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30 Trendy Boys Haircuts We Love

See the 30 most popular boys haircuts of the year in our photo guide. We found the trendiest cuts, including buzz cuts, fades, crops, tapered styles, and shags. Take a look and find your son’s next cut in this guide!

Looking for Trending Boys Haircuts?

If you thought all boys haircuts are pretty much the same – longer top, shorter back and sides – you’re about to see just how versatile styles for young men can really be. 

Depending on your son’s preferences and needs, there’s a lot you can do with short, medium, or long hair.

While young boys may be more concerned about Fortnite and sports than their haircut, you can help them choose a good one by checking out the 30 most popular boys haircuts. 

If you’d prefer he stay far away from trends like mullets and perms, you need to be able to show him some actual cuts and styles he might like. You might even find a haircut you can both agree on!

Can’t you see it now? You’ll smile and say how handsome he looks; he’ll groan and muss up his hair. Good times! 

We’ve rounded up the top 30 boys haircuts in our photo guide below. Choose your favorite option for your son or sit down and browse them together to see which haircut makes the cut! 

Top 30 Boys Haircuts

These are the most popular cuts for boys right now. We found cuts and styles for short, medium, and long hair, as well as styles that work on straight, wavy, or curly hair. Whether your son wants to rock a classic crew cut or something a little more trendy, we’ve got you covered.

Long Top Slicked Back

Kid with slicked-back hair that spikes at the top in a white tshirt with a stripe stands in an alleyway with trees for a piece on boys haircuts

Morrowlight/Shutterstock

You can’t go wrong with a cut and style that’s full of personality like this! Tapered length on the sides and back let the longer, slicked-back top take the spotlight. 

High Fade With Styled Up Bangs

High Fade With Styled Up Bangs

Amir Bajric/Shutterstock

High fades are definitely in style right now, and they’re pretty easy to maintain with clippers. We like this longer-on-top style with the added twist of gelling the bangs and styling them back and up for a little volume (and a hint of mischief).

Read Next: What Is a Fade?

Tapered Crop

For a piece on Boys Haircuts, a kid with a Tapered Crop stands wearing a backpack

Olena Zaskochenko/Shutterstock

This tapered crop has the same kind of fringe as a French crop mixed with the extra length on the sides and back like a tapered cut. This is a low maintenance cut that doesn’t need to be trimmed as often. 

Buzz Cut Fade

Buzz Cut Fade on a kid in a white shirt standing in a cornfield

Amir Bajric/Shutterstock

Here’s a classic boys haircut that never goes out of style! It’s also super easy to maintain at home with 2-3 different clipper guard sizes if you cut your son’s hair yourself.

Long Side-Swept Bangs

Long Side Swept Bangs on a kid with a backpack throwing up a peace sign in a blue room for a piece on boys haircuts

Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock

This haircut lets him have the feel of longer hair without the additional upkeep. Keep the back and sides a little shorter, leaving the bangs to cover his forehead. Use a little gel and blow-dry the bangs in the opposite direction you want them to swoop to copy this look.

Curly Two-Block Haircut

Curly Two-Block Haircut on a curly haired tween

Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

K-pop bands may have made two-block haircuts popular, but we like this curly twist on the cut even more. The sides and lower portion of the back are cut short, leaving all the length (and curls!) concentrated on top for a trendy look.

90s Heartthrob

90s Heartthrob haircut on a boy with a big strange smile in a salmon crew neck shirt

Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock

Let your kid channel his inner Nick Carter with this cool throwback style that is back in a big way. Curtain bangs in the front create that soft little bend. You can shave underneath to keep the bulk out or have his barber create stacked layers.

#3 Buzz Cut

#3 Buzz Cut on a young child in a fluffy baseball shirt

Daxiao Productions/Shutterstock

The #3 buzz cut is done with the #3 clipper guard for a uniformly short length all over the head. This really helps keep coily hair neat and easier to maintain!

Medium Length and Shaggy

For a piece on boys hairstyles, Medium Length and Shaggy on a kid standing on a dirt road

Amir Bajric/Shutterstock

A chin-length cut like this flatters every face shape and is long enough to pull back when needed. If your little man isn’t a fan of short hair, this is a great option to present.

Quiff Fade With Side Part

Quiff Fade With Side Part on a kid in a grey shirt

Sharon Snider/Shutterstock

For a kid that doesn’t mind spending a little extra time styling his hair in the mornings, this is a standout style that is universally flattering. Keep the top long with the back and sides faded down short. Use a little gel to style the longer quiff on top over to the side.

Short Crop

Short Crop on a guy in an orange shirt in front of a laptop for a piece on boys haircuts

NeonShot/Shutterstock

If your son likes to keep his hair out of his face, this is the perfect style for him. The length is relatively short all over, with slight tapering on the back and sides for a clean-cut look.

Spiky Fringe Fade

Spiky Fringe Fade as a idea for boys hairstyles

NeonShot/Shutterstock

Spiky hair is a favorite among young boys, and we love the look! A little gel will enable you to spike the bangs and smooth the rest.

Tapered Afro

Tapered Afro, a featured style in a piece on boys haircuts

NeonShot/Shutterstock

If your son has super-coily hair, this is such an adorable look. A tapered afro keeps the bulk out of the ends to make the style more lightweight.

High Fade With Shaved Line

High Fade With Shaved Line on a boy in a white shirt in an orange room

Anatoliy Karlyuk/Shutterstock

This cut is left about an inch long on top and faded down to the skin at the back and sides. You can add a little more interest to any style with a shaved line or shaved part.

Full-Bodied Quiff With Short Sides

For inspiration on boys haircuts, Full-Bodied Quiff With Short Sides

Carballo/Shutterstock

Moms of boys with tons of volume and body in their hair know that it can be tough to find a style that doesn’t look too “puffy.” Keeping it long on top creates a high-volume quiff that can be slicked back, styled up, or parted to the side.

Medium Curly Crop

Medium Curly Crop on a boy for a piece on boys haircuts

Mimagephotography/Shutterstock

Medium-length hair has so many styling possibilities for boys, and it’s the magic length for boys with curly hair. Long enough to show off the curls but short enough to keep them under control! 

Short Taper With Fringe

Short Taper With Fringe on a boy with a gray shirt looking directly at the camera

Daxiao Productions/Shutterstock

We love any type of fringe for boys because it doesn’t have to be perfectly styled every morning – that little cowlick look is so cute! Keep the hair short and slightly taper the length down on the side for a clean-cut look. 

Electric Shock Undercut

Electric Shock Undercut

Ranta Images/Shutterstock

Don’t worry, he hasn’t put his finger into a light socket – it’s the new style, mom! Keep things under control by shaving the sides into an undercut, so all the focus is on the spiked-up top. 

Bleached Tips

Image of an African-American boy standing with a backpack while he holds the straps in a dark room

Alex Tihonovs/Shutterstock

Remember frosted tips? They’re baaaaack, and we love how they stand out on darker coily hair like this. Make sure you have a professional handle this one!  

Skater Shag

Guy with short shag hair in a colorful buttonup for a piece on boys haircuts

StoryTime Studio/Shutterstock

This cool, effortless style says “I woke up like this” in a good way. It’s really versatile and can be worn tousled and messy or brushed and gelled for a more polished look. 

Over and Back Tapered Cut

Photo of a boy with a Over and Back Tapered Cut giving two ok signs with his hands

Laugesen Mateo/Shutterstock

Show off your little guy’s handsome face with a shorter, tapered cut like this. You can add a dab of styling gel to the top, then brush it over to the side and slightly back before blow drying to get this look. 

Short Taper With Razored Bangs

Short Taper With Razored Bangs on a serious looking boy

Dmytro Vietrov/Shutterstock

Razoring brings in a more jagged, piece-y texture than a blunt cut with scissors. We love the way it pairs with this clean-cut short taper to give the style a messier look. 

Long Top Undercut

Long Top Undercut

Roman Chazov/Shutterstock

There’s something so cute about haircuts usually worn by grown men on little boys. This undercut is no exception! It’s shaved short on the sides, leaving a long section up top that can be worn to the side or slicked back. 

Spiked Fade

Spiked Fade on a boy with an open mouth and a grey crew neck shirt

Eugene Partyzan/Shutterstock

This medium fade is a neat and clean-cut style with a twist. Spiking the top adds a touch of “tough” that every little boy will love! 

High Slicked Back Drop Fade

High Slicked Back Drop Fade for boys haircut inspo

Vikafoto33/Shutterstock

The much longer, slicked-back top perfectly complements the distinct look of a high drop fade like this. For different looks, he can brush the top over the side or part it. 

Curly Shag

Curly Shag as an inspiration for a piece on boys haircuts

Sianc/Shutterstock

Your son may not appreciate his curls as much as you do, but he can show them off and keep things low maintenance with this style. Soft, long layers keep the curls bouncy and lightweight. 

Side-Swept Tapered Crop

Side Swept Tapered Crop on a boy in a jean jacket

Eugene Partyzan/Shutterstock

This tapered crop is pretty short on the back and sides but has enough length on top to sweep it over to the side. That makes styling easy – just add a little gel and brush the top over! 

Razored Bowl Cut

Razored Bowl Cut for a piece on boys haircuts

Tuzemka/Shutterstock

Bowl cuts are back, like it or not! Steer your son toward a soft, razored style like this with thinned ends if you’re not a fan of that old-school mushroom cut look. 

Curved High Top Fade

For a style feature on boys haircuts, Curved High Top Fade

Tutatamafilm/Shutterstock

Here’s another throwback style that hearkens to the classic hi-top fades of the 90s. Curving the top slightly by making the edges a bit shorter is a modern way to wear the style. 

Shaggy With Forehead Fringe

Shaggy With Forehead Fringe

Ahturner/Shutterstock

Boys that hate precision styling and high-maintenance haircuts will love this one. Many layers are cut into the shag for texture, and the bangs are left long and point cut for a lived-in, not blunt, look. 

Things to Consider When Browsing Boys Haircuts

Looking for a good haircut for your son is much easier when you know what to avoid and things to keep in mind. Here’s what you should consider as you browse boys haircuts. 

  • What’s his face shape? Consider your son’s face shape when you’re looking for the perfect cut. Most faces fall under the round, square, oval, or heart categories. Stick to cuts with thinner or short sides for round faces. A touch of volume up top, like a faux hawk or quiff, is great for square faces. Chin-length styles or cuts with short length on top work for heart faces, and anything goes for ovals. 
  • Will he maintain it properly? You can’t expect your most rambunctious child to patiently blow-dry, gel, and style his hair each morning. Be realistic as you check out different haircuts. Will he be able to properly wash, brush, and style it? If he’s not likely to do much to it, opt for a shorter cut or a style that can easily be air-dried. 
  • Does it fit his lifestyle? There are tons of haircuts for boys that look good, but you have to be sure it won’t interfere with his lifestyle. Sports, school, church, and clubs can all have different requirements for haircuts and colors, so make sure the cut you’re considering will be a good fit for anything your son is involved in. 
  • Will you visit a barber or DIY? Many moms cut their sons’ hair – no shame in the home barber game! But this is important to consider when you’re checking out different cuts. If you’re planning on visiting a barber, any cut goes. But if you’re doing it at home, be realistic about your own skill level with clippers and scissors so you don’t end up in over your head. 

As your son gets older and more independent, he’ll be choosing his own haircuts – some of which you’ll probably hate. But right now, you’re in the sweet spot.

Take full advantage of that and spend time browsing different haircut options with your son to see what his style is like! It can be a great bonding time and eye-opening for you to see what trends he’s into. 

With any luck at all, he’ll love one of the haircuts on this list that the two of you can agree on. Or he’ll insist on a permed mullet instead. A mom can always dream, right?

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