Parents with dark and red hair: what hair colour will the baby have?

Black or brown hair is the most likely, at 74%. The full odds, with no red hair in either family: black or brown 74%, red 17% and blond 10%.

Red hair anywhere in the family raises the chance of red: the table further down shows by how much.

Most likely hair colour

Black or brown

Black or brown74%

Blond10%

Red17%

Hair often darkens through childhood: a blond toddler can be brown-haired by their teens, and a baby's first hair often falls out and grows back a different shade.

Red can also come out as strawberry blond or auburn, depending on the other genes.

Estimate from a two-gene model: one gene for dark or light pigment, and MC1R for red.

A simplified estimate for fun. Real genetics is more complex.

How we work it out

The model uses two genes: one for dark or light pigment, where dark wins, and MC1R, where red only shows when a child gets the red version from both parents. Here, dark means black or brown: the model treats them alike.

If red hair runs in the family

A parent without red hair can carry the red version of MC1R without knowing it. That is more likely when a close relative has red hair.

Red hair in the family	Black or brown	Blond	Red
Neither family	74%	10%	17%
The family of the parent with black or brown hair	66%	9%	25%

Frequently asked questions

Can parents with dark and red hair have a baby with black or brown hair?

Yes: 74% of the time when there is no red hair in either family.

Can parents with dark and red hair have a baby with blond hair?

Yes: 10% of the time when there is no red hair in either family.

Can parents with dark and red hair have a baby with red hair?

Yes: 17% of the time when there is no red hair in either family.