How to Sign "Daughter" in American Sign Language

The short answer

In American Sign Language (ASL), the sign most commonly used for "daughter" combines two ideas: female and baby. Touch your dominant hand, held flat, near your jaw or chin. Then bring it down so it rests palm-up in the crook of your other arm, which is held across your body as if cradling a baby.

Some readers mean something different. If you want to teach sign language to your daughter, for example a baby or toddler, that is a separate topic and this guide does not cover it. This guide also covers ASL only, the sign language most widely used in the United States. Other sign languages, such as British Sign Language, have their own signs, so this description should not be assumed to carry over.

Why the sign is built this way

Many ASL family signs follow a pattern based on location. Signs for female relatives often start near the lower face, around the jaw or chin. Signs for male relatives often start near the forehead. "Daughter" begins in the female area and ends in the "baby" position. "Son" uses the same ending but starts at the forehead. Knowing this pattern helps you avoid mixing up the two.

Step by step

• 1. Hold your non-dominant arm across the front of your body at about waist or lower-chest height, palm facing up, as if you were about to hold an infant.
• 2. Flatten your dominant hand with the fingers together and the thumb alongside. This is often called a flat or B handshape.
• 3. Touch the side of your jaw or chin with your dominant hand. Use either the fingertips or the index-finger edge.
• 4. Move that hand down and outward in one smooth motion.
• 5. End with your dominant hand or forearm resting palm-up on, or in the crook of, your non-dominant arm, so your arms form a cradle.

How to check that you did it correctly

• Starting point: your hand begins at the jaw or chin, not the forehead. Starting at the forehead turns the sign into "son."
• Handshape: your dominant hand stays flat and relaxed throughout, without curled fingers or a fist.
• Ending position: both palms face up and the arms look like they are holding a baby.
• Movement: it is one continuous motion from face to arm, not two separate gestures with a pause between them.

A mirror is the simplest way to check yourself. If you use a phone or computer camera instead, many front-facing previews show a mirrored image. Your dominant hand may look like it is on the wrong side even when you are signing correctly. In the actual recording, or for the person watching on a video call, it may appear unmirrored.

Variations you may see

ASL has regional and generational variation, and individual signers differ in the details. Some signers place the hand slightly differently on the face. Some start with a thumb brushing along the jaw, a form related to the sign for "girl," before moving into the cradle. Others make a smaller, quicker version where the arms barely touch. Each of these is generally understood in context. If you are learning to communicate with a specific person or community, follow the form they use.

Limitations of this guide

A written description cannot fully convey movement, speed or facial expression, and all of these are part of signing. No measured or video evidence was supplied for this article. The description above reflects common ASL usage, not a single verified reference. Before relying on the sign in an important conversation, compare it with a video from a reputable ASL dictionary or ask a fluent Deaf signer to watch you sign it.