
What Is A Promise Ring?
Promise rings are those rings that are specifically designed to bind the relationship between two people. It is not something that is used for a specific type of ceremony alone but can be used over many types of promises in general. Its scope is just not limited to engagement or marriage promises but extends to other areas as well. Promise rings meaning is vast and has a wider scope that means it has no restriction in usage.
Promise Rings Meaning and It’s Base
The promise ring meaning denotes confidence on a promise that is made over a ring in general. There are many different types of promise rings and some of is mostly targeted at a relationship promise that is made over two particular individuals over an act. The base or true meaning over these promise rings is to carry on with a particular objective that has been promised off without backing off from the promise. Thus promise rings meaning has a wider connotation than what was expected out of it.
Different types of promise rings
There are different types of promises rings. Promise rings meaning will include marital vows as well but is not limited to marriage or engagement promises alone. A promise ring can be worn by two persons in case of friendship promise where two people take pride in being friends with each other and would like to be committed about their friendship status.
There are also purity promise rings. Promise rings meaning for purity is entirely different from others as it gives them the assurance to remain chaste over a marital relationship or another sort of casual relationship. It is an act of abstaining from doing something else that would cause to break the promise such as chaste. It involves a lot of good practice to maintain purity, and the ring reminds of this requirement to remain pure. Some of the other acts involve abstaining from drinking and smoking habits in general and also from any other bad habits.

Promise rings are also worn on a pre-engagement stage where the promise is made on the couple’s path to engagement and marriage. It gives them moral support to cherish their relationship and take the relationship to the next level of understanding. This is one of the most common promise rings that are used all over the world.
Religious promise rings are the next most important ring that makes sure that you are following some basic virtues in your religious path. These types of promise rings are worn to stay in track with a particular form of preaching or to remain as a follower of a saint. This ring will generally have a lifetime commitment in most cases.
Promise Ring Definition
While there are many versions of the promise ring definition — it can basically be defined by one simple statement:
A promise ring is a piece of jewelry given when an agreement or oath has been made between two people and the ring is meant as a memento of that commitment.
The Top 10 Promise Ring Styles
See What’s Hot! (In alphabetical order)
- Celtic – Claddagh promise rings
- Christian – Religious promise rings
- Diamond promise rings
- Engraved – Posey promise rings
- Gemstone promise rings
- Gold promise rings
- Heart promise rings
- Platinum promise rings
- Silver promise rings
- White gold promise rings
The Meaning Of Promise Rings Friendship or Love?
As stated earlier, the promise ring meaning translates into many different interpretations. Reference the following examples of the different meaning of promise rings and reasons to exchange or wear a particular promise ring:
- Pre-Engagement Promise Rings:
A promise of engagement is one of the most popular reasons why couples exchange promise rings. To put this in the simplest of terms: a promise ring symbolizes the commitment you’ll be getting engaged. This ring is then followed by the engagement ring which promises you’ll get married.
The process of dating; then going steady; followed by engagement and finally marriage has become a progression of commitment in stages for couples today.
For instance, when our grandparents were young — a boy gave his girlfriend his class ring to wear around her neck on a chain and asked her to “go steady” with him. Many couples are using promise rings today in a similar fashion.
- Purity promise rings or chastity promise rings:
Promise rings for sexual abstinence are quite popular now among teenagers. Many teens wear the ring as a symbol of their promise to remain pure until marriage. On their wedding night, the couple may choose to present the promise rings that they have been wearing to each other as gifts to celebrate their sexual union.
- Fidelity or Monogamy Promise Rings: are often exchanged between couples who are not engaged or married but want to seal their mutual promise of fidelity and monogamy.
- Religious promise rings or Christian promise ring:
In today’s trying times, the spiritual type promise ring is always a popular choice. These promise rings may include a Spiritual, Christian or Religious symbol such as a dove, cross, crucifix, praying hands, etc. The wearer of this type of promise ring is making a pledge to have “faith in a power greater than themselves”.
- Custom promise rings make great friendship rings:
Rings have been exchanged as tokens of friendship for centuries. A custom promise ring may be something that links the friends to an eternal pact of kinship. For example, maybe the friends share a love of dolphins, cats or even a sporting event. To symbolize this shared interest, a custom promise ring could be fabricated to delineate the commonalities of the friendship.
- Substance Abstinence Promise Rings:
The Greek word “amethystos” can be loosely translated as “not drunken”. Centuries ago, Amethyst was considered to be a very strong antidote against drunkenness. Today, the amethyst gemstone still symbolizes sobriety and is, therefore, the perfect gemstone to have for a substance abstinence promise ring. Sobriety promise rings with spiritual connections and/or the amethyst gemstone are suitable for all types of substance sobriety including; alcohol abuse & drug abuse, food addiction, gambling or sexual addictions.
Men’s Promise Rings
Is there such a thing as a “male promise ring”?
The answer is — Yes! Promise rings for men are very popular! While any design of ring will do — if you are looking for a more masculine promise ring – try a Celtic, Claddagh or Greek Key style. These rings can be purchased in a jewelry promise ring set or individually. The symbolism surrounding them is very meaningful as well:
- Celtic promise ring: a series of intricate woven knots that make one continuous, unbroken line symbolizing the hope of eternal life. This symbol has come to be accepted as a talisman of longevity.
- Claddagh promise ring: the heart in the center of the design represents love, the hands that surround it represent friendship, and the crown at the top (if present) is symbolic of fidelity.
- Greek promise rings: Greek key, the classic traditional Greek design meaning eternity.

Posey Rings
Renaissance promise rings with romance & style.
The word ‘Posey’ has the same meaning as: Promise, Poesy, Posy, and Posie.
- The name Posey is a combination of the words poem and essay. The idea to engrave promise rings reaches as far back in time as ancient Egypt. They became quite popular in the 16th and 17th centuries and the Posey ring is often referred to in Shakespeare’s plays.
- Poesy rings are a type of engraved band exchanged between lovers or friends and inscribed with romantic sentiments or meaningful dates and/or sayings.
Promise Ring Poem
Eight different languages, many different phrases!
There are many variations of promise ring poems to engrave promise rings with. Here are a few of the more popular inscriptions that have withstood the test of time:
- All I refuse and thee I chose
- Faithless to none yet faithful to one
- Forget me not
- In thy breast my heart doth rest
- Love is enough
- Many are the stars I see, yet in my eye, no star like thee
- I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine
Which Finger Does A Promise Ring Go On?
Promise ring etiquette!
Which finger you wear a promise ring on depends entirely on what type of pledge you are making.
Again, make sure you and the person exchanging promise rings understand what the ring will symbolize.
There is no such thing as a hard and fast rule to wearing a promise ring – do whatever you feel comfortable with. Here are a few suggestions on how you may choose to wear a promise ring:
- Friendship promise rings or custom promise rings (non-romantic): Any finger, however, because these rings are exchanged between non-romantic friends, you may not want to wear it on the left ring finger so that there is no misconception of romance.
- Pre-engagement promise rings: Left or right ring finger. Traditionally, a pre-engagement promise ring would be worn on the left hand. Many people wear the ring on their left-hand ring finger and then move it to the right-hand ring finger once they receive their actual engagement ring.
- Chastity or purity promise ring: Any finger is appropriate.
- Religious promise rings or Christian promise rings: Any finger is appropriate.
- Fidelity or monogamy promise rings: Left hand or right-hand ring finger, however, the left-hand ring finger is considered more symbolic.
The History Of Promise Rings
Legend & Lore
There are several tales relating to promise ring history. Since the beginning of time, rings have been used symbolically in many different ways. Some interesting examples of the history of the promise ring include:
- In sixteenth-century England, uncut diamond crystals were set into “scribbling rings”. Couples who exchanged these rings used the points of the exposed diamonds to delineate or imprint romantic writings in windows, glass or mirrors that would be forever etched in loving memory.
- Kissing the Pope’s ring is a symbol of faith and respect for the Catholic Church. Also, many Bishops, Priests, and Nuns wear rings as a pledge of their spiritual commitment to the church.
- In 1177, two major European authorities signed a peace treaty in Venice that marked the end of the centuries-old battle between the Papal State and the Empire. To this day, this historic event is commemorated in different parts of the world by tossing a ring into the waters on Ascension morning (the 40th day after Easter – which celebrates the Ascension of Christ into heaven) each year to renew the city’s “promise of marriage” or “peace” with the Adriatic Sea.
In Summary
A promise ring should be given genuinely and sincerely, with all parties being clear on the promise or commitment that has been made and received. In other words, do not give someone a promise ring without telling them exactly what your intentions mean.
A Guide Courtesy of RingsForWomen.org