Every type of men haircuts are a masterpiece and every time a hairstylist does someone’s hair, there is no guarantee that the final result will be the same as a previous one.
When it comes to men’s haircuts, getting a cut is much more complicated than knowing you want a long, medium, or short hairstyle. Why? Because nowadays, the cut you get is a reflection of your personality and style.
Due to the multitude of haircuts in existence, it can be a real challenge to choose the best one that can match both the length and the texture of your hair. Some men prefer an undercut with a comb-over for a fashionable professional hairstyle, while others want only a buzz cut with a mid-skin fade for a robust look that does not require too much maintenance.
Regardless of the type of haircut you want – short on the sides and back or a longer style on top for unlimited styling options, you will want to know what are their names.
There are certain men’s haircuts and hairstyles that are well known, and others that are only familiar to professionals, so we thought of putting together a complete name guide for men’s haircuts for every curious person out there.
From the undercut to the fade and the quiff to the side part, explore these different hairstyles to find the names of the styles you’ll want for the next visit you will make to your stylist.
Tips to tell your stylist exactly what you want
It is necessary to understand what you need to tell your stylist to get the much-desired hairstyle. Below, we have compiled a shortlist that will guide you in this regard:
- Tell him the general style you want
- Specify how much you want to cut your hair
- Let him know if you need a decrease or not
- Reveal the type of neck area you desire
- Disclose to him if you need the surface
- Tell him how you want your arches to be
- Let him know how you want your sideburns to be
I. Fades Men Haircuts
1. Bald Fade Men Haircuts
One of the basic haircuts is the Bald Fade Men haircut, named so, obviously because of the very short shaved hair that makes the head look bald. A fade is an extreme type of taper cut, where the hair on the sides and back is cut very, very close to the head and then tapered upward– usually beginning above the ears or at the temple– to a longer length on the top of the head.
What to ask your barber
Make sure to ask for a Fade cut if you want this blurred type of contour. You can do it by using #0 blade clippers.
2. Low Fade Men Haircuts
The different starting points for the fading area give the trimming technique its name. In this case, the faded part starts around ear-level and so, it’s a low fade.
What to ask your barber
To get this haircut, ask for a #0 blade clippers trim for your hair, right around era-level that gradually becomes longer as the barber moves upwards.
3. Mid Fade Men Haircuts
The mid fade is a bit higher than the ear-level ones and it should go right around the temple. Is smaller than a high fade and higher than a lower fade.
What to ask your barber
To get this specific look, ask for a mid fade with a surgical sideline and very well-defined edges. This look is very well trimmed and chiseled and it will need an experienced barber to nail it.
4. High Fade Men Haircuts
As the name suggests, the High Fade refers to a Fade cut that reaches right to the crown level. So, from that point, the hair gets longer, while the lower parts stay short-trimmed.
What to ask your barber
Ask for a high fade with a layered taper top, to create this spiky look. The front hair is a bit longer, so this is different from your typical Flattop which you will later discover.
5. Classic Fade Men Haircuts
The classic fade has an undefined starting point for the longer part, usually somewhere around the temporal lobes and it’s very similar to a buzz cut.
What to ask your barber
Ask for an #0 blades trimming done to your entire hair, except the top area where the barber should swap for a longer blade for his clippers. Minimal contouring can help define the head shape.
6. Comb Over Fade Men Haircuts
Comb-over is not precisely a haircut but more like a hair styling technique used for variations. In this case, in combination with a fade, the comb-over can be backward, sideways, or tilted, depending on the desired design.
What to ask your barber
Ask for a drop, fade, a type of mid-fade, where the back hair is tapered at an angle, creating a V-shape for your nape hair. In this case, the part is natural and the front hair is combed- over for a dynamic look.
7. Buzz Cut Men Hairstyles
The Buzzcut, also known previously as a butch, is created by taking a clipper and cutting all the hair to the same length on the top of the head (typically about 1/4 inch or so). It is longer than a “bald fade” which is often considered to be 1/8 inch or less.
What to ask your barber
A buzz cut may or may not be tapered around the ears and near the neckline, depending on the preference of the wearer. In this case, ask for 1/4 inch blade clippers.
8. Bowl Cut for Men
One of the most long-lasting haircuts out there, the bowl-cut was very popular in everyone’s childhood. In present days, it’s very popular in Korea, due to its high “kawaii-factor”, meaning that the round shape makes it very cute and appealing.
What to ask your barber
Ask for very short trimmed sideburns and an overall length of your locks or around 3 inches long. The front hair should be cut in a fringe that will cover the forehead to create a round- appearance.
9. Caesar Cut Men Haircuts
Named after the iconic Roman emperor, Julius Caesar, that wore his hair in a similar way, the Caesar cut is defined by the front bangs covering the forehead and the forward combed hair.
What to ask your barber
The hair on the top of the head should be layered to around a length of 1 to 2 inches, with the front combed forward into short bangs. The back and sides are tapered.
10. Undercut
A generic term more than a specific haircut, the undercut is a great way of cutting your hair, giving volume and shape to your head.
What to ask your barber
Ask for a very clear separation between the two sections of your head, the “under part” and the “above part”, with no transition in between to get this distinct look.
11. High and Tight Men Haircuts
Inspired by the Military, this specific term refers to a haircut where the sides and back are extremely short, either clipped almost to the skin or shaved with a razor all the way up to the crown of the head. The top is usually worn very short (usually 1/4 inch or shorter, though some guys wear the very front part a little longer) and on the forward part of the head. There is minimal blending between the sides and the top; the amount of blending varies by preference.
What to ask your barber
Ask for a high and tight haircut with a longer top, which would be around 1 inch long instead of 1/4 inches.
12. High and Tight Recon Men Haircuts
The High and tight recon is an extreme version of the high and tight. The sides and back are shaved very high, about 1 inch or 2 past the crown of the head. There is no blending between the sides and the top. The patch of hair left on the top forward part of the head is more narrow and smaller than in a high and tight. The recon resembles an extremely short Mohawk.
What to ask your barber
Ask your barber to keep just one small patch of long hair on top of your crown and give the rest a very short fade.
II. Flatops And Variations
13. Flatop Men Haircuts
This haircut has been around for the last 7 decades, starting with the Rockabilly era and The Greaser trend when men were using plenty of hair pomade to keep their haircuts in shape. It’s defined by the stick-straight top hair that is cut at the same level and the short sides. There are a number of possible length variations with the flat top, though the longer the hair on the top, the more likely you will need some sort of styling product (hair wax) to keep it standing up straight.
What to ask your barber
There is no way any barber wouldn’t know how to recreate a Flattop, you will only need to be specific about your preferred length for the tapered sides and the long top.
14. Flatop Boogie Men Haircut
This is a great variation that has also stood the test of time since the ’60s until now! The main difference resides in the air-dynamic shape given by the longer trimmed sides, which are defining for the Boogie combing technique.
What to ask your barber
Ask for a Flat top hair with a very neat trim and well-combed scissors cut to give the cut its specific shape.
15. Flatop with Fenders Men Haircuts
A flat top with longer hair on the sides of the head is called a “flat top with fenders.”
What to ask your barber
The specificity of the haircut should be enough for your barber to know what you are talking about. Mention that you want your sides of the flat top to be combed upward so that they form a crest.
16. Ducktail or D.A. Men Haircuts
The haircut in the photo looks to be a combo of both a flat top and a duck-tail comb in the back. The duck-tail or the duck’s ass (D.A.), a shape apparently invented by Philadelphia barber Joe Cirello in 1940, combines trimming and combing of the hair so that it has the appearance of a feathered duck’s back.
What to ask your barber
A ducktail comb-out for the back of your head that should be greased and styled to stay in place and give you that old dapper look.
III. Taper Men Haircuts
17. Crew Men Haircuts
A crew cut is a fairly generic term for a very short cut that is tapered on the back and sides as well as tapered on the top of the head to have a little more length toward the front hairline. A crew cut can be considered a very short version of a classic taper cut, or even a very short pompadour if the hair is brushed upward in the front. The crew cut gained mainstream appeal during World War II as the cut of choice for the United States Military.
What to ask your barber
The contour of the head is usually followed on the top, giving a somewhat rounded look, but in this case, the hair is trimmed so that it stays upwards and longer than the rest of the head that is tapered softly.
18. Executive Cut ( Ivy League)
After the Bald Fade, this haircut is the one with the most alternative names of all men haircuts encountered before. Also known as The Business’ Man Haircut, The Professional, The Ivy League, the Executive haircut is defined by a soft taper on the top and sides of the head, a natural side part, and a very neat combing technique applied to the whole hair. It makes it very appealing to people working in more serious environments and industries
What to ask your barber
Ask for a soft taper cut of around 1 and a half inches in length and a side part. Comb the hair carefully and even use hair pomade to get this sleek, neat look.
19. French Crop
A French Crop is a type of haircut where the top is messy and long while the sides are very short and tapered. Although of British origins, the French crop takes its name from the success of french barbers to adapt this style to a no-product haircut, meaning he wasn’t allowed to use brilliantine.
What to ask your barber
It’s all about building length and weight at the front of the cut while taking the back, sides, and crown short. Ask for shortcut bangs and messy layering on top to get the exact look.
20. Rob Crop
A more chiseled, tamed-down version of the French Crop or the English crop, also proposed by Reuzel’s Annual Catalog, this Rob Crop haircut has a similar look to a Bowl Cut but looks less geeky.
What to ask your barber
This cropped haircut is all about a carefully trimmed contour using scissors and a small portion of faded using the shaving clippers. Is great for fine hair and any hair color.
IV.Quiffs Men Haircuts
21. Classic Quiff
Named after the iconic quiff on your forehead, this haircut hasn’t been around for many years, it is a more recent adaptation of the Pompadour hairstyle and a short haircut.
What to ask your barber
The Quiff hairstyle is basically like the undercut: longer on top and shorter on the sides and back. The real difference is the top of the hair, which is styled upward and combed slightly back for a textured, eye-catching look. The secret resides in the styling.
22. Quiff
As long-lasting as the Pompadour and the Flattop, the Quiff is very versatile and can borrow many elements to stay updated.
What to ask your barber
Ask for a very careful trimming to your ends and a tilted direction from your forehead towards the back to create the Quiff. Style with plenty of pomades.
23. Modern Quiff
A modern Quiff is different from previous versions since it has very short trimmed sides and not long ones combed back.
What to ask your barber
Ask for a layered top hair of around 3 inches long that you can style to create the piecey look we see in the image displayed and a low fade done with #0 blade clippers.
24. Psycho Quiff
No matter the time frame, quiffs have always a way of popping back in the trend and this is the case with the Psycho Quiff which gets its name from the rough, razor-sharp look.
What to ask your barber
Ask for a small island of hair to be kept around 4 inches long in the front and keep the rest bald faded to get this contrasting look.
V. Pompadour Style Men Haircuts
25. Classic Pompadour
A pompadour is a generic term for a style that wears the hair brushed up and back from the forehead. Pompadours can be very short or very long on the top. Elvis Presley wore a few different pompadour styles in his lifetime, some short and some long. Often, styling products such as pomade are used to keep a pompadour in place
What to ask your barber
Ask for a Pompadour with volume and fine texture to create a high shape above your forehead.
26. Classic Pompadour Short Haircut with Side Part
A super stylish and more modern adaption of the classic Pompadour, this hairstyle only has an upward-edged hair stripe and well-trimmed sides.
What to ask your barber
A low fade with shaved sideburns and plenty of length in the crown to create that super sleek long bangs that will look very Ace Ventura- like when swept on the back.
27. Long Trim Pompadour
This longer version of the Pompadour really reminds us of the Rockabilly Era with its fancy costumes and exaggerated hair.
What to ask your barber
Ask for a Rockabilly inspired Pompadour, very well trimmed and styled so that it has this very smooth polished look.
28. Jelly Roll Men Haircut
The Jelly Roll gets its name from the combing technique that resembles the appearance of something like a Swiss roll cake. Both sides are combed into a mirror image of each other.
What to ask your barber
This version we see above is the Widow’s Peak Jelly Roll haircut but you can definitely sport it if you have a normal hairline with no problems.
29. Elephant Trunk Hairstyle
This hairstyle borrows its name from nature, along with D. A’s haircuts, and it is named so because of the hanging, free-falling quiff above the forehead.
What to ask your barber
Nice, transitional faded sides and a stripe of hair of around 5 inches length styled so that it hangs above the nose level.
VI. Mullet Men Haircuts
30. Classic Mullet
Party in the back, business in the front is the tagline of this haircut that was very popular in the ’80s and early ’90s, although it is said to be the original haircut of the Neanderthals man due to the benefit of protecting one’s head from the sun.
What to ask your barber
Start with an arch fade and then gradually move to a scissors trim for the rest of the head which should be long and reach almost shoulders level.
31. Mohawk Mullet
This is a modern makeover of the Mullet.
What to ask your barber
A high fade mixed with a stripe of around 3 inches length that stops at the nape.
32. Slicked Back Hairstyle
Slicked back haircuts are the ones that involve keeping the hair slicked on the back or sideways and the rest of the hair cut in different ways.
What to ask your barber
The main feature of this haircut is the long front hair that should look very greased and sleek and the rest of the hair short and shaved for a contrast.
33. Shag Haircut
The Shag or shaggy haircuts are the epitome of layered haircuts and have been around since the 80’s. This one bellow is a very nice, short fringed one but there are also longer versions, such as the ones of the Gun’s and Roses band members.
What to ask your barber
Ask for an overall length of around 3 inches and even longer and a horizontal layering applied to your hair. Wear it natural.
34. Punk Mohawk
This is an iconic look of the Anti-establishment Punk movement and it was actually discovered as a hairstyle during World War II. The Mohawk haircut has its origins among the Native American peoples of the Iroquois League, who lived in the northeastern US. Fierce Mohawk warriors shaved the sides of their heads, leaving only a brush-like strip of hair at the top, kept stiff with boar grease or resin.
What to ask your barber
A clean, zero-fade or the main part of your head, combined with a big, long stripe of hair that should stay stick-straight using high-weight pomade.
35. Faux Hawk
If you find the Punk Mohawk too extreme, you can opt for a Faux Mohawk that involves shaving less of your hair.
What to ask your barber
Ask for a short fade for about half of your side hair that will subtly transition to a square stripe of longer hair which you can style in a Mohawk.
34. Disconnected Undercut
Any type of trimming or fading technique that doesn’t use transitions layers is called disconnected.
What to ask your barber
Mention that you want a disconnected look and ask for an undercut to get this precise haircut.
35. Shape Up
A shape-up is a type of haircut inspired from the ’80s which uses the clippers to define and contour the edges of the haircut. They generally alter the natural contour to create a better, more geometrical look.
What to ask your barber
Ask for a fade that should give you clear, straight angles at temples and at the arches lines. Keep the top at least 2 inches long.
36. Juice Box Haircut
The Juice cut gets its name from a movie in 1992 where Tupac wore this exact look and turned it into a phenomenon.
What to ask your barber
A classic Juice haircut with gradually short-trimmed hair on the sides, this look is special because of the flawless straight sharp low line that crosses the top of the head.
37. High Top Haircut
A high top or a Hitop is a 90’s inspired haircut with plenty of volume and height for the upper side of the head.
What to ask your barber
Lots of volumes and gradually growing the hair lengths is what this haircut shows and a perfectly drawn fade cut.
38. Slope Haircut
Named so because of the slight tilde hair, creating the illusion of a Slope, this hairstyle is all about fine trimming the hair ends.
What to ask your barber
Ask for a subtle Slope Fade Haircut with a longer front and evenly shaped sides.
39. Spiky Haircut
A very popular look in the ’90s, this recent hairstyle gained popularity especially among teenagers and young people in general.
What to ask your barber
Ask for a length big enough that it will allow you to use hair gel and hair spray and fixate it straight upwards while the sides and eras are zero-faded and stubby.
40. Layered Haircut
In contrast with the Mohawk trend for example, in the ’80s many people started wearing layered cuts as a way of looking more soft and gentle, and professional.
What to ask your barber
Ask for an overall layered haircut, that you can presumably wear swept backward to free your forehead and sight.
41. Deep Side Part
Some people prefer clear defined lines and so barbers came up with the deep side part, a part that was widened using razor blades. It is also named a Hard Part.
What to ask your barber
When asking for a deep or hard part for your haircut you ought to know that it will grow and that it can change its appearance. Hence, make sure that the overall aspect of the haircut will not be ruined by stubby hairs.
42. Flow Haircut
This fluid style started as the hockey haircut and is all about medium-length or longer hair that flows back.
What to ask your barber
Ask for a layered, soft cut of medium length that you can wear naturally without too much hassle.
43. Extra-long Mullet for Straight Hair with Sideburns
A combination between Caesar’s cut and a mullet, this haircut has long sideburns and a straight fringe together with long hair at the back.
What to ask your barber
Suited for men with medium long and long hair, it is a great way to add personality to your typical short haircut. Long live the 80’s!
44. Mullet Haircut with Yellow Colored Faux Mohawk and Shaved Sides
Colored Hairstyles grew in popularity in the last years and they are cool for teenagers and artists in general.
What to ask your barber
Short on the sides and long in the top and back, this brightly colored Mullet-like haircut sports a shaggy faux Mohawk and dark shaved roots on the sides.
45. Undercut with Chunky Layered Top
Not exactly a classic, but more of a mix, this undercut combined with a layered top is usually specific to the 90’s era but could have a comeback.
What to ask your barber
It takes a very skilled barber to make transitions to a low fade in such a narrow space as it is the case in the picture above but we think this is a great way to flaunt your thick dense hair.
46. Twisted Braids
Unlike box braids that use 3 strands of hair, twists use only two and have a particular, different look. They are of Afro-American inspiration.
What to ask your barber
Twisted feed-in box braids, past-crown long that will be colored in blue and turquoise colors, while keeping the skin of the temples faded and shaping a clean, straight razor-cut in front.
47. Cornrows Hairstyle
The main difference between cornrows and braids is that cornrows are attached to the head and create that linear uniform aspect to your scalp.
What to ask your barber
These reverse pigtail cornrows are created by splitting the hair in two and braiding two large cornrows towards the forehead and not the nape.
VIII. Long Men Haircuts
48. Half Up Half Down Men Haircuts
This is a very cool hairstyle that is perfect for people with medium-long hair and even layered haircuts.
What to ask your barber
Gather your crown hair in a ponytail and start making a coil out of it to create the bun. Let the rest of the hair fall down freely.
49. Top Knot Men Hairstyle
This look is surely not a new one but has gathered popularity in the late years.
What to ask your barber
If you have medium-long hair you simply need to put it all in a ponytail and stop half ways to create the knot at the back of your head or on top, depending on preferences.
50. Man Bun Hairstyle
Another representative haircut in the late-era, associated with the hipsters, the man bun is a practical look for men with long hair.
What to ask your barber
Ask for a simple bun gathered messily or very neat at the back of your head.
51. Dreadlocks
Long, twisting, thick, rope-like dreadlocks make for a ferocious look.
What to ask your braider
Go for a full head session of braiding to create this unitary look for your head. You will need to use extensions too if you don’t have enough volume or length.
52. Box Braids
These natural-looking box braids are a great way of wearing your hair for a more relaxed, casual look and the good thing is you can make them at home!
What to ask your braider
Ask for a full box braiding session and even opt for installing hair extensions so you get this full, long look. You can also wear them in a ponytail for a more practical look.
Conclusion
These are some of the most popular and famous men haircuts in the last century. We could tell that the fashion is recurrent and that certain ageless looks get many updates to keep up the pace with the modern days.
If you want to get more inspirational material, check 100+ short hairstyles for men too!
Short on Sides Long on Top 50+ Original Men Haircuts