Celebrity haircut search trends: Zayn Malik and Brad Pitt lead the most-Googled men's hair

Key findings

1. Zayn Malik ranked first for hair-related Google searches among 58 male celebrities with 211,370, ahead of Brad Pitt (169,930), Lionel Messi (138,510), Cristiano Ronaldo (136,940) and David Beckham (107,320)^[1].
2. Athletes took three of the top five places in that ranking: Messi, Ronaldo and Beckham^[1].
3. In StyleSeat's US analysis of Google search volume, 70% of the top celebrity hair searches were for male celebrities, and Justin Bieber, Chris Hemsworth, Brad Pitt and Harry Styles joined Jennifer Aniston in the top five^[2].
4. In a 2023 FUE Clinics study, Cristiano Ronaldo's hairstyle averaged 17,200 searches a month and Jack Grealish's 12,100^[3].
5. The alpaca haircut, which NPR linked to Patrick Mahomes, Jake Paul and Bad Bunny, topped Google's list of fastest-rising US haircut searches in 2024^[5][4].
6. Google's 2015 US hair report found that "man bun" searches were most associated with Harry Styles, Jared Leto and Leonardo DiCaprio, and said men's styles spread nationally more often when tied to celebrities^[6].
7. In a 2021 survey of 2,000 men, Jason Momoa and Harry Styles topped the list of celebrity hair inspiration^[7].

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Which male celebrity's hair is searched most on Google?

The most recent ranking comes from Dr. Cinik Hair Clinic, as reported by the Latin Times in September 2026. The clinic paired each celebrity's name with terms such as "haircut", "hairstyle", "hair", "fade haircut", "short hair" and "long hair", and ranked 58 actors, musicians and athletes by total global searches^[1].

Zayn Malik came first with 211,370 searches, followed by Brad Pitt with 169,930 and Lionel Messi with 138,510^[1]. Cristiano Ronaldo (136,940), David Beckham (107,320) and Drake (102,050) completed the top six^[1]. Further down, Maluma ranked 27th with 11,040, Bad Bunny 35th with 7,600 and Bruno Mars 40th with 5,070^[1].

The Latin Times noted that the release did not disclose the period studied or how the totals were calculated, and that public Google Trends shows relative interest rather than exact volumes^[1]. Treat the totals as a ranking signal rather than precise counts.

Do people search for male or female celebrity hair more?

Men's hair dominates. StyleSeat, a US salon booking platform, analyzed Google search volume for more than 100 celebrity hairstyles nationwide and by state. It found that 70% of the top celebrity hair searches were for male celebrities^[2].

Jennifer Aniston had the single most popular celebrity hair overall, but the rest of the top five were men: Justin Bieber, Chris Hemsworth, Brad Pitt and Harry Styles^[2]. At state level, Billie Eilish's hair was the most searched in 8 states and Zendaya's in 4^[2].

The same names recur across studies. Pitt, Bieber, Hemsworth and Styles all appear in the 2026 Dr. Cinik top ten as well^[1], which suggests their hair draws steady interest rather than a single viral moment.

Which footballers' haircuts get the most searches?

Soccer players punch well above their weight in hair searches. Three of the top five in the 2026 Dr. Cinik ranking are footballers: Messi third, Ronaldo fourth and Beckham fifth^[1]. Neymar Jr. also made that study's top 25^[1].

A 2023 study by hair transplant provider FUE Clinics, based on Google search data, put Cristiano Ronaldo first with an average of 17,200 monthly searches for his hairstyle^[3]. Jack Grealish was second with 12,100, and Phil Foden fourth with 4,400^[3]. FUE Clinics noted that Foden falls to 45th globally, so its list leans heavily on UK searches^[3]. Our guide to the best haircuts for athletes covers the low-maintenance cuts many players wear.

How do celebrities start men's haircut trends?

Google described the mechanism in its 2015 US hair report. Searches for "man bun" were most often paired with Harry Styles, Jared Leto and Leonardo DiCaprio, and Google wrote that Jared Leto may have been the first celebrity tied to the look but Harry Styles was "owning" it^[6]. By contrast, the comb over had no single celebrity driving it^[6].

Google's summary was that men's hairstyles are more likely to spread nationally when they are strongly associated with celebrities^[6]. Its geographic data showed the man bun as a national trend, while comb over searches over-indexed on the West Coast, in Los Angeles and San Francisco^[6].

The pattern repeated in 2024. The alpaca haircut, a fade on the sides with curly volume on top, was seen on Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, internet personality Jake Paul and Bad Bunny, according to NPR^[5]. It finished first on Google's list of fastest-rising US haircut searches that year^[4]. Our broccoli cut guide covers the same shape under its other nickname.

Which celebrity-linked haircuts trended on Google?

Several entries on Google's recent trending lists are tied to a film, show or star. In 2021 "Squid Game red hair" was fourth on Google's list of top trending hairstyle searches, following the Netflix series^[8]. In 2024 the US haircut list included the alpaca, the warrior haircut and the old money haircut^[4], and the separate "how to style" list included "how to style Sabrina Carpenter bangs"^[4].

On the men's side, NPR reported that one Maryland barber gave six to seven alpaca cuts a week, usually to young men, and that he says the cut is technically a textured fringe^[5]. Celebrity names help a look travel, but barbers usually record it under a technical name, which is one reason booking data rarely shows celebrity trends directly.

Do men actually copy celebrity haircuts?

Some do, and they say so. In a 2021 OnePoll survey of 2,000 men for Sport Clips, Jason Momoa and Harry Styles topped the list of celebrity hair inspiration^[7]. The survey did not publish percentages for each name.

Bringing a picture works better than describing a star. In a 2025 Talker Research poll of 2,000 US men, 36% had shown their barber a reference photo, and 88% of those said the stylist nailed the look^[9]. Another 23% had been afraid to ask for a specific haircut^[9]. A celebrity photo is often the easiest reference to find. Our guide on how to talk to your barber explains how to use one.

Are K-pop and Korean celebrity haircuts trending?

Yes, strongly, though the data does not name individual stars. Fresha's October 2026 search ranking put Korean comma hair first with a 400% rise in searches, and the Korean two-block up 83%^[10]. A Fresha spokesperson attributed the trend to K-beauty, K-dramas, K-pop and social media, mainly among Gen Z^[10].

Pinterest's 2026 Men's Trend Report shows the same move, with "Korean two block haircut men" up 212% and "textured two block" up 126%^[11]. Our two-block haircut guide explains the cut.

Frequently asked questions

Methodology and limitations

This report was compiled October 1 to 15, 2026, from published search studies: Dr. Cinik Hair Clinic's 2026 ranking (as reported by the Latin Times, the only public account found), StyleSeat's US celebrity hair analysis, FUE Clinics' 2023 study, Google's 2015 Beauty Trends report and Google's 2021 and 2024 Year in Search lists. Survey data comes from OnePoll for Sport Clips (2021) and Talker Research for Sport Clips (2025). Celebrity links for the alpaca haircut come from NPR. Fresha and Pinterest data cover Korean-style trends. No figures were estimated; the comparison table only lines up published rankings.

Limitations

The celebrity studies were run by businesses with a commercial interest in hair (two hair transplant clinics and a booking platform) and none disclose a full method. The Dr. Cinik release does not state the period or how totals were built, and Google Trends itself only gives relative interest. StyleSeat's page has no publish date; its image files suggest early 2023. FUE Clinics' list appears to be mainly UK data. Search interest shows curiosity, not how many men copy a look. Rankings across studies use different regions and terms, so the numbers should not be added or compared directly.

Every figure on this page links to its source. Numbers are reported as published; any menhaircuts.net calculation is labelled and shows its inputs. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will check it.

Sources

1. Zayn Malik Beats Brad Pitt and Lionel Messi in Ranking of Most Googled Celebrity Hairstyles, Latin Times (data: Dr. Cinik Hair Clinic) (2026). Accessed October 15, 2026.
2. The Most Coveted Celebrity Hair in Every State, StyleSeat Blog (2023). Accessed October 15, 2026.
3. The Most Searched for Celebrity Hairstyles, FUE Clinics (2023). Accessed October 15, 2026.
4. Google Year in Search: Top Trending Data 2024, Fashion Trendsetter (reproducing Google Year in Search 2024) (2024). Accessed October 15, 2026.
5. The 'alpaca' haircut teenage boys and young men are obsessed with, explained, NPR (2024). Accessed October 15, 2026.
6. Beauty Trends 2015: Hair Care Edition (U.S.), Google (Think with Google) (2015). Accessed October 15, 2026.
7. Return of the mullet? 1 in 5 men want to bring back the hairdo disaster!, StudyFinds (data: OnePoll for Sport Clips) (2021). Accessed October 15, 2026.
8. 'Squid Game' Red Tops Google's 2021 Hair Trends, Hypebae (data: Google Year in Search 2021) (2021). Accessed October 15, 2026.
9. How men can overcome their haircut anxiety, Talker Research (for Sport Clips) (2025). Accessed October 15, 2026.
10. K-Pop Comma to Classic Buzzcuts: What Are Men Asking Barbers For in 2026?, BarberEVO (data: Fresha) (2026). Accessed October 15, 2026.
11. 2026 Men's Trend Report, Pinterest Newsroom (2026). Accessed October 15, 2026.

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