Children Lines in Palmistry: What They Really Show
By Clara Wynn · Last reviewed: October 2026
Children lines are tiny vertical lines rising above a marriage line, just below the little finger. Traditional palmistry counted them as the number of children someone would have, but they’re the most symbolic and least reliable part of palmistry. They can’t predict pregnancy, fertility or how many children you’ll have.
Where are the children lines?
- Find your marriage lines: the short horizontal lines on the edge of your palm below the little finger. Marriage line guide
- Look directly above them, toward the base of the little finger.
- Children lines are very fine vertical lines rising from or near a marriage line. You may need daylight or a magnifying glass.
In Indian palmistry they’re sometimes called santan rekha.
Don’t confuse them with the fine vertical creases many people have on the Mount of Mercury (below the little finger). Palmists also read those as communication or medical-intuition lines in some traditions.
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How children lines are traditionally read
| What you see | Traditional reading |
|---|---|
| Several fine vertical lines | Old texts: one line per child. Modern view: close bonds with children in your life |
| Deep, straight lines | Strong, healthy bonds |
| Faint lines | Lighter or less frequent connections with children |
| Lines rising from the marriage line | Bonds within that relationship |
| No children lines | Nothing negative. Many people have none |
Some older books went further, reading straight lines as boys and slanted lines as girls. There’s no basis for this, and modern palmists don’t use it.
Why children lines can’t predict children
- They’re often too fine to see reliably, so two readers will count differently.
- Nearly everyone has fine creases in this area, whether or not they have children.
- Fertility and pregnancy are medical questions. If you have questions about them, a doctor is the right person to ask.
Modern palmists who use children lines read them, at most, as your relationship with children: as a parent, aunt or uncle, teacher, or someone who loves kids.
Children lines in a female hand
Older books often read children lines only on women’s hands. Modern palmists read them the same way on any hand, using the dominant hand. See palm reading for women.
Western vs. Indian vs. Chinese readings
| Western | Indian (Samudrika Shastra) | Chinese | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional reading | Number of children | Number and sometimes gender of children | Children and family luck |
| Modern view | Symbolic bonds with children | Many modern readers treat it as symbolic | Varies |
Myth vs. fact
| Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
| The number of lines is the number of children you’ll have. | Children lines can’t predict how many children you’ll have. |
| Straight lines are boys, slanted lines are girls. | There’s no basis for this. |
| No children lines means infertility. | Palm lines can’t show fertility. Ask a doctor about health questions. |
| Only women have children lines. | Anyone can have fine lines in this area. |
Start with your main lines.
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