child.

• The Center Bar: This is your “Genetic Target.”
• The Range: You will see a range (e.g., 5’9″ – 6’1″). Most people fall within 2 inches of their target height.

Can You Beat Your Genetics?

If the calculator gives you a number you aren’t happy with, don’t panic. You have a ±2-inch margin of influence.

While you cannot change your DNA, you can maximize your potential within that range. This is where lifestyle factors come in.

1. Sleep is King Human Growth Hormone (HGH) is pulsatile—it is released in waves. The biggest wave happens during Deep Sleep. If you sleep 5 hours a night as a teenager, you are literally suppressing the hormone that makes you grow.

2. The Protein Factor Bones need calcium, but they also need a collagen matrix to grow. Protein provides the amino acids for this. Malnutrition is the #1 reason people don’t reach their genetic height potential.

3. Avoid “Growth Stunters”

• Steroids: Anabolic steroids can fuse growth plates prematurely.
• Severe Caloric Deficit: Eating disorders or extreme dieting during puberty signals the body to conserve energy rather than grow.

[Image Description: A “Growth Hierarchy” pyramid diagram. Base: Genetics (80%). Middle: Nutrition. Top: Sleep.]

The “Late Bloomer” Exception

There is one variable the calculator cannot see: Bone Age.

Some people have “Constitutional Delay.” This means their bone age is younger than their chronological age. They are the kids who are short in middle school but have a massive growth spurt in college. If your parents were late bloomers, you likely will be too.

The Verdict

Height is largely written in your code, but it isn’t fully compiled until you turn ~20.

Use the Height predictor calculator above to set realistic expectations. Whether you are destined to be a giant or a pocket rocket, knowing your genetic baseline helps you stop worrying about the things you can’t control—and focus on the things (like sleep and posture) that you can.

(Disclaimer: This tool provides a statistical estimate. For a precise medical prediction involving bone age X-rays, consult a pediatric endocrinologist.)