Men’s Pinky Rings Meaning: What Does it Symbolize?

If you have watched the legendary movie franchise The Godfather, you must’ve noticed that Michael Corleone, portrayed by Al Pacino, wears a pinky ring in his right hand. While it was a crucial part of his personality as ‘The Godfather’, a pinky ring worn by men means a lot more things. 

You’ll be surprised to know that men used to wear pinky rings even in the Middle Ages, not just as fashionable ornaments. In this article, we are going to describe the history of pinky rings, what they mean, and how they are worn in the modern world. 

What Do Pinky Rings on Men Mean?

There is no single meaning to pinky rings on men. In fact, there are five very significant meanings to it: wealth and status, signature, marital status, fraternity membership, and simply as a fashion statement. Let’s take a look at all of them! 

Pinky Ring’s Association with Wealth and Status

In the Middle Ages, wealthy Europeans, especially Romans, used to wear pinky rings as a symbol of their wealth and status. Middle Age Europe was very classist, and rich men wanted to make themselves look different from the classes below them. They used to wear pinky rings made of expensive metals like gold, and gems like diamonds. 

Pinky Rings as Signet Rings

Pinky rings have an extended history as signet rings. In the Middle Ages, pinky rings with seals were used for security in different ways. Noblemen used to seal important documents using the seal in their pinky rings. Moreover, some signet rings were used as identification symbols. Though sealing documents with rings is not popular today, pinky rings are still widely used as signet rings. 

Men’s Marital Status

In some cultures, the pinky finger became popular among men to wear their wedding rings, instead of the ring finger. The Germans started this, and later it was adopted by British gentlemen in the Victorian Era. Some British men still prefer to wear their wedding ring in the pinky. 

Fraternity Membership

Apart from the individual symbolisms we just explained, in some cases, pinky rings are also worn to show unity. Members of exclusive fraternities, clubs, and organizations may wear pinky rings as a sign of belonging. Point to be noted, more often than not the members of the same fraternity wear similar-looking pinky rings. They want others to know that they belong to that particular fraternity by demonstrating their pinky ring. 

Interestingly, pinky rings are famous among the members of criminal organizations like the Mafia, even today! 

Modern Day Fashion Statement

This is the most common use of pinky rings among men you’ll see today. You don’t necessarily need to be rich, noble, or a fraternity member to wear pinky rings. If you like them, you can simply wear them as a part of your unique look. Many men in their middle age like to wear pinky rings, especially with suits or formal attire. Pinky rings can add a different flavor to your personality. 

Pinky Rings’ History with Noble Families

Pinky rings have an interesting history with noble families from different empires of different ages. There’s no accurate answer on when pinky rings became a thing among the noble families, but one of the earliest accounts can be found in the history of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. People from noble families used to wear pinky rings to protect themselves from evil spirits. 

Later, in the Middle Ages, Roman noble families also started wearing pinky rings alongside the wealthy. Even the noble family members who were not rich on their account liked wearing pinky rings to showcase their nobility. They didn’t have superstitions like the Egyptians, but they somewhat ‘protected’ themselves with those rings. Common men wouldn’t dare mess with noble family members, and pinky rings sent a strong message about their family heritage. 

Pinky Rings in Victorian England

Even though pinky rings were not confined to the noble and royal families in Victorian England, it was made popular among the British by the monarchy itself.  Queen Victoria herself started wearing a pinky ring, a trend that was later adopted by her sons. 

It did not take long for the upper-class British gentlemen to succumb to the trend set by the royal family. At first, the close circles of the royal family started wearing pinky rings. Gradually, it spread among regular British gentlemen as well. Somewhere along the way, pinky rings became a symbol for men ‘not looking for a bride’. Sure, married men used to wear pinky rings; but unmarried men who did not wish to get married also put rings in their pinky finger to express the fact that they wished to be left alone from groom-hunting women. 

The trend continued among the colonies of Victorian England too. Wealthy Indian merchants occasionally wore pinky rings, but their rings were less sophisticated than the royalty. Usually, those rings only had a plain stone without any markings or signets. 

Pinky Rings in Astrology

Pinky rings have been a part of astrology since ancient times. In certain ancient civilizations, the pinky finger was believed to be closely connected to the planet Mercury. Mercury is a symbol of intelligence, communication, and trade. Some astrologers wanted to tap into this energy and they wore pinky rings to enhance their abilities regarding these traits. 

Apart from the astrologers themselves, people who believe in ancient astrology often wear pinky rings to harness the energy of the universe and channel it into their day-to-day activities. They believe it will bring them good luck and prosperity. Yes, you’ll find people like that even today! 

In some cultures, pinky rings are the symbol of spiritual insight and wisdom. Apart from that, in the Indian subcontinent, pinky rings can have different astrological meanings based on the stones put in them. 

Pinky Rings in The Godfather

Gradually, pinky rings went out of style, but the trend was reincarnated after the release of the movie franchise The Godfather. If you have watched the movie, you couldn’t help but notice that Mafia bosses never hesitated to display their pinky rings as a status of their power. Don Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro) and Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) are the most famous personalities who popularized this trend, again! 

This was indeed a true depiction of Italian mobs or The Mafia. Legendary Mobster Lucky Luciano owned one of the most iconic signet rings in history. The mobster wore this gold signet ring like a medal of honor, and even the sight of it instilled fear among his enemies. 

Famous People Who Wear Pinky Rings

King Charles

King Charles, the head of the British Monarchy, always wears a pinky ring in his left hand’s pinky. He has been wearing this signet ring since the 70s. 

James Gandolfini

James Gandolfini, from HBO’s The Sopranos, is another modern-day figure who popularized pinky rings. His character Tony Soprano wears a signature pinky ring. 

Al Pacino

Al Pacino’s famous portrayal of Michael Corleone is one of the most legendary figures in the history of cinema. You can’t imagine the character without the fancy signet ring in his right pinky. 

Bruno Mars

Pop superstar Bruno Mars wore a beautiful pinky ring in his superhit song 24k Magic. Now it seems that the American singer-songwriter has an even deeper connection to pinky rings. He is about to open his jazz bar in Bellagio in 2024, and it’ll be called The Pinky Ring! 

Pinky Ring Size Chart 

After knowing about the history, symbolism, and pop culture reference of men’s pinky rings, you can’t be blamed for wanting one for yourself. However, you should take a look at this size chart before you order one online so that you don’t end up getting a ring that doesn’t fit.

Icecartel’s Signet Rings

If you are looking forward to buying a pinky ring, then Icecartel is your best choice. We have a wide variety of signet rings you can wear on your pinky finger. All of our rings are made of sterling silver, gold, and of course, moissanite diamonds. 

We guarantee timeless style, along with top-notch quality, that too at the best possible price in the market. All of our signet rings are tarnish and fade resistant. We’ll also deliver you a GRA certificate to demonstrate the authenticity of our materials. 

Most importantly, our products are ethical. Unlike diamond, moissanite is produced ethically and comes at a much lower price. Order your signet ring today and enjoy free shipping in just four days. We also provide a 30-day money-back guarantee to all our customers. You’ll also receive 24/7 support from our team!