Why do men grow long pinky nails? A long nail on the little finger of a man means.

The tradition for men to grow a long nail on the little finger has existed for a long time. There are several versions according to which men did it before and do it to this day.

According to historical information, French etiquette of the 17th century recommended that men wear a long nail on the little finger. At that time, knocking on the door was considered bad form, the norms of decency demanded to scratch it with your fingernail.

The aristocrats of the 18th century grew a long nail on the little finger of their left hand for a purely utilitarian purpose - they opened letters when they did not have a knife intended for this purpose at hand. And on the left hand, because in the right, as a rule, they held a sword. The tradition of printing correspondence with a long fingernail of the little finger lasted quite a long time - until letters began to be sealed with glue, and not with sealing wax, i.e. until the beginning of the 20th century.

Pinky nail for cocaine

Some sources claim that a long nail on the little finger is a necessary attribute and a distinguishing feature of members of the Masonic fraternity. A.S. also wore a long nail on his little finger. Pushkin, historians report that at night he put a special cover on him so as not to break.

Later, in a bohemian environment, it was used to dispense cocaine. Among the lovers of this "magic powder" there were many extraordinary personalities, and the fashion for a long nail was adopted in imitation of them, not knowing about its true purpose.

In the 70s and 80s of the 20th century, American drug addicts grew a long nail on their little finger, from which they sniffed cocaine. Dealers used the same nail, even a peculiar measure of weight arose - nail (nail).

Men with a pinky nail in the criminal world

Persons from the criminal world grew a long nail on the little finger, emphasizing the fundamental rejection of physical labor and, in general, any work. Long, so honest earnings are out of the question - only crime.

Card sharpers deftly used a long nail on the little finger when shuffling cards, put special marks with them, because card games were widespread in all sectors of society before.

Imitation teenagers

Many boys from yard companies grew long nails on their little fingers, imitating adults or older comrades, in order to look more authoritative in the eyes of their peers. The tradition, born in childhood, remained in adulthood.

Today, some men are on the little finger, believing that this is how they look original. For some, it is a sign of style when, among the nine fingers with short nails, one stands out so unlike the others.

And some are sure that it is convenient to use a long fingernail, for example, as an improvised screwdriver, unscrew or tighten a small bolt. Every man with a long pinky nail can have his own explanations.

Reasons for wearing long nails on the little fingers of men of different nationalities.

Each person looks individually and tries to emphasize their best sides externally. Some people thus pay tribute to the fashion and rules of etiquette in a particular society.

So there are standards for hair length, cleanliness of clothing, its style and combination with other accessories. You might object that these rules are not an axiom to follow. Yes, this is true, but if a person wants to be accepted in the society in which he lives, then subconsciously he will follow them.

There are many legends, fictions and real explanations for such an unusual phenomenon as a long nail on the little finger of a man's hand.

Let's look into history and consider in more detail the reasons that influenced this.

What does a long nail on the little finger mean for men?

hand of a black man with overgrown nails on the little finger and thumb

• Historical data says that the growth of the nail on the little finger in men originates in the 17th century.
• Then the representatives of the strong half of humanity were in active correspondence and so communicated with the world. And for a quick opening of letters, they found a way out - the nail of the little finger of the left hand, because the right one was used for writing and firing weapons

However, with the change in the characteristics of sealing postal envelopes, the need for nails of different lengths on male hands also disappeared.

• At the same time, in France there was a rule of good manners, when the guest did not knock on the door with his fist, but scratched it with his finger. Agree, it is easier and faster to do with a regrown nail
• The past century has been stormy in terms of events and changes in human appearance. So in the 70s the United States was swept by a wave of youth addiction to drugs. Cocaine was especially popular

Young guys began to grow a nail on their little finger to make it easier to measure one dose of the drug. In their world, their own measure of the weight of white powder appeared - a nail.

the man has just started to grow a nail on the little finger of his left hand

• In Soviet times, at the end of the last century, criminal authorities grew a nail on their little fingers in order to stand out from other prisoners. Since the former enjoyed special conditions of serving their sentences and did not work physically, they could afford to take care of their hands and nails.
• Card sharpers have taken the wave of the trendy long-nailed hand to perform trading tricks. They laid it between the cards in the deck and performed a tricky removal, which was called "volt"
• Continuing the theme of those who do not honor the laws, let's remember pickpockets. Among them are representatives with an overgrown little fingernail, with which they carefully cut the bags and pockets of their victims.
• The real need to have a long nail on the little finger was accompanied by the work of an assistant driver. This person twisted a tape with information about the speed of movement, route stops, braking distance. And this tape was akin to a black box on modern aircraft
• Among the pilots there are also many representatives who wear a long nail on the little finger. The history of the tradition dates back to the Second World War. The pilots then did not have time to sleep properly, not to mention take care of their appearance. And they got used to cutting their nails on a spinning propeller. But once Meresyev did not have time to cut them off completely, he was left alone on the little finger of his left hand. This is what saved the pilot. He was able to get food, cut the parachute cables, build himself stilts and get to his own. Since then, the elongated nail on the little finger of the left hand of the pilot has become the personification of faith, resourcefulness and invincibility of the Soviet soldier.
• Employees of jewelry workshops have such a distinctive sign as a long nail on the little finger. With it, they capture small gems and chain links during repairs.
• Many guitarists still keep long fingernails to this day, which make it easier for them to play the guitar without a pick.

Although there are other explanations for wearing this phenomenon. For example, A.S. Pushkin had a long nail on his little finger, because he was a member of the Masonic society.

portrait of A.S. Pushkin, who also wore a long nail on his little finger

A few explanations from the realm of the unconfirmed:

• superpowers. In ancient times, sorcerers, magicians and wizards had nails of different lengths, which distinguished them from other people. Perhaps this tradition is firmly entrenched in the family and now the descendants simply follow it.
• palmistry. The little finger symbolizes the oratorical abilities of a person and his penchant for science. If a nail has grown on it, then the owner wants to strengthen these traits in his character. Therefore, among teachers, you can often meet men with a long nail on the little finger and in practice make sure that it is pleasant and interesting to talk with them.
• a talisman, that is, the owner of a non-standard length of the fingernail, this attracts good luck and success in your life

Unconvincing, but having the right to be arguments in favor of the presence of different lengths of nails on the hands of men are:

• to attract women
• show your involvement with Satanists, the vampire movement
• be identified among sexual minorities

Nowadays, men's manicure and the difference in the length of the nail plates on the hands are far from uncommon. This is how representatives of the strong half of humanity manifest themselves in order to simply stand out and follow a specific style. A good example of this is the Chinese. They tend to rarely cut their nails and wear them very long.

Why do Asian, Armenian, Muslim men grow a nail on their little finger?

young asian wears a very long pinky nail

• The male population of the Middle Kingdom everywhere likes to wear long fingernails, especially on the little fingers

If you go to China, you will encounter this feature of appearance on the streets and in transport. Loaders, builders, janitors, sellers in the markets, posters of advertisements, factory and plant workers, taxi drivers wear long nails.

There are several explanations for this behavior:

• historical.
  During the reign of emperors and court nobility, the entire poor population worked hard in the fields, growing rice. And the nobility and the ruler were exempted from this, because they wore long fingernails. They served as a kind of symbol of distinction and involvement in blue blood. In order to psychologically compensate for such injustice, in our time, Chinese men of all classes began to grow their nails.
• religious.
  It is believed that if the little finger is longer than the index finger, then the owner of such a hand has a good fate and karma. And since such a natural structure of the hand is extremely rare, the Chinese compensate for the situation with an overgrown nail on the smallest finger.
• for the convenience of performing specific actions, for example, tightening screws, caring for the appearance, scratching an itchy spot, typing on a push-button telephone
• esoteric.
  The Chinese believe that the long nail on the little finger of the left hand is a magnet for money and the personification of the health of their family. Therefore, it is cherished and protected from breaking off. Otherwise, money will bypass their house, and relatives will become seriously ill and die.
• an attribute of a man, which indicates the well-developed qualities of a representative of the strong half of humanity and attracts beautiful ladies

Among Armenians, an elongated nail on the little finger is also not uncommon. This people has a tradition when the youngest son in the family acquires such a feature of appearance.

Muslim with a long pinky nail

Other examples:

• household necessity.
  For example, for market workers, the nail comes to the rescue for cutting tape, jubilation and unscrewing something.
• a tribute to fashion, when a person is surrounded by men with long nails and he likes it, then he will pick up this trend
• imitating a person who commands respect, such as a crime boss

Men of Muslim countries are sure that a long nail on the little finger is their protection from evil spirits and destructive influence.

Whatever explanation for the wearing of a long nail on the little finger by men responds to you with its rationality, this phenomenon exists. Therefore, it is easier to accept and accept it, and not to impose your point of view and cut off demands.

We all make mistakes, seek the truth, find it and change. The main thing is comfortable peaceful communication and recognition of the right of another to preserve his individuality.

Video: why do men grow a nail on their little fingers?

Why do men need a pinky nail?

In addition to neat clothes and hairstyles, we immediately look at the hands of a man. We are attracted to pumped biceps and tanned skin. But all this fades if the nails on the hands of a man are dirty and long. In some males, you can see an elongated nail on the little finger. Let's try to figure out why men need a nail on their little fingers?
In order to find out why the guys grow a nail on the little finger, I had to ask around the guys I knew about it. During the survey, I did not notice any of them had long nails, but as it turned out, guys understand this issue much more than girls. So, some reasons for long nails in guys were found:

cocaine addiction

Unfortunately, a tube twisted from a hundred dollar bill is only popular with screenwriters of films about the life of a mafia. And ordinary people use improvised means in order to sniff the forbidden powder. Yes, at least with the help of a long nail on the little finger. Let's hope that the guys we meet with long nails actually just forgot to get their manicure on time, and drugs have nothing to do with it. By the way, those girls who build up their nails can confirm that with the help of a long nail on the little finger it is convenient to salt dishes. Although still let's not forget that it's better to do it while no one sees.

Working with electronics

Some small parts can be unscrewed not with a screwdriver, but with a fingernail. That is why men can have a long nail on any of the fingers. It looks strange, but men do not think about it. They quietly use a fingernail instead of a screwdriver. Usually older men grow their nails for this. Let's hope that the younger generation doesn't get into the habit of growing long nails and will use tools.

Bad manners

Looks like some guys forgot that cotton swabs exist for picking ears. They specifically grow the nail on the little finger to make it more convenient to do this. So if you see a guy with a long pinky nail, he may soon pick at your ears or nose in front of you. A good birthday present for such a guy would be a set of cotton swabs, maybe after this hint he will cut off his nail and clean his ears and nose like normal people. Although what will he scratch then? There is no answer to this question, men are not allowed to have long nails, which is why they often ask girls to scratch their backs or the back of their heads.

freemasonry

It is unlikely that this is relevant today, however, before the Masons grew a long nail on the little finger in order to recognize each other by this sign. Just in case, you can take a closer look at the guy, suddenly you will notice a pin with a Masonic sign on his tie.

Playing guitar

A friend of mine told me that when he was fond of playing the guitar, he always lost picks, so he decided to grow a nail on his thumb. I don’t know what his girlfriend’s opinion was about this, and what success he achieved in the musical field, but I think it would be better if he learned not to lose the right things or, in extreme cases, used other improvised tools for playing the guitar, and not his nails. Moreover, the mediator does not take up much space, easily fits in your wallet and can be cut out even from an ordinary unnecessary bank card.

Men and manicure

Have you come across a man who does not take care of his nails and categorically refuses to trim them? Unfortunately, very often men do not pay attention to the appearance of their hands. Some even bite their fingernails when they're nervous or just out of boredom, making their hands look unattractive. You need to get rid of this habit, because it's not very pleasant to date a guy whose nails look untidy. You need to think about how to get your man to do a manicure.
Invite your man to go to the salon with you to get his nails done. If he refuses, you can help him fix his nails on your own. Get a Manicure - Guys don't need to trim cuticles and buff their nails. It is enough just to carefully cut them under the root and cut off the burrs. Tell your man that a watch or ring looks better on well-groomed hands. Moreover, he does not want to accidentally scratch someone with his nails while shaking hands.
After all, men are strange creatures. Sometimes we don’t understand why men need a nail on their little finger, because this little thing can repel any girl. However, for the sake of his beloved, a man can make concessions and file a hated nail. Otherwise, you will have to do it yourself.

The question that interests many is why do men have a grown nail on their little fingers? Many do not understand the meaning of such a choice of men. Naturally, growing a nail is an individual matter. Everyone is guided by their own ideas, despite the historical background of such an action. For a more detailed consideration of this issue, one should plunge into the historical past.

What does history say?

There are historical versions of why men used to grow a nail on their little fingers. The origins go back to China of ancient times, where the size of the nail in length distinguished belonging to different ranks of high society.

For the first time in the seventeenth century, the nails on the little fingers undertook to grow aristocrats. The explanation for this decision was simple - they printed letters if there was no knife nearby for this procedure. It was very inconvenient to open messages with swords, so they began to grow the nail plate longer than the norm on the least used finger - the little finger.

Preference was given to the little finger of the left hand, since, as a rule, they held a weapon in the right and also wrote with the right limb. Even if the person was left-handed and did not hold the sword in his right hand, the emphasis was still on the fingers that did not touch the little finger and thumb. Such a growing tradition existed until the twentieth century, when letters began to be sealed with glue, and not with a special device - sealing wax.

In seventeenth and eighteenth century France, high-ranking personalities also grew their nails, having a completely different reason for this. According to historians of the etiquette of those centuries, it was actually necessary for men to grow a long nail on the little finger. With it, they entered the door of any building. It was an immoral manner in those days to knock on the door with your fist, and within the bounds of decency it was to scratch the door with a fingernail on the wood.

A long nail on the little finger of the left hand was a necessary attribute for card sharpers - katals. When performing a “volt” (a deceitful trick when removing cards), the nail served as a kind of bookmark.

In the twentieth century, belonging to the world of crime was visible by the nail grown on the little finger. In some colonies, significant figures in the criminal environment showed their authority in this way. It was believed that they led a free lifestyle, did not work, which gave an excellent opportunity to bring their nails into a neat appearance.

In the seventies, drug addicts in America sniffed the powder from the fingernail, more often cocaine. There were a lot of drug addicts, and those who were in dire need of a dose measured the dose, pouring it on their little fingers. Such a procedure was not only convenient, but also conspiratorial, which led to the emergence of the name "nail" (nail) - a measure of the weight of cocaine.

Many young followers of long nails, simply by seeing a little finger with a regrown nail, tried to somehow imitate older personalities. Many people still have this habit.

Modern causes of such a phenomenon as a long nail on the little finger

In fact, there is no specific answer to why men need nails on their little fingers. There are many possible options. Let's name the most common:

Some male representatives believe that a large long nail on the little finger can be used from a practical side. For example, like a screwdriver for tiny bolts. In fact, it is convenient, practical and does not require financial costs at all.

But the other part of the men is completely and unconditionally sure that the long nail of the little finger is quite stylish.

The next reason a man might need a fingernail is the convenience of picking his nose. Despite the fact that this procedure is not very aesthetic, the fact remains.

Sometimes a long nail can be a great tool for playing the guitar. With a long nail plate, it is convenient to pick up the strings, even in the most unimaginable positions of the fingers. Most guitarists resort to this action knowing this feature.

As in the old days, men can grow a nail on the little finger of the left limb (if right-handed) for gambling card games. They claim that thanks to the fingernail they can make bookmarks when shuffling or make marks on the right cards.

Even in our times, a long-nailed little finger can betray a person who is addicted to drugs. The nail is used as a scoop and a measure of the required dose for sniffing.

It is likely that a person with a long pinky nail has a prison background. As before, this fact shows the elitism of a man in a criminal circle. Dirty, hard or difficult work did not threaten such owners of a long little fingernail.
So teenagers in the modern world can grow a nail only to imitate some authoritative people in their opinion. Most young men believe that this way they look much cooler in the eyes of their peers.

As the alleged reasons for the appearance of a long nail on the male little finger show, there are practically no positive qualities in this. That is why our women, and society as a whole, are a little suspicious of men with overgrown nails. There is a certain contempt and relative apprehension towards such a phenomenon.

As for Europeans, they perceive long male nails on the little fingers more condescendingly. However, their tolerance is easy to explain - it was Europe that became the founder of such a phenomenon. The French were the first fashionistas to have long nails thanks to their etiquette.

But there are countries where a grown nail in a man is the rule. Among these, it is worth highlighting the countries of Asia. Asians are sure that the appearance of a man will be much more attractive with a regrown little finger. Against the background of their dark skin, a light long nail looks very impressive in a general way. In addition, their peoples believe that a regrown nail is a clear denominator or talisman of success.

Having considered all the possible options, it is difficult to answer with certainty whether everything really happened. Indeed, in the old days and in our time, a nail can be grown for their individual purposes. Even if the method is for: counting money, prying parts during the repair of equipment, using it as a pencil or cutter. If a man has grown a nail on his little finger, therefore, he is a kind of “gadget” for him, thanks to which he can solve many problems.

Modern men adhere to fashion trends, do not hesitate to visit beauty salons, solariums to look perfect. Therefore, we are not surprised by the fact that guys regularly do manicures. However, one point still remains incomprehensible to women: why do men grow a nail on their little fingers? Is it a fashion trend or a whim of some guys? How to react to such a manicure in a man? Let's try to understand everything in detail.

A bit of history

The nail on the little finger began to grow back in the last century, representatives of the aristocracy. For them, the nail on the last finger of the hand served as a “tool” for printing out letters. Another version of why men grew a pinky nail is the history of caste in China. The nobility of a man was determined by the length of the nail plate. The longer the nail, the higher the caste.

This version of the growth of nails in men does not end there. In the 1970s in the United States, such marigolds were worn by people who were addicted to cocaine. A little later, in Russia, a long nail on this finger in men indicates that it belongs to the thieves' caste. With such a manicure, card cheats went, because with the help of a long fingernail it was much easier to "crank" their unusual tricks.

In France, in medieval times, it was customary to knock on the door with the little finger, since knocking with the fist was then considered very bad form. Therefore, educated people tried to grow a neat nail on the little finger of their right hand.

Versions of modern men

We figured out the story, now I would like to know why modern men grow a nail on their little fingers? Our experts decided to conduct a survey on this topic among modern representatives of the stronger sex, and here are the answers they received:

1. "I work in a jewelry store." If you turn on the fantasy, then you can understand why a jeweler needs a long nail on his little finger - he replaces the master with a master key or a screwdriver in the process of working with small details of jewelry.
2. "For convenience". Most men answered that way to this question. Some clarified that with the help of a little finger nail they clean the computer keyboard, ears and even nose. What can I say - we have no right to condemn them for this!
3. "I express my belonging to a non-traditional homosexual orientation." In fairness, we note that in such men the nail on the little finger is usually varnished.
4. "I am a pilot." It turns out that the little finger with a regrown nail among representatives of this profession serves as a symbol of faith and a talisman of aircraft. The well-known pilot Meresyev, thanks to his long fingernail, was able to carve out stilts and parachute lines for himself. By the way, his nail is still kept in the Aviation Museum.
5. "My girlfriend loves it." Some men believe that it is pleasant to caress the female body and its intimate parts with such a nail. What is possible...
6. "This is my tool." Many guys use a long pinky nail as a tool to pry open something.
7. "I am the representative of the Masons." The men of the secret and most controversial religious association have a distinguishing mark - a long nail on the little finger of the left hand.
8. "I'm a musician". Guitarists use the regrown nail as a mediator.
9. “It’s convenient to count banknotes.” Men who work as bank tellers often grow quite long nails on both hands. They claim that with the help of such a manicure, glued banknotes can be easily separated. By the way, taxi drivers also use this trick.

Conclusion

So, we found out that the fashion for growing a long nail on the little finger of the right or left hand originates in the last century. In those days, men with such a manicure belonged to the representatives of the aristocracy. In modern representatives of the stronger sex of mankind, a long nail on the little finger is often used as an alternative to cotton swabs for cleaning earwax, screwdrivers, beer openers. Someone wears such a manicure because it is fashionable and comfortable.

In a word, we could not find an unambiguous answer to the question of why men grow a nail on their little fingers. Everyone has their own excuses. Therefore, we women can only forgive our beloved men such weaknesses.