A sewing machine needle includes a blade extending substantially in the needle's longitudinal direction, an eye, which passes through the needle substantially in its elevational direction, and a scarf, which extends along the needle behind the eye. Compared with the contour of the blade, the scarf contour is recessed in the needle's elevational direction. At least in part of the scarf s extension along the needle, the scarf contour in a sectional plane perpendicular to the needle's longitudinal direction is substantially an arc of a circle. The circular-arc-shaped area covers a first angular portion of the needle's circumference. In this part of the scarfs extension along the needle, the radius of the substantially circular-arc-shaped contour in this first angular portion of the needle's circumference is between 35% and 100% of the needle's maximum lateral reach. The needle's lateral direction is perpendicular to its longitudinal and elevational directions.