The first seven vertebrae are called the cervical vertebrae . Located at the top of the spinal column, these bones form a flexible framework for the neck and support the head. The first cervical vertebrae is called the atlas and the second is called the axis. The next twelve vertebrae are called the thoracic vertebrae . These bones move with the ribs to form the rear anchor of the rib cage .
Thoracic vertebrae are larger than cervical vertebrae and increase in size from top to bottom.
After the thoracic vertebrae, come the lumbar vertebrae . These five bones are the largest vertebrae in the spinal column. These vertebrae support most of the body's weight and are attached to many of the back muscles. The sacrum is a triangular bone located just below the lumbar vertebrae. It consists of four or five sacral vertebrae in a child, which become fused into a single bone after age 26.