Height Calculator

Boys Height Percentile Calculator

Exact percentile, z-score, and reference median for boys — with a switcher for the CDC, WHO, and UK-WHO growth references. Computed from the official published tables, never estimated.

Please note: these are educational estimates based on published growth references, not medical advice. If you have concerns about a child's growth, consult a pediatrician.

Boys height percentile

Enter age (years + months) and height. Switch references to compare — results only appear inside each reference's published age range.

Growth reference

Age
years
months
Height
cm

How the calculation works

Each reference publishes LMS parameters (Box-Cox power, median, and variation) tabulated by age. We look up the parameters for the exact age — interpolating linearly between tabulated ages, exactly as the CDC documents — then convert the measurement to a z-score and a percentile with the standard normal distribution. It's the published method, implemented verbatim.

  • CDC — stature-for-age, 24–240 months, standing height.
  • WHO — length/height-for-age, birth–5 years; recumbent length under 24 months, standing height from 24 months (with the real ~0.7 cm step preserved).
  • UK-WHO — ages 2 weeks–4 years, computed from the WHO tables the RCPCH charts use in that window.

Reading the result honestly

"Taller than X% of peers" compares against the reference population — children measured when the reference was built. It doesn't rate your child, predict the future, or diagnose anything. Percentiles are also rounded and clamped to 0.1–99.9, because beyond that the normal model implies more precision than a growth reference can support.

Want the visual? Plot the same measurement on the boys growth chart, or estimate adult height from parents' heights with the child height predictor.

FAQ

Boys percentile calculator FAQs

What is the difference between the CDC, WHO, and UK-WHO references?

CDC (2–20 years) is the US reference for standing height. WHO (birth–5 years) is the international standard — length lying down under age 2, standing height from 2. UK-WHO (2 weeks–4 years) is the UK chart, which follows WHO data in that window. Each covers only its published ages; the calculator refuses to guess outside them.

What does the z-score add beyond the percentile?

They carry the same information in different units: the z-score is standard deviations from the median (0 = median, +1 ≈ 84th percentile, −1 ≈ 16th). Z-scores are more useful for tracking extreme values, where percentiles bunch up near 0 and 100.

Why do CDC and WHO give slightly different percentiles for the same child?

They are built from different populations and eras, and they measure differently at young ages. Small differences are expected — pick the reference your pediatrician uses and stick with it when tracking over time.

What about ages over 4 on the UK-WHO reference?

From age 4 the UK-WHO charts use the British 1990 reference, whose tables are not openly licensed — so we don't bundle them and the calculator honestly reports no result there. For older children, use the CDC reference (2–20 years).

Is my child's data sent anywhere?

No. All calculations happen in your browser using the published tables bundled with this page. Nothing you enter is transmitted or stored.

More height calculators

Based on published growth references

Every percentile on this site is computed from official LMS tables — the same references pediatricians use. We never estimate outside the ages each reference covers.

  • CDC (US)

    CDC 2000 Growth Charts, stature-for-age (National Center for Health Statistics)

    Official source
  • WHO

    WHO Child Growth Standards, length/height-for-age (WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study, 2006)

    Official source
  • UK-WHO

    UK-WHO growth charts (RCPCH): ages 2 weeks-4 years follow the WHO Child Growth Standards

    Official source