# How tall constitutes "tall?" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 12, 2016, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-constitutes-tall/745979 "2016-02-12T23:14:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-constitutes-tall/745979/21 "2016-02-13T18:39:20Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > I wonder if this is genetic, Scandanavians are fairly tall (average height of a male is 5’11" in scandanavian countries). If that is the normal, and there is a bell curve distribution with maybe 4" per SD, then you’d have a lot of 6’3" Scandanavians walking around. > > Minnesota has a strong Scandanavian immigrant history. Last summer I moved from the lower Midwest to a town with a strong Norwegian heritage (the whole town spoke Norwegian until WWII). I have never in my life seen so many tttt–aaa–llllll men walking around. The difference is marked, and yes, it must be genetic. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-constitutes-tall/745979/22 "2016-02-13T18:55:03Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > I wonder if this is genetic, Scandanavians are fairly tall (average height of a male is 5’11" in scandanavian countries). If that is the normal, and there is a bell curve distribution with maybe 4" per SD, then you’d have a lot of 6’3" Scandanavians walking around. > > Minnesota has a strong Scandanavian immigrant history. I am pretty sure this was the gist of the story … ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-constitutes-tall/745979/23 "2016-02-13T19:17:28Z")
I’m 6’ 4" and I’m aware that generally people who are taller than 5’ 9" are supposed to be “tall” but to me you have to be at least 6’ 2" to be considered tall. ---
**Author:** ![Ignotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecc23a/32.png) [@Ignotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignotus)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-constitutes-tall/745979/24 "2016-02-13T20:19:59Z")
I’m average for my country. Whom do I see as tall? For women, it’s easy. Any woman taller than I (6’11’’) is tall. I think I’ve met at most a dozen or so. And any man, of an height of which I’ve met at most as many as aforesaid women, i.e. a dozen or so, is tall. I guess that would settle the height around 2.05m (6’9’’) or so. ---
**Author:** ![Cognoscant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Cognoscant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cognoscant)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-constitutes-tall/745979/25 "2016-02-13T20:33:41Z")
> [@Ignotus](#): > > I’m average for my country. Whom do I see as tall? > For women, it’s easy. Any woman taller than I (6’11’') is tall. I think I’ve met at most a dozen or so. Surely you must mean 5’11". Unless you live on some planet where 7-foot tall women are commonplace. I suppose I fall into the “anybody taller than me is tall” camp, so for men 6’4" or taller. Any woman taller than my wife (5’8") I’d probably consider tall too. For a data point the tallest man and woman I’ve known more casually were 6’11" and 6’4" respectively. And also for the record I had an unrequited crush on the 6’4" lady. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-constitutes-tall/745979/26 "2016-02-13T20:43:52Z")
I’m 6’4", sometimes 6’5". I feel like anything above 6’2" is “tall.” That’s what my dad is, and I’ve always thought of him as tall, even though he’s been shorter than me for about 20-odd years. Whenever I meet someone taller than me, it’s a bit startling at first. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-constitutes-tall/745979/27 "2016-02-13T20:56:15Z")
I though the traditional cut off point was 6 feet for men. (I am 5’10). IMO for me "tall"mis more than just bigger than average; its being noticably taller than the rest. So 6’2. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-constitutes-tall/745979/28 "2016-02-13T21:28:00Z")
I’m 5’11", male. For a guy, I would say “tall” starts at around 6’2"-6’3". For a woman, maybe 5’9" to 5’10". ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-constitutes-tall/745979/29 "2016-02-14T00:28:06Z")
> [@appleaday](#): > > I’m 4’11". Just about everyone looks tall to me. I’m 6’4", and I hear that now and then. Some folks think they look short to me, but I rarely think about anybody’s height. From here, everybody looks about the same height to me, that is, somewhat shorter than me. The only heights I really notice are people taller than me and those shorter than 4’6" or so. You’re not short, **appleaday.** You’re Fun Size! That was on a t-shirt in a catalog I saw. ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-constitutes-tall/745979/30 "2016-02-14T00:32:11Z")
I am 6’3" and I consider myself to be of normal height (why wouldn’t I? I’ve been this height for a few years now). The majority of other men seem short to me, but when I see someone who I can tell at first glance is taller than me (probably happens maybe once a week/ once every other week) they look like a freak to me and I would probably shout “freak!” at them to let them know, if I wasn’t so intimidated. I literally have a very tough time telling if women are tall or short, they generally all look well below normal height. ---
**Author:** ![appleaday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/41988e/32.png) [@appleaday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleaday)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-constitutes-tall/745979/31 "2016-02-14T01:24:45Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > I’m 6’4", and I hear that now and then. Some folks think they look short to me, but I rarely think about anybody’s height. From here, everybody looks about the same height to me, that is, somewhat shorter than me. The only heights I really notice are people taller than me and those shorter than 4’6" or so. > > You’re not short, **appleaday.** You’re Fun Size! That was on a t-shirt in a catalog I saw. Thanks! I like a little fun! 😃 Seriously, I don’t mind being short, although it’s a trifle inconvenient if I need to change a light bulb. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-constitutes-tall/745979/32 "2016-02-14T01:47:15Z")
People exaggerate height. So, it depends on if it’s real inches, porn inches, w/ shoes, etc. I am exactly 6’ tall barefoot. On a daily basis (not hanging around pro athletes) I encounter few men much taller than I am. I don’t consider myself very tall, but I think I’m around the cutoff or endpoint between above-average to tall. Most men I know are 5’9- 5’10. 6’3 or 6’4 is statistically not common at all. When I was in college, almost every classmate who was bigger in height and/or frame was a division 1 college athlete. A lot of “seven foot” NBA players are really like 6’10… in shoes. I think it also depends on what you are talking about by “tall.” If you mean something like women have a dating preference for “tall” men, it’s probably something more like average to above-average statistically. If it’s a point which you look up at someone and say “Gee, he’s TALL” then you are talking about something rare that really stands out. I also know lanky 5’10-5’11 guys who look tall or just have long legs. To me I think of tall for a man as 6’ and for a woman somewhere around 5’8. Really tall probably 6’3/5’10. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-constitutes-tall/745979/33 "2016-02-14T03:45:07Z")
It’s all perspective. I’m a bit over 6’ 2". Most average height women up to 5’7" or so will consider most men over 6 feet tall as “tallish” unless they are tall themselves. If you are a tall woman say 5’9" or above a man will probably need to be 6’2" or more to be considered tall. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-constitutes-tall/745979/34 "2016-02-14T06:06:35Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > I’m 5’4" and live in San Francisco. Tall is 5’8" for a woman and 6’ for a man, although really if you can get something off a shelf for me, you’re tall. This is pretty much exactly what I was going to post (except I’m in Sacramento). ---
**Author:** ![Ignotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecc23a/32.png) [@Ignotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignotus)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-constitutes-tall/745979/35 "2016-02-14T06:17:17Z")
> [@Cognoscant](#): > > **Surely you must mean 5’11".** Unless you live on some planet where 7-foot tall women are commonplace. > > I suppose I fall into the “anybody taller than me is tall” camp, so for men 6’4" or taller. Any woman taller than my wife (5’8") I’d probably consider tall too. > > For a data point the tallest man and woman I’ve known more casually were 6’11" and 6’4" respectively. And also for the record I had an unrequited crush on the 6’4" lady. Correct! Those pesky non-SI-units always bother me! Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-constitutes-tall/745979/36 "2016-02-14T10:29:15Z")
I’m 6’ 3.5" barefoot. Now that I’m old and fat, I can buy in Australia clothes that fit me. When I was slimmer, I had to look for high-end clothes that had more range for better fit, but I could find them. That’s why I consider myself at the tall end of normal, and get irritated by things like airplane seats that don’t fit. Just above me are people who can’t buy clothes at expensive normal shops, and have to go tailored or big or move to Chicago. I’ve always been glad I don’t have that extra half inch. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-constitutes-tall/745979/37 "2016-02-14T11:44:05Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > I’m 6’ 3.5" barefoot. Now that I’m old and fat, I can buy in Australia clothes that fit me. When I was slimmer, I had to look for high-end clothes that had more range for better fit, but I could find them. That’s why I consider myself at the tall end of normal, and get irritated by things like airplane seats that don’t fit. > > Just above me are people who can’t buy clothes at expensive normal shops, and have to go tailored or big or move to Chicago. I’ve always been glad I don’t have that extra half inch. Oh, I hear you. I am almost exactly in the same situation. The airline thing is what inspired this post. I am dating a flight attendant and this is our first argument. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-constitutes-tall/745979/38 "2016-02-14T15:12:37Z")
Regarding geographical differences. Growing up in the western US, I didn’t consider myself tall, especially with the much taller relatives I have. When I moved to the eastern US, I quickly found I was now tall! E.g., mirrors were too low, when someone needed a tall person to get something, I was summoned, etc. It is rare for me to see someone who is a _lot_ taller than me. E.g., a month ago at the grocery store this was this guy that was huge. Very tall and kind of hefty. I had to point him out to **Mrs. FtG** to see what a shortish person’s reaction to someone that size was. Not much. Apparently, to her, all tall people look alike size-wise. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-constitutes-tall/745979/39 "2016-02-14T15:55:02Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > People exaggerate height. So, it depends on if it’s real inches, porn inches, w/ shoes, etc. I am exactly 6’ tall barefoot. On a daily basis (not hanging around pro athletes) I encounter few men much taller than I am. In the US, that puts you at about the 80th percentile of all Americans, and 75th percentile of non-Hispanic white Americans (the tallest, on average, of the bunch), using 30-39 as the target age. So, yes, six feet (183 cm) puts you on either the high side of average, or the low side of tall. For me, I’d give it a couple more inches before I’d say “tall,” but that would push it to about the 90th percentile. It’s just that at 5’11", I don’t feel tall (though it is about an inch to an inch-and-a-half above average), but I guess human perception is such that I don’t really notice anyone within about three or so inches of my height, so you’d have to be at least that much shorter or taller for me to fell a person is “short” or “tall.” ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-constitutes-tall/745979/40 "2016-02-14T16:26:16Z")
Tall is my height and up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-constitutes-tall/745979.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-constitutes-tall/745979.md?page=3)