What is the fear of 17 called?
What Is the Fear of 17 Called? The Strange Phobia Explained
The name of the fear: heptadecaphobia
Yep — there’s actually a word for it. The fear of the number 17 is called heptadecaphobia. From the Greek: hepta (seven) + deka (ten) + phobos (fear). So basically, “fear of seventeen.”
Is it super common? Not really. But it exists. And it’s surprisingly cultural. Some people have a legit, irrational fear when they see, say, hotel room 17 or floor 17. Others might avoid buying a car with “17” in the license plate. Sounds silly? Maybe. But phobias don’t care about logic.
Why are some people afraid of the number 17?
The Italian connection
Here’s where it gets interesting. In Italy, 17 is considered unlucky — kind of like 13 in the U.S. Why? Because in Roman numerals, 17 is XVII. If you rearrange those letters, you get VIXI, which in Latin means “I have lived.”
Translation: I’m dead now. Not exactly the vibe you want on your front door. So yeah, many Italian buildings skip floor 17 entirely. Planes, hotel rooms, even hospital beds — all sometimes avoid the number.
Superstition vs. phobia
Important difference here: superstition is when you avoid a number out of habit or belief. A phobia (like heptadecaphobia) is deeper — it causes anxiety, panic, or even full-on avoidance behaviors.
So someone with heptadecaphobia might not just roll their eyes at 17 — they might physically avoid situations where the number appears.
What does heptadecaphobia feel like?
Common symptoms
People who suffer from this fear might experience:
racing heart
sweaty palms
nausea
irrational urge to leave the room
complete avoidance of the number 17 in daily life
Imagine getting assigned locker #17 at school and going into a full-blown panic. It’s not “just a number” to them — it becomes a source of real distress.
Real stories (yes, it happens)
There’s this guy on a Reddit thread — he used to work in IT and would literally change file names to avoid version 17.0. No joke. Skipped straight to 18.
A friend of mine (she’s Italian, go figure) refused to get married on the 17th of any month. She once postponed a trip because her flight was numbered AZ 617. Like… that’s commitment.
How is heptadecaphobia treated?
Therapy, exposure, and a bit of patience
Most phobias, including this one, are treated with CBT — cognitive behavioral therapy. That means understanding the irrational thought, challenging it, and replacing it with more logical thinking.
Sometimes they use exposure therapy, which sounds like: “Okay, today we’ll just look at the number 17.” Then maybe next session, you write it. Then you say it. Gradually, the fear goes down.
Medication? Rarely needed unless it’s part of a bigger anxiety disorder.
Other weird number phobias (you're not alone)
You're in good company
Triskaidekaphobia – fear of 13
Tetraphobia – fear of 4 (especially in East Asia)
Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia – fear of 666 (yes, that’s a real word)
So yeah… if 17 gives you the chills, just know you're not the only one sweating over math class.
Final thoughts: is 17 really that scary?
To most people, 17 is just… a number. But for someone with heptadecaphobia, it can trigger real stress and anxiety.
Whether it comes from cultural roots, bad experiences, or something else entirely — the fear is legit. But with the right help, it can be managed.
And hey — if you ever catch someone skipping version 17 of their software, now you know: it might not just be a quirky habit. It could be heptadecaphobia talking.
How much height should a boy have to look attractive?
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Is 172 cm good for a man?
Yes it is. Average height of male in India is 166.3 cm (i.e. 5 ft 5.5 inches) while for female it is 152.6 cm (i.e. 5 ft) approximately. So, as far as your question is concerned, aforesaid height is above average in both cases.
Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?
The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.
Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?
How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).
How tall is a average 15 year old?
Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years
| Male Teens: 13 - 20 Years) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 14 Years | 112.0 lb. (50.8 kg) | 64.5" (163.8 cm) |
| 15 Years | 123.5 lb. (56.02 kg) | 67.0" (170.1 cm) |
| 16 Years | 134.0 lb. (60.78 kg) | 68.3" (173.4 cm) |
| 17 Years | 142.0 lb. (64.41 kg) | 69.0" (175.2 cm) |
How to get taller at 18?
Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.
Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?
Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).
Can you grow between 16 and 18?
Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.
Can you grow 1 cm after 17?
Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.