Widow’s Peak – The desultory rabbit holes a blogger goes down
Posted By RichC on June 1, 2025
While Katelyn was home with her family over the Memorial Day weekend, she made a comment about Drew’s hairline while he was swimming in the pool; she used the term “Widow’s Peak“ and it 
stuck with me as something “desultory” enough for MDB.
According to GrokAI (sketched an illustration too):
A widow’s peak is a distinctive V-shaped point in the hairline, typically centered on the forehead, where the hair converges into a downward peak. It’s a genetic trait, often inherited, and can vary in prominence from subtle to pronounced. The term originates from folklore, where it was associated with widows, as the shape resembled the peak of a widow’s hood worn in mourning. It’s seen in both men and women and can influence hairstyles, with some embracing it as a unique feature while others style their hair to minimize its appearance.
Perhaps the most prominent illustration of a Widow’s Peak that comes to my mind would be the legendary Count Dracula? I also thought of former speaker of the U.S.House, and Miami of Ohio grad, Paul Ryan … and supposedly the famous actress Marilyn Monroe once had a widows peak … although it is reported it was tweaked with some Hollywood electrolysis. Hm, who knew?
Why is it Called a Widow’s Peak?
The widow’s peak is a physical trait most often noted for its name. Although the term “peak” is assumed to be a way of describing the distinct V shape, this trait actually has a more interesting reason for its name. The name can be traced back to 18th century England, where this hairline was originally thought to be a bad omen, signaling early widowhood. During this period, widows would typically wear a hat or hood that pointed down the middle of their forehead to signal widowhood. Thus, when a woman was born with this hairline that created a similar look to the headpiece worn by widows, it was assumed that that would be her fate.
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