Would most men, given the choice, pick 7 inches as the size of their penis?
Executive summary
Most evidence does not support the idea that "most men, given the choice, would pick 7 inches" for their own penis; population averages are about 5.1–5.5 inches erect and research of partner preferences finds women favor sizes only slightly above average (around 6.3–6.4 inches), while many men overestimate averages and express a wish to be larger without necessarily identifying a concrete target such as 7 inches [1] [2] [3].
1. Why the question matters: averages, perceptions and percentiles
Large, round numbers like "7 inches" acquire cultural meaning because average, percentile, and preference data put them in context; the best pooled measurements place the average erect penis near roughly 5.1–5.5 inches, with a large meta-analysis reporting an average of about 5.16 inches and placing roughly 6.3 inches near the 95th percentile—meaning 7 inches would be well into the outlier range in most datasets [1] [3] [4].
2. What studies actually ask: partner preferences versus self-choice
Most rigorous research has measured either anatomical averages or what partners prefer when shown models; studies using life‑size or 3D models find that women’s preferred erect length for a one‑time partner was about 6.4 inches and for a long‑term partner about 6.3 inches, i.e., only modestly above average—those figures are the clearest evidence about "ideal" partner size, not about the specific number men would choose for themselves [2] [5].
3. Men’s reported feelings about size: wanting larger, but not a clear consensus on a target
Multiple reviews and clinical commentaries show a majority of men wish they were larger and some seek surgical lengthening despite risks, yet the literature typically reports anxiety or dissatisfaction rather than a uniform numeric target such as 7 inches; counseling and education are repeatedly recommended because many men who pursue surgery are within normal ranges [6] [3] [4].
4. Perception gaps: men overestimate averages and imagine larger ideals for partners
Men on average think the typical erect length exceeds 6 inches—an overestimate compared with measured averages—and men also tend to assume women prefer larger sizes than women actually report, a bias that inflates imagined ideals and can fuel the impression that 7 inches would be the "best" choice even when preference studies do not support that level of size as normative [7] [2] [1].
5. Cultural influences and individual variation shape any "choice"
Preferences are not homogeneous: cultural messaging, pornography, and social stereotypes push toward larger-as-better narratives and contribute to body-image concerns, while data show that most women report satisfaction with partner size and that sexual compatibility depends on many factors besides length; furthermore, research on gay and other men who have sex with men is sparser or shows different patterns, so any claim about "most men" must acknowledge variability across sexual orientations and cultures [4] [8] [9].
6. Conclusion: would most men pick 7 inches?
Given the evidence—measured averages around 5–5.5 inches, partner preference clustering near ~6.3–6.4 inches, the 6.3‑inch mark already near the high percentiles, and the fact that studies document desires for being "larger" rather than a uniform numeric target—the available data do not support the proposition that most men, if forced to choose an exact length, would pick 7 inches; rather, men tend to desire somewhat above-average size but the empirical "ideal" for partners sits below 7 inches and 7 inches is statistically an outlier [1] [2] [3].