What are the toes called? The names of all five toes

The five toes at a glance

Counting from the inside of the foot to the outside:

1. Big toe: in anatomy the hallux.
2. Second toe: also called the long toe or index toe.
3. Middle toe: the third toe.
4. Fourth toe: sometimes called the ring toe.
5. Little toe: also the pinky toe or baby toe; in anatomy the fifth toe or digitus minimus.

Unlike fingers, only the big toe and the little toe have names everyone agrees on. For the three in between, "second", "third" and "fourth toe" are the safe choice.

What doctors call them

In anatomy the toes are numbered, starting with the big toe as the first. The big toe has its own Latin name, hallux. The other four are often grouped as the lesser toes, and the little toe is the digitus minimus. When a podiatrist says "your third digit", they mean your middle toe.

How many bones are in a toe?

Each toe is made of small bones called phalanges:

• the big toe has two: a proximal and a distal phalanx;
• the other four toes usually have three: proximal, middle and distal;
• in many people the little toe has only two, because the middle and end bone have grown together.

That makes 14 toe bones in a typical foot, sometimes 13.

When the second toe is longer than the big toe

A second toe that reaches past the big toe is common and has a name: Morton's toe. In descriptions of foot shapes it is called a Greek foot. It is a normal variation, not a fault. More on the different shapes in the guide to foot shapes.

Toe names you will see on feet pics

Creators and fans usually name toes the everyday way, and a few words come up again and again:

• toe spread: all five toes held apart;
• toe curl or toe scrunch: toes curled down towards the sole;
• pinky toe close-ups, often with a pedicure;
• big toe shots from above, mostly to show the polish.

If you sell feet pics, putting these words in your clip captions and tags helps fans find the clip they are looking for.