What are the bones in the fingers called?

The bones in the fingers are called phalanges.

“Phalanges” is the plural of “phalanx,” the anatomical name for the bones that form the fingers and toes. Each hand has fourteen phalanges: three in each finger and two in the thumb. The three finger bones are called the proximal, middle, and distal phalanges, based on their position relative to the hand.

The thumb has only a proximal and distal phalanx because it lacks a middle phalanx. The same pattern appears in the foot: each toe generally has three phalanges, while the big toe has two. Together, the finger phalanges help produce the fine movements needed for writing, gripping, typing, and manipulating small objects.

A common mistake is to call every bone in the hand a finger bone. The metacarpals lie between the wrist and the fingers, while the phalanges make up the digits themselves. “Knuckles” is also a conversational term rather than the formal name for the bones; anatomically, knuckles are joints or prominent parts of joints involving the phalanges and metacarpals.