You want to know the meaning of each finger for rings? As You know, women and men have enjoyed wearing rings for decades now, and though men have only recently warmed up to the idea of wearing rings among other kinds of jewelry, it’s no doubt that women have mastered the art of wearing jewelry, perfectly.
To this end, it’s common to find women wearing rings in most, if not all, their fingers. Few men do the same, and those who do tend to do that with reason.
Now, despite the decades’ long practice of wearing rings, it’s often confusing when you see someone wearing different rings on their fingers. It is, however, quite stylish and on-trend today.
However, before you hop on to this new trend, you might want to take a short trip with us as we look at some of the meanings of rings on different rings.
The rings sure look great on your fingers, but wouldn’t be nice to have some deeper meaning attached to the rings and why you have them on different fingers?
Meaning of Each Finger for Ring
Wearing a ring on your thumb has a different meaning from wearing the ring on your pinky fingers.
Beyond allowing you to admire the beauty of your jewelry, rings on different fingers determine your personality and, most importantly, the kind of inferences that people will make about your personality.
Often, the assumptions made are based on cultural and historical beliefs, and also the ring you choose to wear the ring.
Below we look at the ring meanings; based on the finger you wear the ring. You guys can check this map. This map is a little bit messy. But, you can find the meaning in this post! Check the picture below.
Keep reading to find out the Ring Meanings by Finger
Pinky Finger
Pinky is a word derived from the Dutch word “Pink,” meaning the little finger.
The word pinky I recorded to have first been used in the year 1808 back in Scotland, and wearing the pinky ring, especially for men, has long held a rich and long symbolism and history.
In the Victorian times, for example, Prince Albert, among other men, wore their wedding bands on their pinky, and other times, the wedding band would be stacked bellow a signet ring, also worn on the pinky finger.
1. Left Pinky Finger
A ring on the left pinky finger symbolizes one of two things – Marital Status and Mafia connections.
So, before you wear that signet or a wedding band, or any other kind of ring on the left pinky, you might want to keep in mind that the ring would symbolize different things.
Let’s break it down for you:
- Ring on the left pinky finger to symbolize your marital status
Wearing two rings on your left pinky finger is a symbol that tells the world that the man they are eyeing was once married.
In this case, the bottom ring is often the wedding ring, and the ring on top is the signet ring.
This trend was very popular in the 19th century and early in the 20th century.
However, this custom has since fallen out of trend/favor. Based on insights by some historians, American past president Franklin D. Roosevelt wore his wedding ring along with the signet ring.
- Mafia Connections (Gangs and Criminal connections)
Besides wearing rings on your left pinky to show that you were once married, pinky rings (on either the ring or the left finger) have, for the longest time, been associated with the organized crime cultures.
These beliefs have been propagated widely by television dramas such as The Sopranos and pretty much all other TV shows and movies about crime, mafias, etc.
2. Right Pinky Finger – Profession
Besides being a symbol of associations to gang and mafias, as is the case with having a ring on the left pinky, wearing the ring on the right pinky is a common symbol of an individual’s professional status, especially in professions like ecology and engineering.
Often, the pinky ring symbolizes graduating with a degree in a specific field, which is why most graduates wear a ring on this finger, and most specifically on their dominant hand – the right hand, for up to 90% of the population.
Note that most of the professional rings come as simple bands that are made of metals like stainless steel, silver, or iron, among others.
Ring Finger
Before it was established otherwise by modern medicine, people believed that the ring finger is regarded as a ring finger because of the existence of a direct vein between the ring finger and the heart, vena amoris (the vein of love).
Because of this belief, it was the most natural thing to wear the wedding ring on this finger.
But this isn’t the only reason why the ring finger is associated with the wedding ring – the wedding ring on the ring finger became a very popular trend in the early and mid-20th century and around the WWII when men going to war wore a ring to remind them of their loved ones back at home.
This is one of the events that really pushed the popularity of the wedding ring on the ring finger.
So, on which ring finger does the ring go?
Well, the finger the ring is worn on depends on your culture, as seen below. But generally, cultures across some parts of Europe and the former British Empires in the US, as well as South and Central America, will have the men wearing their wedding bands on the right hand.
In the US and most other cultures across the world, however, the wedding band is worn on the left hand.
3. The Left Ring Finger – Symbol of Marital Status, Romance, or Betrothal
In a large majority of cultures across the world, the left ring finger is the one finger that is reserved for engagement and wedding rings. Some people also often choose to wear their promise rings on the left ring finger. Below is a breakdown of the meaning of rings worn on the left ring finger.
- Marital Status– in most Western and traditional cultures, married individuals wear their wedding rings on the left ring finger. Of course, this brings many questions, like why this finger exactly? Well, most people believe that this custom originated from the ancient Roman belief that there is a vein that travels directly to the heart from the left ring finger.
It’s worth noting; however, that wedding rings were worn on every finger. This has been documented across several cultures. Today, and mostly thanks to that Roman belief (vein from the heart to the finger), most people wear the wedding ring on the left hand’s fourth finger. It’s also worth noting that a good number of countries like Spain, Germany, India, Russia, and Norway go by different traditions, and the wedding rings are worn on the right hand.
- Betrothal– the other significance of wearing a wedding ring on your left ring finger is that it indicates that the wearer is engaged and is to be married. This tradition has held on for centuries, and it’s believed to date back to the times of the Ancient Romans. In most customs, during the wedding, the bride chooses to either continue wearing the engagement ring on their left ring finger or they could switch it to the other finger.
- Chastity– some young people choose to wear their chastity rings (also called purity rings) on the left ring finger as a symbol of their abstinence from any manner of intimate relationships until marriage.
- Romantic promise rings– some people wear promise rings on the left ring finger, but it should be noted that this is often reserved for the more serious relationships and romantic promises.
4. Right Ring Finger – Marriage (only in some cultures)
Although most cultures of the world recognize the left ring finger as the ideal ring finger to symbolize marriage, many other customs, such as those in most parts of India, Russia, Germany, etc., recognize that the right ring finger is the ideal ring finger that signifies marriage. Wedding and engagement rings are worn on the right ring finger in the cultures.
Middle Finger
Because of the obvious gesture made with the middle finger, very few men (and women) will choose to wear a ring on this finger.
But if you choose to ignore society and go ahead with the ring on your middle finger, you will notice that the ring will feel off naturally, and it also gets in the way.
However, wearing a ring at the center of your hand isn’t all bad, as it is said to symbolize balance and responsibility.
But before you wear this ring, bear in mind that the decision to have the ring on is a rather bold move; it will get you noticed, and often a conversation starter.
5. Ring on the Left Middle Finger – No Symbolism or Statement
If you like accessorizing and would like to wear a ring on your middle left finger, you will be happy not to have to answer questions about why you chose to wear the ring on that finger because it carries no meaning, and it makes no statement.
But, if you only wear meaningful jewelry, you will be happy to know that the ring on this central and the longest finger could be a symbol of power and responsibility.
This is some symbol that people will go crazy about, and you might be the only one in the room who understands the power and the level of responsibility behind wearing this ring.
Generally, a ring on the left middle finger is a great option if you wish to show off your ring without having to worry about making life or deep lifestyle statement.
6. Right Middle Finger – No Specific Symbolism, Open to Interpretation
Like the thumb, wearing a ring on your right thumb has no specific meaning, or rather, the meaning is open to interpretation. Therefore, you get to choose your meaning for wearing the ring on the middle finger.
Of course, the ring doesn’t have to have a meaning, and you could have the ring on your right middle finger because the ring is fashionable, or just because you wanted to.
Index Fingers
The index finger is your most dominant finger symbolizing leadership, authority, and power. The ring will make you noticed easily.
7. Left Index Finger – The High-Impact Ring Finger
While a ring on your left index finger doesn’t necessarily carry any specific set of symbols or some deep meaning, wearing a ring on your left index finger might be an ideal option for you if you wish to show off the important ring you are wearing.
We use the index finger a lot, and it is pretty much one of the more conspicuous ring fingers, meaning it’s a good bet if you want your ring to be noticed.
That said, it would be a good idea to wear a high-impact ring like a cocktail ring or a class ring on this finger.
8. Right Index Finger – Symbol of Marriage (In Some Cultures)
If you have seen someone with a wedding band on their right index finger, don’t be shocked when you realize that the ring actually symbolizes marriage.
This is more common with the traditional Jewish ceremonies where the right index finger is regarded as the proper right place for a wedding ring.
In most cases, the ring on the right index finger is a plain gold wedding band. After the ceremony, some brides choose to move the ring to the left ring finger, but some will keep the ring on the right index finger.
Note that the ring worn doesn’t have to be a plain gold band, and some brides get away with wearing just about any ring design on their index finger.
Thumbs
9. Left Thumb – Go to Town with it (Open to Interpretation)
We don’t always wear rings on thumbs, but if you are trying something new/ different and if you’d like to try different things, which means wearing a ring on your left thumb, you will be happy to know that you don’t have to think too much about what the ring could mean because different people will have different thoughts about the ring on your thumb.
People are pretty much open to interpret the ring on your left thumb whichever way they wish to, and you can wear the ring on your left thumb for any number of reasons.
Generally, a ring on this finger will not make any statements about your profession, relationship status, or some other important thing about your life.
The left thumb will, however, make the perfect fashion statement, and all you have to do is to choose a chunky ring on the ring, while also making sure that the ring doesn’t impede movement.
With the right ring on your left thumb, you will come off as a fashionista and a very confident person.
10. Right Thumb (Also Open to Interpretation)
Like the left thumb, a ring worn on the right thumb doesn’t really come with some deep meaning, and it will not say anything specific about your personality, profession, marital status, or personality.
In other words, the right thumb is an open canvas that gives you the freedom to experiment and to show off your favorite rings. You can easily go big and show confidence with a ring on this finger.
Related Questions:
Which finger to wear ring for good luck?
Besides giving you goddess vibes, some rings carry some energies to them, and wearing such rigs would bring good luck your way. But there is a catch; you have to wear the ring the right way.
Otherwise, you invite bad luck into your life.
Note that you invite good luck into your life with these rings by channeling positive energy through it.
So, which finger should you wear the ring in for good luck? Well, the whole good luck-ring finger association comes from the fact that wearing the right ring will regulate the energy flow in your body, and wearing that ring correctly allows the flow of positive energy throughout your body, making you feel optimistic and confident.
For good luck and good physical health, you’d want to wear that ring on your thumb. The ring on your thumb leads to a new flow of positive energy through your body.
The recommended ring of choice for good health and good luck is a silver ring (pure, without gemstones and diamonds).
Silver is the metal recommended here because it is said that a silver ring will allow the flow of new energy into your body, helping in your recuperation while rejuvenating the optimism in your body and soul.
Note that you can wear the silver ring on any other finger, except the index finger, and preferably on your dominant hand (allows you to refine and temper your emotions and actions, and the non-dominant hand will only attract negative feelings and thoughts).
Besides the silver rings, you could also opt for a gold ring. Gold rings and gold jewelry, in general, carry a lot of positive energy, and they prevent dark energies from your life.
You can wear your gold ring on any finger – it is an excellent tool for divine consciousness, it wards off unwanted energies, and also encourages spiritual healing.
Gold’s spiritual powers are also said to bring you peace, happiness, and stability.
Which finger to wear a ring for wealth?
You might want to consider wearing a ring on the center/ middle finger if you wish to attract, increase, and accumulate wealth.
The reason for this is that the middle finger is at the center of your hand, and it strikes a balance. It’s also linked to taking responsibility.
Alternatively, you could wear a jade ring on the little finger. It would also bring wealth – females should wear this ring on the right hand, and males on the left.
Conclusion
The world of rings can be confusing, especially with rings worn on different fingers conveying different meanings.
However, you don’t have to struggle with ring finger meanings any more thanks to the guide above.
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Tiger is a fashion&jewelry lover. He is also a fashion jewelry manufacturer that help thousands of small business to grow and also do business with some big fashion jewelry brands. He is a truly metal expert and he will share some information you are looking for.