# How long is your hand? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 29, 2007, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-your-hand/413557 "2007-07-29T02:00:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-your-hand/413557/1 "2007-07-29T02:00:21Z")
I _think_ I have very small hands for a man. Methodology: Fingers straight, wrist bent slightly backward, using a ruler or a metallic tape (non-bending), lay the ruler over the palm. From the tip of your middle finger, to the point at which your ruler loses physical contact with your hand, how long? Male or female? Just about 6-1/2". Bonus – finger length: From web between ring and middle finger to tip of middle finger-- 2-7/8". ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Purl_McKnittington)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-your-hand/413557/2 "2007-07-29T02:11:13Z")
I’m female. I didn’t have a non-bending measure, so I used a soft measuring tape, like you’d use for sewing. I measured from the first crease of my wrist (where the palm ends) to the tip of my middle finger and got 7 inches. My middle finger is just a hair under 3 inches. I usually wear a ladies’ medium glove and my ring size is 6.5. I have the smallest hands in my family, and now I feel like I have gorilla mitts. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-your-hand/413557/3 "2007-07-29T02:25:27Z")
I’m female. Measuring from the first crease of the wrist to the tip of my middle finger (left hand) gives me 8.75". Bonus – finger length: From web between ring and middle finger to tip of middle finger–3.25". I have huge hands, though. I wear an 8 or 8.5 on my _little_ finger. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-your-hand/413557/4 "2007-07-29T03:02:16Z")
From the tip of my middle finger to my crease of wrist is just over 6." Just about the same as the circumference of my wrist, actually. I can’t figure out what this “from web between ring and middle finger to tip of middle finger” is measuring, sorry. You _do_ have very small hands for a man. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-your-hand/413557/5 "2007-07-29T03:09:08Z")
Female. Hand length: 7". Middle finger length: just over 3". ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-your-hand/413557/6 "2007-07-29T03:11:48Z")
The title of this thread should be sung to “How Deep is your Love.” ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-your-hand/413557/7 "2007-07-29T03:38:58Z")
7 3/4". Male, 5’9". ---
**Author:** ![JCorre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3da27b/32.png) [@JCorre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JCorre)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-your-hand/413557/8 "2007-07-29T03:40:04Z")
Male here Hand length - 8" Finger length - 3.5" I’ve been told I have big hands so I’d be interested to know what “normal” hand length is. I’m also 6’1" for whatever that’s worth… ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-your-hand/413557/9 "2007-07-29T03:49:49Z")
[QUOTE=JCorre] I’ve been told I have big hands so I’d be interested to know what “normal” hand length is. [/QUOTE] That’s funny, because I’ve always thought of myself as having fairly small hands, and I’m quite a bit shorter than you, yet we’re about the same in terms of hand size. ---
**Author:** ![Dazzling\_White\_Diamonds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/41988e/32.png) [@Dazzling\_White\_Diamonds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dazzling_White_Diamonds)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-your-hand/413557/10 "2007-07-29T04:53:27Z")
Female. Hand length: 7 1/4". Middle finger length: 3". ---
**Author:** ![JCorre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3da27b/32.png) [@JCorre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JCorre)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-your-hand/413557/11 "2007-07-29T05:05:41Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] That’s funny, because I’ve always thought of myself as having fairly small hands, and I’m quite a bit shorter than you, yet we’re about the same in terms of hand size. [/QUOTE] I know what you mean. I never thought my hands were that big either. However, my rock-climbing buddies recently told me that my hands weren’t ideal rock climbing hands because of their size… ---
**Author:** ![Litoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9f8e36/32.png) [@Litoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Litoris)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-your-hand/413557/12 "2007-07-29T19:00:57Z")
You know, I always thought I had small hands – compared to the people I know, I do. But here? Dang, now I feel like I have man hands, thanks! From wrist to tip of finger = 7" Middle finger = 3" My ring size is 5.5, and I am 5’3" FTR. Just for fun, we measured my husband, too. He is 6’ and people always comment on his “huge hands.” From wrist to tip = 7.75" Middle finger = 3.5" His ring size is 10.5. ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-your-hand/413557/13 "2007-07-29T21:01:19Z")
Hand length: 8" Middle finger length: 3.875" (measured from the actual knuckle, we’re talking 5" of phalangeal goodness) I’m 5’ 11.5" tall. ---
**Author:** ![Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kneepants_Erasmus_the_Humanist)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-your-hand/413557/14 "2007-07-29T21:32:18Z")
[QUOTE=Boyo Jim] I _think_ I have very small hands for a man. Methodology: Fingers straight, wrist bent slightly backward, using a ruler or a metallic tape (non-bending), lay the ruler over the palm. From the tip of your middle finger, to the point at which your ruler loses physical contact with your hand, how long? Male or female? Just about 6-1/2". Bonus – finger length: From web between ring and middle finger to tip of middle finger-- 2-7/8". [/QUOTE] I am a girl and have the exact same measurements. Freaky. And I am always told how small my hands are. If you don’t mind, how tall are you? I am 5’4. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-your-hand/413557/15 "2007-07-29T21:33:55Z")
Hand length: 8 1/4" Middle finger length: almost 3 3/4" Height: 5’8" ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-your-hand/413557/16 "2007-07-29T22:04:56Z")
Hand length: 7 1/4 inches Middle finger length: 3 inches exactly. Male, 204 lbs, 6’4’ tall. I have very small hands for my build. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-your-hand/413557/17 "2007-07-29T22:53:08Z")
[QUOTE=Kneepants Erasmus, the Humanist] I am a girl and have the exact same measurements. Freaky. And I am always told how small my hands are. If you don’t mind, how tall are you? I am 5’4. [/QUOTE] 5’8". ---
**Author:** ![threnodyangelfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@threnodyangelfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threnodyangelfire)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-your-hand/413557/18 "2007-07-29T23:08:18Z")
7.5 long from bas of palm to tip of middle finger 6.5 ring size 6’ height Female ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-your-hand/413557/19 "2007-07-29T23:15:11Z")
[QUOTE=Telperien] I’m female. Measuring from the first crease of the wrist to the tip of my middle finger (left hand) gives me 8.75". Bonus – finger length: From web between ring and middle finger to tip of middle finger–3.25". I have huge hands, though. I wear an 8 or 8.5 on my _little_ finger. [/QUOTE] A word to the wise: don’t measure your hand when you’ve been drinking. Left hand–7.75" I got the finger right at least. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2007, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-your-hand/413557/20 "2007-07-30T00:01:17Z")
Those measuring to the “first crease”, that gives a measurement quite a bit longer than the method described in the OP (or it does for me, anyway). With my hand bent back, fingertip to point where the ruler loses contact with my palm is exactly 7". To the first crease of the wrist it is slightly over 7.5". I’m male. Incidentally, I have heard that the “middle finger tip to base of palm” measurement correlates very closely with, er, another crucial male measurement, as does the furthest span between thumb and middle finger with your hand spread out. In my limited experience (!) that seems accurate, any big-handed (or small-handed 😉 ) chaps able to confirm? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-your-hand/413557.md?page=2)