How Rare Are Green Eyes? Unlock the Mystique of Them

Green eyes, hailed as the most attractive, embody beauty, mystery, and cultural significance. However, their allure is heightened by their rarity, with only approximately 2% of the world's population graced with this captivating hue.

In this guide, we explore the rarity, inheritance, and celebrities with green eyes. Whether you're naturally blessed with green eyes or seeking a temporary transformation with colored contacts, we provide insights into embracing this captivating eye color.

Where Do Green Eyes Come from?

Green eyes come from a lower level of melanin in the outer iris layer, similar to blue eyes but with slightly more melanin. Melanin plays a role in eye color. Less melanin gives a green or blue appearance, more leads to hazel eyes, and the highest melanin results in brown eyes.

Additionally, the way light scatters off the eye, especially from melanin, contributes to the green color of these eyes.

Are Green Eyes Rare?

Yes, green eyes are one of the rarest eye colors in the world, followed by grey eyes, amber eyes, and hazel eyes. Brown is the most common eye color, accounting for about 79% of the population.

How Many People Have Green Eyes?

How rare are green eyes? Only about 2% of the global population have green eyes.

Green eyes are most common in Northern, Western, and Central Europe. Approximately 8–10% of men and 18–21% of women in Iceland, and 6% of men and 17% of women in the Netherlands, have green eyes.

In European Americans, individuals with recent Celtic and Germanic ancestry, about 16% display green eyes.

Types of Green Eye Color

There aren't distinct types of green eyes. Instead, green eye color varies in shades and intensities. The various tones of green eyes are part of a spectrum, ranging from light to dark green.

1. Pure Light Green Eyes

Depending on the shade or intensity of the green color, there is a difference between light green eyes and dark green eyes. Light green eyes have a paler or softer green hue.

2. Pure Dark Green Eyes

Dark green eyes have a richer, deeper, or more intense green color. Some darker green eyes appear in the lovely shades of emerald.

3. Blue Green Eyes

❗ However, there are also some green eyes that mix with other colors.

Blue-green eyes are characterized by a unique blend of both blue and green hues in the iris. This distinctive feature sets them apart from hazel eyes, where either green or brown takes prominence.

The combination of blue and green in blue-green eyes makes them even rarer than pure green eyes.

15 Facts about Green Eyes You Don't Know

There are more fun facts about green eyes that you might not know.

1. Green eyes are more UV-sensitive due to a lack of protective melanin compared to brown-eyed individuals.

2. Green eyes vary widely in shade, offering as much diversity as the hues found in a forest.

3. Green eyes don’t actually have any color. With little melanin in the iris, green eyes scatter light out to make them look green.

4. Eye color can change throughout the day, with green eyes appearing hazy in the morning and darkening as the day progresses.

5. In Liqian, China, around two-thirds of the population has green eyes, possibly descendants of displaced Roman soldiers.

6. Green eyes are recessive to brown but dominant to blue.

7. If both parents have green eyes, there is a high likelihood that their children will also inherit green eye color.

8. Females are more likely to have green eyes than males, despite their overall rarity.

9. Green eyes contain the yellowish pigment lipochrome.

10. Babies aren't born with green eyes; the color develops between 6 and 12 months as melanin increases.

11. Various animals, including cats, chameleons, and cheetahs, can have green eyes.

12. Folklore often depicts witches and spiritual beings with green eyes.

13. Throughout history, green eyes have been a popular choice for artists, writers, and photographers.

14. Surveys suggest that people find green eyes more attractive than hazel or grey.

15. Green eyes are the most requested shade for colored contact lenses, possibly due to their allure and rarity. 🛒🛍️ Shop Green Contacts to make your eyes green naturally >>

People with Green Eyes

Now let's see some examples and get to know some celebrities with green eyes, including Adele, Emma Stone, Elizabeth Olsen, Georgia Jagger, Maisie Williams, Julianne Moore, Gigi Hadid, AnnaSophia Robb, Kate Middleton, Amanda Seyfried, Karlie Kloss, etc.

How Do You Get Green Eyes?

Colored contact lenses offer a temporary way for you to achieve green eyes! Green contacts cover your original iris color and make it appear a green hue. You have various design options to choose from, allowing you to change your eye color in a subtle or bold manner.

Natural Green Lenses for Daily Wear:

🛒 TTDeye Himalaya Green | 1 Year

🛒 TTDeye Ice Green | 1 Year

🛒 TTDeye Bee Green | 1 Year

Dramatic Green Contacts for Halloween/Cosplay:

🛒 TTDeye Mystery Green | 1 Year

🛒 TTDeye Fissure Green | 1 Year

🛒 TTDeye Pure Green | 1 Year

More FAQs about Green Eyes

Q1: Where are green eyes most common?

As mentioned above, green eyes are most commonly found in Northern, Western, and Central Europe.

Iceland has the highest prevalence, with around 8–10% of men and 18–21% of women having green eyes. In the Netherlands, about 6% of men and 17% of women boast this distinctive eye color. Among European Americans, individuals with recent Celtic and Germanic ancestry, approximately 16% have green eyes.

Q2: Are green eyes recessive or dominant?

Green is recessive to brown but dominant to blue.

Q3: How are green eyes inherited?

For an individual to have green eyes, they must inherit the green-eyed gene from both parents.

If one parent has green eyes (carrying one green-eyed gene) and the other has brown eyes (carrying two brown-eyed genes or one brown-eyed and one green-eyed gene), the child is more likely to have brown eyes.

However, if both parents carry the green-eyed gene, there is a chance that their child will inherit two green-eyed genes and have green eyes.

Q4: Why do my eyes change color from blue to green?

Babies are often born with blue eyes due to the absence of melanin, and as they grow and melanin production increases, their eyes may gradually change color. The specific shades of blue and green eyes are influenced by the amount and distribution of melanin.

Lighting conditions and surroundings can also play a role in how eyes appear. Natural and artificial light can reflect differently on the eyes, causing them to seem to change color.

Furthermore, emotions and health can impact eye appearance.

It's important to note that while subtle changes in eye color can occur, significant and frequent changes could be a sign of underlying health issues and may warrant a visit to an eye care professional for evaluation!

Q5: How to make brown eyes green naturally?

The key is to wear a pair of natural green contacts. TTDeye has plenty of lenses that can turn your brown eyes a natural green color, such as Queen Green, Ice Green, Himalaya Green, and Bee Green.