12 Trending Boys Haircuts Your Son Will Actually Want

Finding the right haircut for your son means balancing what’s cool at school, what’s practical for sports, and what he’ll actually take care of. These are the cuts boys are asking for in 2026.

1. The Textured Buzz

Why Boys Love It: Zero morning effort, looks fresh for weeks.

Best For: Active boys, sports players, ages 5-15.

Tell the Barber: “Short buzz with a little texture on top—skin fade on sides.”

2. The Classic Crew Cut

Why Boys Love It: Clean, classic, works everywhere from school to church.

Best For: Any hair type, ages 6-14.

Tell the Barber: “Crew cut—short on sides, a bit longer on top.”

3. The Textured Fringe

Why Boys Love It: That TikTok look all their friends have.

Best For: Straight to wavy hair, ages 10-17.

Tell the Barber: “Textured fringe—long enough to style forward, fade on sides.”

4. The Curly Top Fade

Why Boys Love It: Shows off natural curls while staying neat.

Best For: Naturally curly hair, ages 8-17.

Tell the Barber: “Keep the curls on top, fade the sides clean.”

5. The Side Part

Why Boys Love It: Sharp, clean, good for special occasions.

Best For: Straight hair, ages 7-15.

Tell the Barber: “Classic side part with a hard part line.”

6. The Quiff

Why Boys Love It: Volume and style without looking like they tried too hard.

Best For: Thick hair, ages 12-17.

Tell the Barber: “Quiff with volume on top, tapered sides.”

7. The Messy Textured

Why Boys Love It: Looks cool even when it’s not styled.

Best For: Wavy hair, ages 10-17.

Tell the Barber: “Messy texture—longer on top, easy to run fingers through.”

8. The Undercut

Why Boys Love It: Edgy, stands out, makes a statement.

Best For: Thick straight hair, ages 13-17.

Tell the Barber: “Undercut—disconnected sides, length on top.”

9. The Short Spiky

Why Boys Love It: Easy to style with a bit of gel.

Best For: Thick hair, ages 6-12.

Tell the Barber: “Short spiky—enough length to spike up with product.”

10. The Flow

Why Boys Love It: Hockey player vibes, surfer cool.

Best For: Wavy or straight hair, ages 10-17.

Tell the Barber: “Growing it out—just clean up the edges, keep the length.”

11. The Faux Hawk

Why Boys Love It: Mohawk energy without the commitment.

Best For: Any hair type, ages 8-14.

Tell the Barber: “Faux hawk—longer strip in the middle, faded sides.”

12. The Ivy League

Why Boys Love It: Polished but not stuffy.

Best For: School dress codes, ages 10-17.

Tell the Barber: “Ivy League—longer crew cut, enough to part or brush.”

By Age Group

Little Guys (4-7 years)

Keep it simple: Buzz Cut, Crew Cut, Short Spiky. Easy for parents, comfortable for kids.

Elementary (8-11 years)

Starting to care: Side Part, Faux Hawk, Curly Top Fade. Let them have some input.

Tweens & Teens (12-17 years)

They know what they want: Textured Fringe, Undercut, Flow. Show them this page and let them choose.

Tips for Parents

• Activity level: Swimmers and athletes need low-maintenance cuts
• School rules: Some schools have hair policies—check first
• Maintenance reality: Will he actually style it, or does it need to look good untouched?
• Growth rate: Fast-growing hair needs cuts every 3-4 weeks for fades
• Let him choose: He’ll take better care of a cut he picked himself

Save the photos he likes and bring them to the barbershop. Pictures are worth a thousand words when explaining what you want.