I have straw berry blonde hair .yet my mother is tan has black hair and brown green eyes although my red hair is diluted it has not been overpowerd .besides Irish genes r strong my mothers side has native American in them and even my cousins who half Mexican have pale skin blue eyes and a paler shade of brown hair . The gene is recessive and it's a 50 fifty chance whose genes will win out determining your appearance do even if your not a red head some one down the line ought to be if you carry the gene.

I'm sorry, but did redheads just get called actual mutants? No wonder the prejudice surrounding them is so high. No wonder kids get the snot kicked out of them at school. This is absolutely ridiculous. There are also rumours that blondes will go extinct, all of which are highly unlikely. The research is shoddy, at best. Red hair is a recessive trait. It doesn't just disappear from the gene pool because it isn't expressed in one generation. If a child has dark brown hair, but carries the gene for red hair, their children COULD very well have red hair if their partner also carries the trait. It's all up to chance.

PLEASE if their is a legendary song'EVERYBODY LOVES A REDHEAD" how can I obtain a copy or how could I get the words and or music?

MANY THANKS...JIM

I'm a full blown natural redhead from birth. Once,and hopefully for all time, I would like to set the record straight that it is NOT TRUE REDHEADS DON'T GRAY WITH AGE. I am living proof that my once bright, golden, much admired red hair gradually darkened in my thirties, then began to turn gray in what I've been told is a very distinguished looking manner during succeeding years. My hairdresser for the past thirty years of my life can verify my hair color change to which no dyes or other artificial substances has ever been applied. (I intend soon to post a photo of my hair on my blog, "Along The Way" http://www.joared-along.blogspot.com/)

I also understand the prediction of eminent red hair extinction has since been determined to be untrue.

Surely does seem the falsehoods about us persist just as when centuries ago some societies believed we were witches and other cultures revered us as gods or goddesses.

Red heads do it better!

I hope the extinction part isn't true. In my opinion some of the most beautiful women on earth are redheads: Julianne Moore, Angie Everhart, Christina Hendricks to name a few. The world will not be the same without redheads.

Oh, being a redhead. I feel like having red hair creates a unique experience. Something special that redheads only get. I've been stopped on the street by complete strangers on the subject of my hair color. Red hair dye isn't a dye that stays in hair long. There is something attractive about the color. As a redhead there are the ups and downs. Obviously, the childhood name calling. My chosen name of harassment on the playground was ketchup head. It's funny now, but it made me punch a boy in the face. This article was entertaining to me. I have auburn copper hair and I have thought about similar situations. What will the world be like without redheads and how appreciative I am to have it. My hopes are to have a child with red hair. My chances are 1 in 4 but you get what you get even if you think your more likely to have a redhead.

Red is recessive just about anything trumps it.

Like white people in general, if they keep cross breeding the gene will be further supressed but when another recessive comes along it will start all over again. They can't get rid of us that fast. Red is indomminable

I have been red on the head, all my life. I am 49 and still have the same color red hair I have had all my life. I wasnt bothered with being called names as a kid. I have always like my hair. I have a darker color of red than most and it is straight. Oh, I have brown eyes also so I am a true minority. I would hate for it to turn white or grey. My father still had auburn hair when he passed away at 68. I think we should all get together and form a nation wide club for Redheads. Anyone want to start it up?

My most recent ex is a redhead...most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on. Maybe it's the Irish in me, but I don't think I'll ever be satisfied until I find another one. There's just something magical about that red hair and all that comes with it..esp with the combination of green eyes.

I find comfort in this article knowing that I won't be around when the world sees the end of red hair. I can only hope that my taste in red hair doesn't pass down to my great great grand children...for their quest will be never ending and filled with disappointment.

I am a red head and have always loved being a red head, in fact, I get offended if someone thinks it is blonde when I am out in the sun. I have the green eyes and freckles that go along with my curly red locks. I wear it proudly and will never color it, there is no way to find my hair color in a box. I have varying shades of red in my hair at this point in my life (a fabulous 35 year old--I'm in my prime!) In the sun I look more like a strawberry blonde. When I was pregnant with my children my hair became a really dark auburn, bordering on brown. My children will have children with redhair (I'm hoping one out of three will...)I am one of three red heads in my family-so three out of 55...that is RARE!!! My cousin that has a red headed sister had a red headed son.
I have all kinds of nicknames that are fun, and some that are not so fun. Men seem to be fascinated with red hair these days and I hate the question I am most often asked "does the carpet match the curtains!!" So if you as a man ever think of asking a woman that--DON'T for the love of Pete, DON'T resist the tempation please. We hate that!!!! I once read that it takes passion, balls, and intelligence to love a red head, I'd say that is true!
I'm single and looking for a man with passion, balls, and intelligence...heavy on the intelligence and passion!!

Okay, so my red haired gene comes from my great-grandparents and so forth back and ended up skipping my grandparents and my parents and coming directly to me and a few choice cousins. When I was little, people used to call me Carrottop, Ginger, and Spot (more so for the freckles than the hair). I used to get into so many arguments with kids because of the whole nickname thing, which is why most of my friends believe in the temperamental stereotype. Unlike some of my friends, who happen to be red heads too, I never hated my hair. Every time some one commented negatively on the color, my friends used to just say they were jealous that their heads weren't on fire. I don't believe that red heads will become extinct; in fact, I think that there are more of us each year.

Viva la Redheads!!! The story goes that my grandma had the 1st redhead in the family, and then another, and her mother in law (granddaddy's mother) raised her eyebrows, hhmmmm. Well, they say after the 3rd redheaded grandbaby, great grandma said 'Send them back'!!! I'm sure its just a family fun story, and am so glad because my Dad was the 4th redhead to be added to the family. I have 2 out of 3 redheaded siblings and I endured all the nicknames - 'Firestarter' of '80s movie fame mostly - and yet I revel in the attention and uniqueness of my beautiful red hair, and you know, sometimes having a reputation for a bad temper really isn't so bad!! I knew a colleague who dyed her hair red just for the attention, she was a natural blonde. Loved the article and all the comments. Let's celebrate who we are.

Iloved this article. I wanted to e-mail it to a friend, then saw all the comments. I was so surprised that so many others responded. Now it's my turn. I am the eldest with three redheaded siblings. Our mother was blessed with shimmering, golden, red locks. At sixty-six, my hair looks as if I'd spent a bundle on blonde highlights. After the birth of my children, my hair started to loose it's redness. Luckily, before that happened, I had waise length hair and decided to have it cut. I still have that hair saved. Every now and then, when someone doesn't believe I was ever a redhead, I pull it out. It's the same color as it was then in my twenties. So, if redheads become extinct by the 22nd century, maybe I should plan ahead and bequeath my locks to the Smithsonian.

Check out the movie, Better Red Than Dead. It's a very clever movie about this very subject, made by a young and very talented redheaded filmmaker.

You are right about the red hair gene being elusive. I am blonde/blue eyes (parents the same), hubby is brown/hazel eyes, however he comes from a red-haired mom. We have two red hair/blue eyed boys and hubby's brother (whose is a blonde) has 5 red haired kids out of 6. However, their red haired sister has 4 children of which only 1 is a very light strawberry blonde. We are trying to do our part to keep that red hair going. There are all kinds of women that comment they wish they had my oldest boy's hair - it's gorgeous. Love those red-haired kids - they are the cutest, not that I'm biased or anything.

Hey, the cool thing about being a redhead is you never go gray! True redheads just fade out, becoming blonder and blonder until all is white! Like Santa! Everyone loves Santa! Oh, and when I was little, unlike what most have written, I LOVED my hair. I got nothing but positive vibes. I had a neighbor who used to sing "Everybody loves redheads" whenever he saw me. Also, what's wrong with being a "carrot-top"?

"The redhead sprang from a mutated gene in Europe thousands of years ago. Yes, redheads are mutants". Au contrare, Patricia. Red hair goes back to at least the second millenium B.C.! Genesis 25:24, "When Rebekah gave birth, the first baby was covered with red hair, so he was named Esau (='Red')."

I have never ceased to be appalled by the fact that total strangers can be so rude as to approach me on the street, or in stores, to comment on my grandson's bright copper hair color. I seriously doubt they feel the need to accost other strangers with children who happen to be brunettes and blondes with such abandon! Frankly, I have always regarded their unwanted comments as back-handed compliments, or as a more polite way of saying, "look at the freak, and while I'm here, let me touch his hair and comment that it doesn't look 'real'." Am I ashamed of his hair color? No. Saddened by the thought, and terrified, of his upcoming school days? Yes. I grew up as a redhead, with 3 redheaded sisters. We ranged from the most blonde of strawberry blondes to a deep auburn which in some lights looked brown. However, we each endured such horrors at school, and in public, due to our haircolor, that each of us ferverently prayed our children would never suffer the same. My very blonde son married a brunette whose mother also happened to be a redhead. Hence, the grandson with redhair. It seems extremely sad that while society works so diligently to agree that racist remarks, bullying behaviors, and stereotypes in general are out of line, they continue to ignore, and even encourage, the treatment of redheads: the teasing, the unwanted nicknames, the thoughtless remarks, and in some cases, the unwanted attention. Yet, as a stawberry blonde, who endured the horrors of growing up with even a hint of red, I also take offense at being labeled "a blonde." As stated earlier: I paid my dues, and I defiently remind all who label me as such that I am a redhead! But, would I mind if redheads die out by the end of the century? No. Not if it means a permanent end to an unnecessay life of misery for any child unlucky enough to be born with redhair, no matter the shade of red!

So, who has read "Roots of Desire: The Myth, Meaning and Sexual Power of Red Hair" by Marion Roach. Fascinating book about redheads thru history... and now... Like did you all know that we are seriously harder to knock out with anesthesia than non-redheads... it's in the genes! check it out... Great book!

Though my own family is all dark-haird Irish and I don't carry the gene myself, I have made arrangements for three of my dearest redheaded friends to sacrifice their future lives for the sake of furthering the species. Worry not.

Seems I am recalling a similar "doomsday" hair color status several years ago...a similar statement applied to blondes. Genetic traits from the scattering of Scandanavians etc. throughout the world. I'm sure you get the idea. Migration into lands unknown, marrying other cultures, making peace with countries in order to take them over "peacefully". Although none of my ancestors (so many were from Ireland, and Scotland,) had red hair. They were from the clan deemed the Black Irish. *Moors invasion or something?* The Black Irish had dark hair, easily tanned without freckles and had bright green eyes. As a child I had that same trait with one exception - the more sun I received the more reddish my very black hair would become. Many times when I would return home from the neighborhood pool as a child my father would accuse me of putting "Sun In" (remember the 60's and early 70's product?) on my hair. My first "going steady" boyfriend in 7th grade had carrot red hair and wonderous red freckles. Hmmm, seems I chose the beau who must have been the precursor to my motto: viva la difference! The way I perceive the entire "blond" and "red" hair prediction is this ... the researchers have a fear of losing all hair no matter the color. *smile*

I was also a "carrot top" but now really miss that golden red strawberry blond that I was. Now it's mostly a brownish gray with some hightlights of red in the sun. So often people don't even know I was a redhead. I want to shout, "me too!!!" but the freckles tell the story. Thanks for this cute article.

Can I just say, as a non redhead i find red hair to be most beautiful!!

can someone explain to me what factors are people drawing on to lead them to conclude readheadedness is on the verge of extinction?

My father had bright, flaming red hair and my mother had strawberry blonde hair. I ended up with something in between. As a young girl my hair colour was identical to the colour of a bright, shiny, new copper penny, a shade that can only be described as a neon pinkish orange. I was also completely covered in orange freckles on, glow-in-the-dark, blindingly white, skin topped off with next to invisible eyebrows and eyelashes. Being unusual (like having red hair) in public school during the 50's and 60's was not a good thing. Nick names like "carrots" and "red" were on the mild end of the spectrum. Regarding other names that I was called... lets just say they should never be spoken in polite company. I hated my hair and all my freckles (or freekles as they were called by my peers) because of continual, endless teasing (not to mention beatings) I endured on a daily basis. In my teens I started lightening my hair to lessen the redness. I am now in my mid 50's and my hair is a strawberry/white which I quite like. I am now constantly referred to as "the blonde" but as much as I hated being a redhead I am just as fiercely objectionable to being called or referred to as a blonde. I was forced to fight daily battles just because my hair was red and I had freckles. Those were pretty high dues to pay just for having a certain hair colour. But pay those dues I did and now I refuse to be called or referred to as anything but a redhead, regardless of how blonde it looks. Here, in Canada, (thanks to South Park) picking on redheads has been resurrected and there are even designated days on which to beat up on redheads (check on line). This new practice is called "Kick a Ginger Day" or "Beat a Redhead Day". No wonder so many of us hated being a redheaded child! Looks like a whole new generation will grow to hate being a redhead too. Sigh!!

I'm the oldest of 6, 5 of whom have red hair courtesy of our mom and her mom. (Btw, the blond brother went bald at 20! Serves him right. lol) We've always been proud of our hair color. (Different? Yeah, so what? There are 5 of us. What're you going to do?) When I was in my teens in the 1960's, I grew it out as long as I could and the ponytail's still at least a foot down my back. Now well into my 50's, it's faded somewhat with wisps of white creeping in. If it's going to change entirely, I'm hoping for all white. My wife and I have 2 kids: one blonde like her and one, the good child, red-headed like me. Unfortunately, I'm the only one of all my siblings to have a redhead child. That doesn't bode well for us "gingers". Red hair rocks! Go forth and multiply, my redheaded minions! We will survive!

I am a redhead from a family of redheads - my grandparents, my dad, my three brothers, three of my children and two nieces. Red hair has been a blessing as people remember me in business as well as my personal life. Now in my early 60's it remains very red with a touch of grey greeping in. My Parents had a sign made for our home when I was young that said "Red's Roost".

I have read two of you pieces and enjoyed both. My brother, who sent me the one in Smithonian said you would make a good cousin. Even though we have no red heads you would fit right in. Thanks

This is a page from my unpublished book, "When I'm Emperor... every blind driveway will have a seeing eye dog!" WANTED INFORMATION LEADING TO THE IDENTIFICATION OF INDIVIDUALS WHO RUBBED MY HAIR FOR ‘GOOD LUCK’ WHILE I WAS GROWING UP IN BROOKLYN. This abuse of me as a red head caused me to form a premature BALD spot at the top of my head, and I intend to catch up with the culprits and exact payment for damages! After all, if pre-birth memories of abuse can be used to blame a parent for one’s lifetime problems why shouldn’t I have recourse for my folicular shortage?

Not a day has gone by in my 51 years when I did not receive a compliment about my Scottish red hair, which I inherited from my great uncles. When I was a baby a local hairdresser told my mother my hair was not red but molten gold! I didn't appreciate my hair as I was growing up but I am really proud of it now. It is still red although going blonde at the front -lucky me. I never have got used to my ginger eyelashes and have worn mascara since I was 9. Men love it!

It's interesting to note (confirmed by the comments here) that being a red-head is a part of our identity. Do blondes and brunettes suffer that same loss of identity when their color fades away? Do they have the same loyalty to the color of their hair? I think not. I'm guessing very few redheads color their hair until their hair starts to lose its red.

I too am a "Red-head"...I'm in my mid 50's now and suffer from psoriasis of the scalp and miss the hair that's fallen out! I never liked the nick-names (mentioned in the article above). But, I'd trade them in a heartbeat for the condition I have. (It's bad enough when a man loses his hair, but for a woman...like me...It's DEVASTATING!!!) Before my illness, I actually started to love my hair color...It wasn't the common of everyone else I saw in town. We should ALL be thankful for the hair (and other things) we still have! It always could be worse! I'd give my eye teeth just to look like "Lucile Ball" again!

As someone who has wavy waist-length red hair, which I occasionally attempt to straighten, I always receive comments on it. I enjoyed this article and would like to recommend a book for those readers who are interested in knowing more about the myths, legends and the DNA gene associated with red hair. Marion Roach's book, "The Roots of Desire", is not only informative and well written but also highly entertaining. It is a must read for redheads and those who love them.

I would just like to note that I am doing my part in keeping us redheads alive and well. I am a redhead. I've married a redhead, and now have two redheaded children. We've decided that we will have a third here soon. If for only to make us REALLY stick out like a sore thumb. Long live the redheads! (Oh, and a little bit of light red or copper henna on natural red hair every 6 mo or so will keep it from looking faded but not make it look fake.)

A lifelong redhead, I was saddened when it started to fade in my forties. Redheads don't really get gray; they just sort of fade. All my hair fell out at 53 when I got chemo for breast cancer. I was excited to see it what it would be when it returned. It was a yucky sort of peach yoghurt color. Since then I've found a colorist who can match my actual color, and I feel like me again.

My daughter was born a redhead...what joy that was to see it continue (my grandfather was a redhead, but no one in my parent's generation, so it was nice to see the tradition continue). But alas, at 21 she started to darken, and although she does some coloring, I have to say she's a very dark auburn now. (I still love her anyway)

Glad to see all the carrot tops (what I was called) out there still.

We were very surprised when our first child (a boy) was born with red hair! However it seems my husband's maternal grandfather had red hair. Now we are pleased to say, after our son married a red-head (who also has red-headed parents, brother, sister-in-law and niece and nephew), we now have a red-headed granddaughter and red-headed grandson. When we visit them we feel as though WE are the outsiders. Love those carrot-tops!!

I am a redhead.....and I hate it. I have recently decided to dye my hair brown. I always get compliments on my red hair, and being 16 I just grin and bear it. Being in school still, I get the names "redd", the original "carrot top" and my fathers favorite,"pumpkin head". This article makes me realize that I need to appreciate my "flaming" red curly hair,and take the compliments as they come.

I am beyond a mutant. My hair is not as bright a red as my mom's but I tan. I also have brown eyes. Not the emerald green. Maybe I'm a mutant that will survive. I hope I'm not the missing link between the redhead and the brunettes.

American Indians would not scalp redheads for fear of letting evil spirits escape into the world.

I'm a redhead too and don't worry about it! I read a bunch of other articles that said redheads won't go extinct unless everyone in the world with the redhead gene dies. I LOVE having red hair and I wouldn't want my hair any other color!

My Mom, Brother and I all have red hair. Three different beautiful shades of red. Growing up I hated it because I was different. But now that I have grown up a bit I wouldn't change it, I love my red hair!!! My Mom in the 4th grade was called Carrot Top she kicked the little boy and told him carrot tops are green!! I will never forget that story and its true carrot tops are green. So those who call redheads carrot tops you better think twice! I now have pride in my uniqueness and I feel blessed that I am different!

If I am an endangered species, can I claim my federal protection now?

All throughout the fifteen years of my life, people have commented on my red hair. Most of the time, I hear very nice things from people, but I also have heard quite an assortment of negative comments. However, the effect that this has had on me is that I now feel a sense of pride wherever I go. A feeling of uniqueness is with me most places, and it's good to know that I am not in the majority of the world's population. I have wondered before what it would be like not to have the color hair I have, and I can tell you right now that that would not be a life I would choose to live. I really love my red hair, and I plan to pass my genes on to several generations.

Awwww. it made my heart sink to see what Diane said that no one cares about redheads. We feel every day like we have won the trifecta: we have identical twin red-headed, blue-eyed boys. At least it is a great collaboration of recessive genes at work. Does anyone else have a viable theory from whence the 'red headed ness' came? Our theory is that my Viking heritage reunited with my husband's Celtic heritage. A sort of 'perfect storm', I suppose. We feel so blessed every day looking at our lovely red headed sons. It is remarkable how many people want to touch our children's hair! I am of German, Norwegian and my husband Croatian and Irish heritage. There is red headed ness all around us, especially among the Viking side of the family. My grandfather was a red head and he despised all the teasing he apparently underwent at being a 'carrot top.' Our world has come a long way, and I certainly hope that redheads remain a presence for a very long time.

I read this article because my grandmother handed it to me not even 15 minutes ago. I was so moved that someone was actually writing an article about what I thought I was alone in worrying about! When I was younger I hated my hair, mostly because of all the names I got called, carrot top, ariel, and especially ginger was the complete worst! But every time my mother took me to the store everyone would stop what they were doing and either pinch my cheek and comment on what pretty hair I have or watch me in the cart till we turned down an aisle. Of course after I got into high school all the hormones messed everyone up and everyone loved my hair! (I secretly did too all along) Some people don't even believe that my hair is natural because of its shine and shade. That was only four years ago and now I am in college and my hair is starting to darken and everyone is telling me it will turn brown soon considering my red hair was the product of a generation skip. I am so upset that I won't be able to stand out in a crowd anymore. I know that everyone is talking about our extinction and I'm scared that everyone in the future will not have the pleasure to meet us, because lets face it we are all awesome! I feel bad as well for not doing my part to keep the red going because I have fallen in love with a brunette but I do still have hope for red headed babies when we get married later on in our lives, I found a few red hairs in his beard the other day!! I do have to argue though that sometimes, well a lot of times, my anger does get the best of me! Also I love the color red so I don't really mind that name much, I use it in about every username I have online. I am studying so hard so that I, a redhead, can leave a HUGE print on this world so no one could ever forget us before we leave this earth for home!! I hope all the other redheads of my generation will try for the same!

I am the proud mother of a redhead. (Hey, her last name is McNamee too) Her curly red locks have made many people stop me over the years and comment that if they could have "that red" they would convert in a minute. I never factored a redhead in the mix when I imagined raising my family. I am grateful to the in-laws for adding the color to the gene pool. Redheads extinct! How awful. It would most definitely be a lot more hum drum without that spark of red to really sizzle this world up,

My father, a redhead (until he lost his hair at 19) came from Russia, married a non-redhead and begat this redheaded writer. At 14 I was given the nom de plume (no pun intended) of "Red Dog". Some 60 years later with a full head of hair, (notwithstanding my black haired son's renaming me "Grey Dog" 20 years ago), I still proudly answer to "Red Dog" both by those who knew my real name and those who never did. I sure have been called a lot worse.

I have done my part to prevent this loss by having 3 red-headed sons to take my place. One of them has done his part by fathering two redheaded children though they are not "carrot tops' their hair is extremely red. I keep my carrot top by using a henna. It isn't dye, but is green stuff that brings out the red in my fading hair. On another not, I was the only redhead in my town and my kids had 5 in their smaller town. Are you sure they're dying out?

I heartily disagree with the mutation theory...red hair dye would not be so popular if it were just a mutation! The real problem is that the gene for redhair is so elusive. I (a redhead) had a redheaded mother, father declared he had red hair,(it was black as an adult), had 2 redheaded siblings out of 3, married a man with a redheaded mother, and also had a redheaded sibling. YET out of 4 children I only had one redhead...now you would think with all those red genes floating around I would have produced more than 1!

This is the most pathetic comment section I have seen. Obviously, nobody cares about us redheads.

As a kid I hated my red hair and the names, Carrot Top and Red in particular, others that I cannot print. Now that my hair is dominated by gray, I miss my red hair. And now I read that some time by the middle of the next century red hair will be extinct. Oh well, us red heads had a great run -- maybe we will be the subject of late 22nd century GEICO commercials. Alan Day Fairfax, Vermont

I grew up being called "Miss Clairol", "Red Ryder" (where did that come from???) and "carrot top". Pretty much hated them all. In spite of that I LOVED having flaming red hair. Now I'm strawberry gray. It is not true that blonds have more fun -- it's redheads. No ever assumes that redheads are dumb. In fact, we're treated with great respect just in case that short fuse thing is actually true -- which it isn't. Thanks for a great article. Mary Alice

The twins are defying trends already.

Hmmm, I was thinking 'bout possibly trying to live forever, sorta like Kurzweil, 'cept I don't have the wherewithal for his fabulous 4-minute exercise machine nor the same level of self-discipline when choosing what I eat (hooray!--there's no point going for longevity unless there's much to still enjoy in it), so there you have it (just in case I grow old and all that kinda stuff). Gotta little snow on the eaves that shocked my hairdresser, but then he didn't know I'm 75 (or lied to me). I'm not planning on coloring it, cuz maybe I'll catch up to all the cottonheads in the family and finally look like I belong with them (my husband and his entire family turned snow white in their early 30s--gorgeous people in appearance and personality. I've been lucky despite life's travails. May the same be true for you...