The idea that men and women have different numbers of ribs is a myth. ​🦴 The Facts About Human Ribs ​Same Number: Both men and women typically have the same number of ribs: 12 pairs, totaling 24 ribs. ​The Skeleton: Ribs are part of the axial skeleton, and this structure is not sexually dimorphic in the number of bones. ​Variations: In rare cases, some individuals (male or female) may have a variation, such as an extra pair of cervical ribs (13 pairs total) or one fewer pair (11 pairs total), b