Off The Record

15+ Understated Tattoos with Surprisingly Deep Meaning

Published on December 21, 2023

People get tattoos for a variety of reasons, each deeply personal and often influenced by cultural, emotional, or individual factors. Some of the common reasons include:

Self-Expression: Tattoos can be a form of self-expression, allowing individuals to showcase their personality, beliefs, or interests on their body.
Artistic Freedom: Many view tattoos as a form of art and get inked to display beautiful, meaningful, or unique designs on their skin.
Memorials: Tattoos are often used to honor or remember a loved one, an important event, or a significant period in one’s life.
Cultural or Spiritual Significance: In many cultures, tattoos have spiritual or cultural significance, representing rites of passage, spiritual beliefs, or belonging to a certain group or lineage.
Fashion or Aesthetic Appeal: Some people get tattoos simply because they like the way they look and enjoy the aesthetic enhancement to their appearance.
Personal Narratives: Tattoos can tell a story or mark significant milestones in a person’s life, like overcoming a challenge or celebrating an achievement.
Group Affiliation: Tattoos can signify membership in a particular group or community, whether it’s a social, professional, or ideological group.
Rebellion or Statement: For some, tattoos are a way to rebel against norms or make a statement about their individuality and non-conformity.

Each tattoo has a unique meaning to the person who wears it, and the reasons behind getting inked are as diverse as the designs themselves.

Thanks to BrightSide, we at DailyPositiveInfo are truly inspired by the profound meanings these tattoo enthusiasts infuse into their designs.

1. ’’I got a tattoo of my dad’s laugh. I have his smile and joy wherever I go now.’’

2. “Ginkgo leaves — they were my great-grandmother’s favorite, and her love for them was passed down through the strong, enduring, hopeful women in my family.”

3. “This is my first tattoo in honor of my grandfather (he liked sunflowers and pink flamingos, thus the feather).”

4. “My first tattoo in honor of my chemist grandmother”

5. “Got a tattoo in honor of Kiko today, she was 9 when she passed.”

6. “I finally did it… I got the tattoo in honor of my dad. It’s just before the year anniversary of his passing. He did stage magic as a hobby and this prop was my favorite of his tricks.”

7. “’I can’ for when I beat thyroid cancer…”

8. “I got 2 tattoos on my wrists to honor my sons. They were born on the same day, 15 years apart. August 2, both Leos.”

9. “It’s my kitty heading off to the other side — my first proper tattoo in memory of my kitty, Ziggy.”

10. “Got my first Beatles tattoo yesterday in memory of John. I’m planning on getting a half-sleeve of Beatles references.”

11. “A weirwood tree and dire wolf tattoo in honor of my dog, Ghost”

12. “A new tattoo in honor of my recovery after a broken back”

13. “This is my actual heartbeat, it’s irregular.”

“’STRENGTH’ is in my mom’s handwriting. It’s close to my heart, literally. A reminder that though she died of heart disease and I inherited it, I also inherited her STRENGTH. The hand is my big bro who honors my mom and me.”

14. “I got this in honor of my lost baby. The people at the tattoo shop laughed at it because they didn’t know its meaning.’’

“When I went to a tattoo shop in town and showed them the picture of what I wanted, they laughed at it. I suppose because it seemed to them like a basic tattoo and they didn’t know the meaning behind it.”

15. Simple but meaningful

“A semicolon is used when an author could have ended a sentence but chose not to. You are the author and the sentence is your life. About 3 years ago my oldest was having a hard time, we didn’t think we would get through but he’s fine now and we got matching tattoos.”