The adult human body typically has 206 bones. This number can vary slightly between individuals due to anatomical differences, but 206 is the widely accepted standard count for an adult skeleton

. At birth, humans have about 270 bones. Many of these bones fuse together during growth and development, resulting in the lower number of bones in adulthood

. The 206 bones in an adult are divided into two main groups:

• Axial skeleton (80 bones): includes the skull, spine, and rib cage.
• Appendicular skeleton (126 bones): includes the limbs and girdles (shoulder and pelvic bones)

In summary:

• Newborns: ~270 bones
• Adults: ~206 bones (range can be 206 to 213 due to variations)
• Bone fusion during growth reduces the total count from infancy to adulthood