Whether you’re a new parent or you have an older boy who is growing quickly, and you’re not sure if he’s wearing the right shoe size – or should start wearing men’s shoes – you’re in the right place! In this article, we’ll discuss the basics about boys shoe sizes with boys shoe size charts, boys to men shoe size conversion, and illustrations.
How Do Boys Shoes Sizes Work?
This depends on the age of your boy. When they are a toddler, your boy will wear “small kids shoes” which run from size 0-13. Most boys will wear toddler shoes until they are up to 4 or 5 years old. Most 4 year old boys, for example, will wear a size 11 toddler shoe. Toddler sizes are often marked with a “T” – so a size “11T” would be a size 11 toddler shoe.
Next, there are “Youth” shoe sizes. These range from 1-7 and are often labeled with a “Y,” so a size 1Y would be a size 1 youth shoe. Youth sizes are for bigger boys – a size 1Y shoe is bigger than a size 13T shoe. After your child outgrows the largest 7Y shoes, it’s time to move onto adult shoe sizes. Good to know: Youth Shoe Sizes are the same as Men Shoe Sizes!
Boys Shoe Size Chart
| Boys Shoe Size (US) | Foot Lenght (Inch) | Worn by |
|---|---|---|
| 1C | 3 5/8 | Baby |
| 2C | 4 | Baby |
| 3C | 4 3/8 | Baby |
| 4C | 4 3/4 | Toddler |
| 5C | 5 | Toddler |
| 6C | 5 1/4 | Toddler |
| 7C | 5 5/8 | Toddler |
| 8C | 6 | Small Child |
| 9C | 6 1/4 | Small Child |
| 10C | 6 5/8 | Small Child |
| 11C | 6 7/8 | Small Child |
| 12C | 7 1/8 | Small Child |
| 13C | 7 3/8 | Small Child |
| 1Y | 7 5/8 | Big Child/Youth |
| 2Y | 8 | Big Child/Youth |
| 3Y | 8 3/8 | Big Child/Youth |
| 4Y | 8 5/8 | Big Child/Youth |
| 5Y | 9 | Big Child/Youth |
| 6Y | 9 3/4 | Big Child/Youth |
Not sure what shoe size boys your boy should be wearing, based on his age, foot length, and other factors? This boys shoe size chart should help shed some light on the right shoe size for his needs. Take a look at the baby boy shoes chart for newborns.
Boys Shoe Size by Age
| Boys' Age | US Size | Foot length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 3C | 4 3/8" |
| 2 years | 6C | 5 1/4" |
| 3 years | 9C | 6 1/4" |
| 4 years | 11C | 6 7/8" |
| 5 years | 12.5C | 7 1/4" |
| 6 years | 13.5C | 7 1/2" |
| 7 years | 1Y | 7 5/8" |
| 8 years | 2Y | 8" |
| 9 years | 3Y | 8 3/8" |
| 10 years | 4Y | 8 5/8" |
| 11 years | 5Y | 9" |
| 12 years | 6Y | 9 3/4" |
| 13 years | 7 US Men | 10" |
| 14 years | 8 US Men | 10 1/6" |
| 15 years | 9 US Men | 10 1/2" |
| 16 years | 10 US Men | 10 5/6" |
Use this chart to look up the typical shoe size by age for boys. A six year old boy, for example, has an average foot length of 7 1/2″, which equals shoe size 13.5C.
Boys to Men Shoe Size Conversion
Want to do a Boys to Men shoe size conversion? Here’s a quick and easy chart that will help you do so.
| US Kids/Youth Shoe Size | Foot length (inches) | US Men Shoe Size |
|---|---|---|
| 13C | 7 3/8 | |
| 13.5C | 7 1/2 | 0.5 |
| 1Y | 7 5/8 | 0.5-1 |
| 1.5Y | 7 7/8 | 1-1.5 |
| 2Y | 8 | 1.5-2 |
| 2.5Y | 8 1/4 | 2-2.5 |
| 3Y | 8 3/8 | 2.5-3 |
| 3.5Y | 8 1/2 | 3-3.5 |
| 4Y | 8 5/8 | 3.5-4 |
| 4.5Y | 8 7/8 | 4-4.5 |
| 5Y | 9 | 4.5-5 |
| 5.5Y | 9 1/4 | 5-5.5 |
| 6Y | 9 1/2 | 5.5-6 |
| 6.5Y | 9 2/3 | 6-6.5 |
| 7Y | 9 5/6 | 6.5-7 |
| 7.5Y | 10 | 7-7.5 |
| 8Y | 10 1/6 | 7.5-8 |
| 8.5Y | 10 1/3 | 8-8.5 |
| 9Y | 10 1/2 | 8.5-9 |
As you can see: The boys shoe sizing scale is identical to the men’s shoe sizing. So, a Boys to Men Shoe Size Conversion is a piece of cake. However, this is only true for the so-called Youth Shoe Sizes. Shoe sizes for smaller kids (1C to 13C) follow a different logic. Though, on average it is men are unable to wear these small kids shoes.
What is a youth size 7 in men’s shoes?
As youth shoe sizes and men’s shoe sizes follow the same scale, a Youth Size 7 (also denoted as 7Y) is the same size as a Men’s Shoe Size 7.
How Are Boys Shoe Sizes Different From Girls Shoe Sizes?
They aren’t! Girls and boys have similarly-sized feet as they age, up until puberty. That means there’s no need to make a distinction between girls shoe sizes and boys shoe sizes (unlike adult sizes – they differentiate in gender). To find out the boys shoe size to women, measure feet and use this chart. For example a boys 6 in kids equals size 7.5 in women’s shoes.
While you’ll definitely find shoes that are specifically meant for girls and boys – like pink running shoes – they’ll all be sized with unisex sizing. There is no difference in size between girls and boys when wearing toddler shoes or youth shoes.
When To Start Buying Mens Sizes?
This is a common question – and there’s not usually a “hard and fast” answer. There is some overlap between the biggest Youth sizes and smaller men’s shoes.
As a rule, your boy should start looking at purchasing men’s shoes around the age of 12, when he will typically be wearing a size 6Y-7Y shoe and can fit into a men’s size 6-7.
It’s pretty difficult to find men’s shoes under size 6 in most stores, so this is the right time to make the switch.