What does a promise ring really mean?

[Joygurl105]

My friend got his girlfriend a promise ring and I just wanted to know what giving your girlfriend a "promise ring" meant?

Sorry for the n00b question sweatdrop

[Aita Vanth]

It can have different meanings. Also, wikipeida: here!

[Ellyn]

yeah.
it's pretty open ended.

promise rings often lead to engagement rings
or it's a promise to uphold celibacy


maybe it's something that even best friends exchange in order to keep their friendships forever.

[Gavin of the GreyFires]

If I understand it right, A promise ring means that you are officially a couple with full intention of getting engaged. It indicates that while you wear the ring, you will not date other people. Then when you finally decide that you are happy enough to take the chance of spending the rest of your life with each other, you upgrade to an engagement ring. The engagement ring means that you are already actively planning the wedding.

The promise ring is just to let everyone else know that you two are officially dating one person exclusively.

[Mr Bwee]

My boyfriend gave me one about a month ago.
Pretty much the 'intent of getting engaged' thing as stated above.

[Pirate-Peaches]

It depends on what it means to them, most of the time it's like a training wheels version of an engagement ring. It means that you want to get married one day but are too young to get engaged or not yet ready to make that serious of a commitment but hope to someday

[uMadLOL]

i have one

it means they promise you , they will marry you , its before an engagement ring

[Skydeki]

I don't have one, but I'm gonna take a guess.
Promise rings are before engagement rings for couples, or friendship ring for friends. It can mean 'I want to marry you one day', 'please be my friend forever', or it can even promise virginity. >>