Not quite sure which finger, exactly, is the engagement ring finger? For a lot of people, it’s not top of mind—or top of hand—during the whole proposal process: after all, your loved one got on knee, pulled out a ring, and asked you to marry them. What exact digit the diamond ring goes on can feel like mere semantics amid the grand enormity of the moment.
For the soon-to-be or recently engaged, here’s everything you need to know about the engagement ring finger.
What Is the Engagement Ring Finger?
Traditionally, the engagement ring finger is the fourth finger on your left hand. Basically: it’s the finger next to your pinky.
What Is The History Of The Engagement Ring Finger?
The ancient Romans believed that the left hand ring finger contained a “vena amoris”—or a distinct vein that went directly to the heart. (At the time, scientists had not yet discovered that all veins go to the heart, making this finger bloodline seem quite meaningful.) “The custom of placing the betrothal or wedding ring upon the fourth finger seems undoubtedly to owe its origin to the fancy that a special nerve, or vein, ran directly from this finger to the heart,” wrote George Frederick Kunz in his 1917 book Rings for the Finger. Indeed, references to the “vena amoris” or the “heart finger” can be found referenced in centuries-old texts throughout history: “That is called the heart finger, and hath (they say) a veine in it which reacheth to the heart, so to signifie the hearty, and constant love which ought to be betwixt man and wife,” wrote Henry Turberville in An Abridgement of Christian Doctrine published in 1648.
The “vena amoris” was both considered romantic and, well, medical: doctors in the Middle Ages would sometimes put leeches on the ring finger of patients in hopes of sucking out sickened blood.
Do Engagement Rings Always Go On Your Left Hand?
In the United States and Western Europe, it is tradition to put it on your left hand ring finger. However, in some cultures like India and Russia, it is worn on the right hand as that side is considered to be lucky and auspicious.
Why Else Do We Wear Engagement Rings On The Left Hand Ring Finger?
For many brides or brides to be, wearing an engagement ring on the left hand ring finger is also a practical choice. The ring finger is the weakest on the hand. As a result, it does not move much throughout the day, unlike the active and dexterous thumb or pointer finger. Its stationary demeanor decreases the risk of damage to the ring, making it the safest place to put an expensive bauble.
Furthermore, 90 percent of people are right handed—meaning they predominantly use their right hand for every day tasks. That again would increase wear and tear of an expensive bauble.
What Finger Does Your Wedding Ring Go On?
American brides put their wedding ring on their left hand ring finger stacked under their engagement one.
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