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While you don’t see it too often, some people do choose to wear wedding bands on their right ring finger. There are several main reasons why one would choose to wear a ring on your right hand instead of your left, and maybe you want to give it a shot. If you’re thinking about putting your ring on your right hand, here are the basics of it all.
Browse Our Collection of Wedding Rings HereWhy Do We Call It a Ring Finger Anyway?
Well, there are a couple of theories about this. The first and most common comes from the belief that Ancient Romans thought the fourth finger on the left hand had a vein connected to the heart. Also known as the vena amoris, or “vein of love,” the Romans thought that the ring finger connected to the heart. While quite romantic, they were entirely wrong. Still sweet, though.
The other option is a little less romantic. It was believed in the ancient world that wearing rings on your left ring finger would prevent ailments. It was also believed that you could let blood from that specific finger cure ailments. This is why, at least for a time, the ring finger was referred to also as the “leech finger.” Less romantic, we know.
Now, why do people wear a ring on their right finger? We’ve broken down all the possible reasons below.
Option 1: Engagement
This isn’t terribly common, but it does happen from time to time. Sometimes, people wear their engagement rings on their right hand before switching to their left hand after getting married. It does seem to be more popular with engagement rings than wedding rings as well as more popular among men than women. Some guys wear their engagement ring on their right hand and their wedding on their left, but it’s not the most common option.
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Option 2: It’s Cultural
There are several countries out there where the right ring finger is actually the default ring finger, unlike the left hand in the West. Belgium, Portugal, Ukraine, Bulgaria and Austria, among several others, all wear their wedding rings traditionally on their right hand instead of the left. If you see someone wearing a right-hand ring, there’s a good chance this is why.
Option 3: It’s Just a Personal Choice
This is probably the most common one. Some people just like the look, so they wear their ring on their right hand. It can be stylistic or can symbolize some deeper meaning. In fact, there’s actually some symbolism behind wearing a ring on each one of your fingers. Of course, you can always wear your wedding ring on your left ring finger as well as rings on other fingers to symbolize certain values.
Read Our Ultimate Guide on Ring SymbolismOption 4: It’s a Promise Ring
This is an option that’s gaining some traction as of late. Promise rings are often worn on the right ring finger (though there’s no hard and fast rule about it). If you see someone wearing a simple ring on their right ring finger, there’s a decent chance that it’s a promise ring.
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Rings are deeply personal items, so the meaning behind wearing a ring on your right hand may vary greatly. However, these four reasons do seem to be some of the most popular.