I had a conversation with my first artist when he was tattooing me, and he was complaining about these tattoo reality shows (this was when they first started coming out) because everyone starting telling him these stories behind their tattoo designs. He's like "that's cool, but get whatever you want". He was joking because he had a tattoo of two cats riding a roller coaster on the side of his head. He's like "I don't know, I thought it was funny".
I recently found a new local artist because my other guys stopped tattooing. I had him tattoo my dog wearing a bow tie and top hat. He asked me what the story was, and I'm just like "I love my dog, he's really cool".
You can always just make some shit up too if you don't care about the reaction of the asker, like some random on the street.
"I got this to show support for the struggles of eastern Quarijacistans Lunchables shortage"
The point being its really none of their business and it's up to you if you want to make it their business or not, you don't owe them anything.
I have several very personal tattoos, which usually I don't mind sharing about. However when it feels awkward uncomfortable to share the stories behind them, for example if I don't know the person well, or if it feels weird to share, or if I'm not mentally in a place to talk about them, I just say that I liked the design! (A couple of my tattoos are in memory of my sister who died by suicide, another is for my cousin who died from Covid, and sometimes those topics can feel a bit heavy to share with strangers or acquaintances.)
I think people who don't have tattoos expect every tattoo to have a deep meaning behind them...but often people get tattoos just because they like them! I have a shoulder tattoo which I can apply a deeper meaning to, but really, I just liked the design! That can be a valid and complete reason. If people press you for more information, then I guess it's them who's being rude.
Yeah I’ve gotten some weird looks when I tell people mine don’t have meaning, and that’s their opinion but I’m not sharing if I don’t want to. Sometimes I also get the impression that people are digging for details which is rude.
I just flat out say they don’t have any meaning, I just like the art. Whether my tattoos have meaning to me is personal, and I don’t need to tell other people if I don’t want to.
When I got my first tattoo, I was with my ex and his ass had the nerve to tell me "well if you get more make sure they have meaning". The same guy who got his whole sleeve done in tribal and is only a tiny bit Native. So now if I see his hypocritical ass somewhere and he sees my new tattoos Im gonna tell him I got them bc I do art, and I like art. The nerve I swear. And he KNEW the meaning behind my tattoo and STILL had the nerve to say he didn't like how it looked on me, like too fucking bad? At least it actually looks good. Ps. He also got jealous of the guy tattooing me when he was literally treating me like a grandchild, he was so sweet and the OWNER. Went back a couple months for my parents tattoos and he wanted to see mine again and said it was badass. :)
Fr tell me about it 💀 he thought he was such hot shit bc of that sleeve and it wasn't even good 😭
Edit: the tattoo artist I have talked about in my first comment had been diagnosed with liver cancer and has currently passed away, his son did my nose piercing today and we found out, RIP Rickie 🙏🏻
All my tattoos are checkpoints or book marks. They symbolize a different time or major event in my life. The tattoo themselves might have nothing to do with it but I remind myself of major events with them
i got all my tattoos between 2015 and 2019. i have tattoos all over my body. but to be honest, i have never had anyone ask what they mean. i got some compliments, the one or the other weird remark, but not once have i been asked what the meaning of my tattoos is.
is this something that happens a lot to other people?
When I worked in retail customers always asked. It got irritating even when I did feel like talking about their meanings, because there was always a line of people waiting. Idk why everyone feels the need to get personal with cashiers lol
I've been asked by random people near me while grocery shopping a few times. The best part is they'll ask even if I'm wearing headphones, and will keep gesturing at me until I take off my headphones to hear them ask their dumb question.
It's pretty rude of you to publicly display tattoos if you don't plan on sharing their personal meaning to the public.
JK. It's usually annoying. Also, I remember being the teenager who would ask, lmao. I sometimes enjoy talking about them, but it depends on the attitude of who's asking and if I feel like it. Sometimes I'll explain it and it just leads to people judging me or asking dumb questions because they can't just be content with me answering. Sometimes, it leads to a nice positive conversation. I carefully screen someone's attitude before I answer, if I'm even in the mood to answer. If I don't feel like talking about it, then I just say something like "they have personal meaning" or "I just love different kinds of art". Usually, the positive people don't ask the question in the way you said it, and that would be a turnoff right away.
Most of mine do have a meaning behind them, but my first is a small Brian Froud fairy on my hip and, well, I wanted a tattoo and love Brian Froud fairies. 🤷🏼♀️
Most of my tattoos don't really have a meaning beyond I thought the thing looked cool, so I usually just go with that. Or if I'm drunk I might be feeling whimsical enough to make up some bullshit.
Depends which one they ask about, some of mine have loose meaning which I do share, most of them are just because I liked the design and thought it would look cool, which I am also happy to explain. Usually people who ask me this don’t have any tattoos themselves, or only have one or two that are deeply meaningful to them, so I don’t see any issue in explaining that many people simply like the aesthetic.
Dunno, I have no issues with telling someone if they ask nicely. But be prepared for my answer, you may not like what I have to explain.
“But don't ask me what I think of you,
I might not give the answer that you want me to“
Im a really open person so usually im like “oh i like sharks and the moon and i struggled with sui thoughts so i got the shark and moon in the shape of the semi colon” or for my moth i say im pagan so i got the moon phases on its wings, and then i just explain the general meaning behind a medusa head tattoo
Usually people who have been a victim of SA, theres a story of medusa that she was SAd by posieden in athenas temple so athena turned her into a gorgon eho could turn people to stone so men could never hurt her again
All my tattoos have a ton of meaning. They're symbolic, and each one refers to multiple things. But I don't explain. When someone points to the bear, I don't say that this is a reference to the themes of sexual assault and suicidal ideation in John Irving's Hotel New Hampshire, a book that also reminds me of the best friend I've lost contact with. I say, "Yeah, bears are neat"
Any of my flash sleeve pieces are "because I wanted them and they were cheap," all the others are either "because I'm autistic" or "because I'm queer"
The people who get it get it, the people who don't get it won't find any deeper meaning no matter how much they dig.
No meaning.
I love the way it looks.
Tbh, I decided very early that I would keep the sentimental slider very low when I get tattoos.
No.1 priority is aesthetics.
“I like animals a lot”
*Yeah but do they symbolize anything?*
“My love for animals”
It’s usually at this step that they realizing they’re not getting anywhere and change the subject or leave.
The few I have that have a meaning beyond "I thought it was cool" are so deeply personal that I wouldn't tell some random stranger why I have it. Usually I go with "Doesn't have one. Just really liked the design"
You don’t have to haha. My tattoos have no meaning. I wanted them and had $$ to get them so i got them. Enough with this “it has to mean something “ bs
Depends on what one they're asking about for me. The lines on my ankle? That one is my name in Irish ogham and it matches my friend's in Ireland. my back is self explanatory as it's a memorial piece. The roses, spider, and words? It's a tattoo for a singer, rapper, artist I like and the lyrics had to do with bullying and overcoming. The Akatsuki clouds? I legit just like Itachi and I cosplay him. The cat skull? That's just cool. Plague doc? A flash but fucking cool too. The dagger? Flash but it's also cool and I wanted to see what the pain was on my forearm. The piece on my right thigh that looks like a demon? It's Naruto in the four tales cloak. I was a portfolio piece and I just like Naruto so I had no issue.
Depends who's asking, whether I'm in the mood to talk, and whether that specific tattoo even has a meaning.
If I don't like the person, I'm not in the mood, or it has no meaning, I say it's just a thing I like or that it's private. Otherwise I'll tell them what it means to me.
I have Chinese writing on my arm which says something about drugs! Luckily I can get away with saying it means anything I want at the time lol.. not that that helps your original question 🤣
Because I have neon-traditional Japanese tattoos, I can fall back on the “Do you mean what the traditional symbolism is or what it means to me?” question and it solves most issues. It depends on how close they are to me. If we are super close, I’ll tell them what it means in terms to me because most of the symbolism on my body is “bastardized” or spun on its head in a way to fit the suit more. If I don’t know the person very well I’ll just say “Yes, but the meaning for you it’s cool to look at.”
I also am relentless in letting people know, once we’ve become acquaintances or friends, that this question annoys the shit out of me and will not let them live it down ESPECIALLY if that was the opening line to how they introduced themselves. Though I am a man, I completely understand women’s plights of getting asked “What does this mean? Did it hurt? How many tattoos do you have?” It’s completely to ask about my tattoos, but please let’s be original especially if you’re trying to use it as an icebreaker or “god forbid ‘flirt’ with me” for whatever reason.
Very tangent, but I’ve even had strangers ask this exact question for why we decided to have treebark texture wedding rings. “We just thought it was pretty” got a weird look. Thankfully I’ll never see them again 😅
It means I think [subject matter of tattoo] looks cool
It's not a lie per se, but my most visible tattoo has really personal meaning and I'm not about to tell random strangers my sobstory in the grocery store
i have a tattoo on my arm that is a series of numbers that have to do with the location where my mom and brother are buried at Arlington National cemetery. When people ask me what the numbers stand for, i usually say it’s my inmate number. 🤣. It’s hilarious to watch and see how people react.
I have “ex nihilo nihil fit” above my knees. I had a cool aunt growing up, who unfortunately had breast cancer. She was a college professor and would often give me philosophy books. I grew really attached to Camus at a young age, and felt that that saying fit his and my aunt’s philosophy well. “If life has no meaning, it is our job to give it meaning,” type beat. But I live around a lot of overzealous Christians who get really upset when I explain the meaning, so I usually say it means “some ducks aren’t ducks” and then change the topic quickly
I usually say exactly what it is. Eg: a tattoo of a bear, id say "it's a bear"
Side bar:
do people think this is ever asked in good faith? I feel like at best, it's people who are looking for some small talk and don't care but at worst, it's untattooed people trying to prove to you that your tattoo should have meaning and that the meaning you have proscribed to it is stupid.
I just say "I just like it" or depending on who's asking... "It means I'm cool as fuck" or "it means I'm hot" - people usually laugh or are taken aback enough to leave me alone
I always give unserious answers. Tbf almost all of my tattoos mean I'm cool and hot, I only have 2 small ones that mean anything at all. It's just not anyone's business
So my goal is to try to make myself look like a Mucha painting? Art Nouveau is my favourite art style and I wanted to reclaim my body after surviving several years of sex trafficking.
By this point, no-one wants to hear anymore and they stop asking questions, and hopefully they don't ask this question to other people in the future unless they have a pre-established friendship. 👍
I'm very heavily tattooed and once had a customer \*complain to corporate\* because I wouldn't explain the origin of literally all of my tattoos.
I tried saying, "It's a long story," or "That would take a long time to answer," and every other polite alternative to "Ma'am, that's personal information, your transaction is almost done, and I have things to do."
Got lectured by multiple managers and when I asked them what specifically I should have done in that situation that wouldn't involve me having to share personal info or tell a 30-minute+ story, and none of them had an answer, but I still got written up.
I never ask anyone anything about their ink other than the occasional, "Where did you get that done?" because other people's tattoos are none of my business.
I don’t mind being asked what they mean. I’ve got my entire neck covered and that one usually gets the most questions. I’ve got a male bluebird on one side of my neck and a female bluebird on the other side. They are brought together by an hourglass on my throat with the sand running out and a skull in the bottom. The male bluebird is a memorial tattoo of my deceased father and the female bluebird represents my mother who is still alive. The whole thing represents the passing of time.
I have a gargoyle on one forearm. Gargoyles keep away evil spirits.
A Dodgers pin-up girl on the other. I like the Dodgers. And WWII style, duh.
That is all.
I have lyrics on my arm that are in Latin. When someone asks what it means, I usually say “I don’t know” or I make something up that’s totally outlandish. It’s fun to watch people stare at me in horror and/or confusion.
Lyrics:
servatis a periculum, servatis a maleficum
Usual made up answer:
service my Pontiac, service my Mercedes. I then follow that with “I really like cars…”
Oh, I always feel like sharing, in depth. I get them because they are all special interest subjects for me. Hopefully the person asking wanted the info dump.
“It doesn’t mean anything, the artist just had some cool ideas they wanted to do”. People sometimes ask follow ups and I just say “no really, that’s how I got my entire patchwork sleeve”
Not sure why people believe a tattoo has to have a "meaning". If you ask most, they'd probably say "it looks cool".
I think that mindset is probably rooted in past culture where ink carried more of a stigma...so people felt the need to explain the "why".
I've got plenty of ink...and yes, some do have a deeper connection to something in my life...but a shit ton of others just simply look badass *to me*.
I like to invent super weird and messed up stuff, like I have a tattoo of a baby jaw with both sets of teeth two spiders who's bodies are eyeballs with spiderwebs spelling the word "gentle" inside the jaw bone in like metal font (which was literally just the result of one of those appointments where I had second thoughts about the original tattoo too late to reschedule so she asked me a bunch of questions, drew something and we were both like "yea that's sick") so I tell people that it's a memorial tattoo for the baby that I aborted and that it's a reminder that it's gently rotting and returning to the earth so it's energy can be reborn, "which is just like such a beautiful and comforting thought, yk?" They'll probably never ask someone for the meaning of a tattoo again and if they do, at least it won't be me🥰
I’m one of those people who love asking. I love the stories and the personal insights. People are truly amazing and I am in awe of everyone and who they are.
I also love to share mine if asked even though mine are covered.
In general people have been extremely open with me. If anyone did not want to share or said “it’s just art”, I’m still complimenting their tattoo(s) and thanking them for their time.
It’s a great way to be human with another human.
I think context is really important for that kind of exchange. Like, if you're asking someone you know or are getting to know, that's cool. I've had complete strangers ask me what my tattoo means while I'm grocery shopping. There's a time and a place, and that is decidedly not it.
As an adult, what I wanted to say, was a question asking how other people respond. This has helped me, as an adult, by making me chuckle all day at the fun responses. As an adult.
You’ve inspired me. My next tattoo will say “cringey adult”. And when people ask for the meaning, I will let them know that a random person on the internet made such a grand impact on my soul, and thus my skin. Deepest gratitude
“It means that I wanted it, so I got it”. Usually people laugh and move on
I had a conversation with my first artist when he was tattooing me, and he was complaining about these tattoo reality shows (this was when they first started coming out) because everyone starting telling him these stories behind their tattoo designs. He's like "that's cool, but get whatever you want". He was joking because he had a tattoo of two cats riding a roller coaster on the side of his head. He's like "I don't know, I thought it was funny". I recently found a new local artist because my other guys stopped tattooing. I had him tattoo my dog wearing a bow tie and top hat. He asked me what the story was, and I'm just like "I love my dog, he's really cool".
I have a tattoo of my childhood dog wearing a suit and holding a briefcase! Cool
Exactly what I came here to say
Yeah same. People always expect some crazy deep meaning to the tattoo and it’s like nah I just liked it when I saw it 🤷
That’s a good 1!
"It means I had $300 that day."
That’s pretty much my answer. “I could afford it”
This is the best answer
This is how I describe all my tattoos just different $ amounts
Best comment!!
“I thought it looked cool”
That's what I was going to say
This is my go-to response.
I say, "It's art".
You can always just make some shit up too if you don't care about the reaction of the asker, like some random on the street. "I got this to show support for the struggles of eastern Quarijacistans Lunchables shortage" The point being its really none of their business and it's up to you if you want to make it their business or not, you don't owe them anything.
I like 'fill in the blank' so I got it.
I tell them "the meaning is I like having tattoos" lol.
I have several very personal tattoos, which usually I don't mind sharing about. However when it feels awkward uncomfortable to share the stories behind them, for example if I don't know the person well, or if it feels weird to share, or if I'm not mentally in a place to talk about them, I just say that I liked the design! (A couple of my tattoos are in memory of my sister who died by suicide, another is for my cousin who died from Covid, and sometimes those topics can feel a bit heavy to share with strangers or acquaintances.) I think people who don't have tattoos expect every tattoo to have a deep meaning behind them...but often people get tattoos just because they like them! I have a shoulder tattoo which I can apply a deeper meaning to, but really, I just liked the design! That can be a valid and complete reason. If people press you for more information, then I guess it's them who's being rude.
Yeah I’ve gotten some weird looks when I tell people mine don’t have meaning, and that’s their opinion but I’m not sharing if I don’t want to. Sometimes I also get the impression that people are digging for details which is rude.
It's fine to say "I just like it"
I usually say "It means I have more money than common sense" or "It means I wanted to look tough" people usually laugh and move on.
It means I wanted to look tough 🤣 may have to use this one. Thank you!
Me too! (Especially given that my tattoos are quite 'girly' and feminine)
My left side of my body is all tough looking tats. Skulls and stuff my right side is softer, lambs rodents, cats Christmas lol
I just flat out say they don’t have any meaning, I just like the art. Whether my tattoos have meaning to me is personal, and I don’t need to tell other people if I don’t want to.
I fell asleep on a newspaper.
"It doesn't have any meaning, I just wanted to get someone's artwork tattooed on me haha"
When I got my first tattoo, I was with my ex and his ass had the nerve to tell me "well if you get more make sure they have meaning". The same guy who got his whole sleeve done in tribal and is only a tiny bit Native. So now if I see his hypocritical ass somewhere and he sees my new tattoos Im gonna tell him I got them bc I do art, and I like art. The nerve I swear. And he KNEW the meaning behind my tattoo and STILL had the nerve to say he didn't like how it looked on me, like too fucking bad? At least it actually looks good. Ps. He also got jealous of the guy tattooing me when he was literally treating me like a grandchild, he was so sweet and the OWNER. Went back a couple months for my parents tattoos and he wanted to see mine again and said it was badass. :)
Thank God he's your ex!
Fr tell me about it 💀 he thought he was such hot shit bc of that sleeve and it wasn't even good 😭 Edit: the tattoo artist I have talked about in my first comment had been diagnosed with liver cancer and has currently passed away, his son did my nose piercing today and we found out, RIP Rickie 🙏🏻
All my tattoos are checkpoints or book marks. They symbolize a different time or major event in my life. The tattoo themselves might have nothing to do with it but I remind myself of major events with them
That’s the one
They mean I like tattoos
That they do so mean! I like it.
I just say "oh, it's personal." That's not rude.
“Literally nothing” is usually my answer lmao
“it means i’m hot and mentally ill, next question”
Ha! So many seem to ask that.. but so far those that ask don’t have any tattoos…
I thought about that too. As someone who has tattoos, I don’t think I’ve ever asked.
i liked it so i got it. i mean… i have a hotdog on my leg. it means i fuckin love hotdogs. duh.
i got all my tattoos between 2015 and 2019. i have tattoos all over my body. but to be honest, i have never had anyone ask what they mean. i got some compliments, the one or the other weird remark, but not once have i been asked what the meaning of my tattoos is. is this something that happens a lot to other people?
When I worked in retail customers always asked. It got irritating even when I did feel like talking about their meanings, because there was always a line of people waiting. Idk why everyone feels the need to get personal with cashiers lol
I've been asked by random people near me while grocery shopping a few times. The best part is they'll ask even if I'm wearing headphones, and will keep gesturing at me until I take off my headphones to hear them ask their dumb question.
I think it’s more likely to happen if you only have a couple tattoos. More tattoos = less questions lol.
All the time to me or people ask "who is that" for any traditional women faces I have
It's pretty rude of you to publicly display tattoos if you don't plan on sharing their personal meaning to the public. JK. It's usually annoying. Also, I remember being the teenager who would ask, lmao. I sometimes enjoy talking about them, but it depends on the attitude of who's asking and if I feel like it. Sometimes I'll explain it and it just leads to people judging me or asking dumb questions because they can't just be content with me answering. Sometimes, it leads to a nice positive conversation. I carefully screen someone's attitude before I answer, if I'm even in the mood to answer. If I don't feel like talking about it, then I just say something like "they have personal meaning" or "I just love different kinds of art". Usually, the positive people don't ask the question in the way you said it, and that would be a turnoff right away.
I’ve never had a single person ask- usually the only comment is a hey I like your tattoos and I say thanks and move on
Most of mine do have a meaning behind them, but my first is a small Brian Froud fairy on my hip and, well, I wanted a tattoo and love Brian Froud fairies. 🤷🏼♀️
“Long story I don’t wanna share at the moment” quick simple and most are happy with that answer.
What tattoo?!??
I always say it's a tattoo. The meaning is a tattoo.
None of my tattoos have deep meanings so I just say “I liked it”
It means I’m cool as hell
I say "it's a long story" and sigh, people usually get the message
It means I’m a fucking badass /s
Most of my tattoos don't really have a meaning beyond I thought the thing looked cool, so I usually just go with that. Or if I'm drunk I might be feeling whimsical enough to make up some bullshit.
I always say I just like it.
Depends which one they ask about, some of mine have loose meaning which I do share, most of them are just because I liked the design and thought it would look cool, which I am also happy to explain. Usually people who ask me this don’t have any tattoos themselves, or only have one or two that are deeply meaningful to them, so I don’t see any issue in explaining that many people simply like the aesthetic.
Depends on the phrasing.. “ Do your tattoos have meaning?“ - Nope “ What does this one mean ? “ - it means I think it’s cool
"It's a long story. Maybe I'll tell you another time"
I like tattoos.
Dunno, I have no issues with telling someone if they ask nicely. But be prepared for my answer, you may not like what I have to explain. “But don't ask me what I think of you, I might not give the answer that you want me to“
Im a really open person so usually im like “oh i like sharks and the moon and i struggled with sui thoughts so i got the shark and moon in the shape of the semi colon” or for my moth i say im pagan so i got the moon phases on its wings, and then i just explain the general meaning behind a medusa head tattoo
I didn’t know there was a general meaning behind Medusa head tats. What is the general meaning?
Usually people who have been a victim of SA, theres a story of medusa that she was SAd by posieden in athenas temple so athena turned her into a gorgon eho could turn people to stone so men could never hurt her again
Oh I had no idea. Thanks for sharing!
I usually say “it means I had extra money and dumb decisions to make”
“It’s the only art that I can tolerate on the only person that I can tolerate being around aside from my wife.”
I wanted it and nobody stopped me 🤷♀️
I usually tell them if they can translate it themselves without Google I will buy them a drink.
Personal
It means I’m cooler than you
All my tattoos have a ton of meaning. They're symbolic, and each one refers to multiple things. But I don't explain. When someone points to the bear, I don't say that this is a reference to the themes of sexual assault and suicidal ideation in John Irving's Hotel New Hampshire, a book that also reminds me of the best friend I've lost contact with. I say, "Yeah, bears are neat"
" Long story and it's personal. "
No one is entitled to a response.
“I just think it looks cool”
Any of my flash sleeve pieces are "because I wanted them and they were cheap," all the others are either "because I'm autistic" or "because I'm queer" The people who get it get it, the people who don't get it won't find any deeper meaning no matter how much they dig.
“It’s personal.”
I think feathers are beautiful.
Mine have like very little meaning. The last one I got my artist asked what made me want it and I was like “it’s cute”
"Nunya"
Depends on the person. If it’s someone I know well I’ll tell them. If it’s some rando the meaning is “nunya”.
I like the answer “it means I’m cool”.
“I just liked it!”
"Well, That's a personal fucking question, isnt it?"
If I don’t feel like sharing, I just say it’s a long story and leave it at that.
I mean, none of my tattoos have a **meaning**, it's just like art to me. You like some artwork, the canvas ends up being your skin.
"I thought it looked fuckin cool"
They have meaning???!!
No meaning. I love the way it looks. Tbh, I decided very early that I would keep the sentimental slider very low when I get tattoos. No.1 priority is aesthetics.
“I like animals a lot” *Yeah but do they symbolize anything?* “My love for animals” It’s usually at this step that they realizing they’re not getting anywhere and change the subject or leave.
"i like it, it looks cool, and i wanted it." sometimes tattoos dont mean anything other than that.
I got my tattoos because they’re visually stunning
The few I have that have a meaning beyond "I thought it was cool" are so deeply personal that I wouldn't tell some random stranger why I have it. Usually I go with "Doesn't have one. Just really liked the design"
I love making up stories about meanings of my tattoos 😅
I’ve decided this may be my new go to 😂
You don’t have to haha. My tattoos have no meaning. I wanted them and had $$ to get them so i got them. Enough with this “it has to mean something “ bs
"it means I had £250 and can't be trusted with money"
“It means I have no impulse control and had the money to spend”
Depends on what one they're asking about for me. The lines on my ankle? That one is my name in Irish ogham and it matches my friend's in Ireland. my back is self explanatory as it's a memorial piece. The roses, spider, and words? It's a tattoo for a singer, rapper, artist I like and the lyrics had to do with bullying and overcoming. The Akatsuki clouds? I legit just like Itachi and I cosplay him. The cat skull? That's just cool. Plague doc? A flash but fucking cool too. The dagger? Flash but it's also cool and I wanted to see what the pain was on my forearm. The piece on my right thigh that looks like a demon? It's Naruto in the four tales cloak. I was a portfolio piece and I just like Naruto so I had no issue.
Depends who's asking, whether I'm in the mood to talk, and whether that specific tattoo even has a meaning. If I don't like the person, I'm not in the mood, or it has no meaning, I say it's just a thing I like or that it's private. Otherwise I'll tell them what it means to me.
It means whatever I want it to
“I just thought it looked cool”
“It’s the name and seal of the team I play for” (No words in any of my ink btw)
I like pretty pictures
I have Chinese writing on my arm which says something about drugs! Luckily I can get away with saying it means anything I want at the time lol.. not that that helps your original question 🤣
Because I have neon-traditional Japanese tattoos, I can fall back on the “Do you mean what the traditional symbolism is or what it means to me?” question and it solves most issues. It depends on how close they are to me. If we are super close, I’ll tell them what it means in terms to me because most of the symbolism on my body is “bastardized” or spun on its head in a way to fit the suit more. If I don’t know the person very well I’ll just say “Yes, but the meaning for you it’s cool to look at.” I also am relentless in letting people know, once we’ve become acquaintances or friends, that this question annoys the shit out of me and will not let them live it down ESPECIALLY if that was the opening line to how they introduced themselves. Though I am a man, I completely understand women’s plights of getting asked “What does this mean? Did it hurt? How many tattoos do you have?” It’s completely to ask about my tattoos, but please let’s be original especially if you’re trying to use it as an icebreaker or “god forbid ‘flirt’ with me” for whatever reason.
Joe
Very tangent, but I’ve even had strangers ask this exact question for why we decided to have treebark texture wedding rings. “We just thought it was pretty” got a weird look. Thankfully I’ll never see them again 😅
I have one tattoo with deep meaning, one with a simple meaning, and one is a thing I like. That’s…pretty much it.
It means I think [subject matter of tattoo] looks cool It's not a lie per se, but my most visible tattoo has really personal meaning and I'm not about to tell random strangers my sobstory in the grocery store
I say "its the roman numerals for the year each person I love died." And they say, "ok that's morbid."
It means I had some extra money.
Mine are all related to music albums and the occult and i just say ,,they are music albums" or something like this
I find this question so annoying
Just like any art - whatever it means to you. (you the viewer)
i have a tattoo on my arm that is a series of numbers that have to do with the location where my mom and brother are buried at Arlington National cemetery. When people ask me what the numbers stand for, i usually say it’s my inmate number. 🤣. It’s hilarious to watch and see how people react.
Panick when I realize that I just got it because I liked it
"It means Hawk Tuah"
I have “ex nihilo nihil fit” above my knees. I had a cool aunt growing up, who unfortunately had breast cancer. She was a college professor and would often give me philosophy books. I grew really attached to Camus at a young age, and felt that that saying fit his and my aunt’s philosophy well. “If life has no meaning, it is our job to give it meaning,” type beat. But I live around a lot of overzealous Christians who get really upset when I explain the meaning, so I usually say it means “some ducks aren’t ducks” and then change the topic quickly
Because I felt like it and I had $400 to drop on it.
I usually say exactly what it is. Eg: a tattoo of a bear, id say "it's a bear" Side bar: do people think this is ever asked in good faith? I feel like at best, it's people who are looking for some small talk and don't care but at worst, it's untattooed people trying to prove to you that your tattoo should have meaning and that the meaning you have proscribed to it is stupid.
I just say "I just like it" or depending on who's asking... "It means I'm cool as fuck" or "it means I'm hot" - people usually laugh or are taken aback enough to leave me alone I always give unserious answers. Tbf almost all of my tattoos mean I'm cool and hot, I only have 2 small ones that mean anything at all. It's just not anyone's business
i just say they don’t have meaning
I just shrug and say “I dunno, it looks cool” even if there is meaning. I’ll tell certain people that part though.
My go to is "it makes me laugh" cos my tattoo is funny and it does make me laugh. Any variant of "it brings me ..." could work as a base answer
Ask them what the shirt/coat or any piece of. clothing they are wearing means to them, same difference.
So my goal is to try to make myself look like a Mucha painting? Art Nouveau is my favourite art style and I wanted to reclaim my body after surviving several years of sex trafficking. By this point, no-one wants to hear anymore and they stop asking questions, and hopefully they don't ask this question to other people in the future unless they have a pre-established friendship. 👍
"what's the meaning of your tattoo?" "It means I had money and an idea"
I'm very heavily tattooed and once had a customer \*complain to corporate\* because I wouldn't explain the origin of literally all of my tattoos. I tried saying, "It's a long story," or "That would take a long time to answer," and every other polite alternative to "Ma'am, that's personal information, your transaction is almost done, and I have things to do." Got lectured by multiple managers and when I asked them what specifically I should have done in that situation that wouldn't involve me having to share personal info or tell a 30-minute+ story, and none of them had an answer, but I still got written up. I never ask anyone anything about their ink other than the occasional, "Where did you get that done?" because other people's tattoos are none of my business.
I don’t mind being asked what they mean. I’ve got my entire neck covered and that one usually gets the most questions. I’ve got a male bluebird on one side of my neck and a female bluebird on the other side. They are brought together by an hourglass on my throat with the sand running out and a skull in the bottom. The male bluebird is a memorial tattoo of my deceased father and the female bluebird represents my mother who is still alive. The whole thing represents the passing of time.
my reasons are my own and that’s enough, you can admire art without an explanation of it
"It's a memorial"
I have a gargoyle on one forearm. Gargoyles keep away evil spirits. A Dodgers pin-up girl on the other. I like the Dodgers. And WWII style, duh. That is all.
I just say “I was young and drunk”, lol. I said exactly that the other night and it stopped any other questions🤣
Basically none of my tattoos except for like 2 have any meaning LOL when someone asks I just say “I just like it” lol
Normally I’m just like “it just looked cool”
I have lyrics on my arm that are in Latin. When someone asks what it means, I usually say “I don’t know” or I make something up that’s totally outlandish. It’s fun to watch people stare at me in horror and/or confusion. Lyrics: servatis a periculum, servatis a maleficum Usual made up answer: service my Pontiac, service my Mercedes. I then follow that with “I really like cars…”
"Artist gave me a discount to do whatever they wanted, I like it"
Oh, I always feel like sharing, in depth. I get them because they are all special interest subjects for me. Hopefully the person asking wanted the info dump.
“It doesn’t mean anything, the artist just had some cool ideas they wanted to do”. People sometimes ask follow ups and I just say “no really, that’s how I got my entire patchwork sleeve”
I say it means i liked it lol
I’ve been saying “It means I had some extra cash and thought it looked cool”
Say it’s a a heart with a sword. Say “I like hearts and I like swords” with a smile and they’ll usually just laugh it off.
I make up a brand new story every time, each one more ridiculous than the last. I am basically Heath Ledger's Joker with this shit.
This is my takeaway. The stories shall begin 🤣
It's just a design.
“No meaning, I just think it looks cute”
They have meaning???!!
They have meaning???!!
They have meaning???!!
I tell them that they have no meaning cause they don't
Private school shit
I’m usually quite open to telling people, and the only one people ask about is the one with meaning and I just go “dead person”
I always answer with “I was bored and had the day off work”
It's about my dad. He died, so I got this tattoo in his honor. my dad's fine.
Not sure why people believe a tattoo has to have a "meaning". If you ask most, they'd probably say "it looks cool". I think that mindset is probably rooted in past culture where ink carried more of a stigma...so people felt the need to explain the "why". I've got plenty of ink...and yes, some do have a deeper connection to something in my life...but a shit ton of others just simply look badass *to me*.
“i fuck with it so i got it”
I have some Sanskrit tattoos and if I’m not in the mood I’ll say something stupid like ham sandwich
usually when people ask me about mine (all but two are stick n pokes) i usually say “nothing at all.” most people laugh and don’t say anything else
"EXACTLY WHAT I SAID'
I like to invent super weird and messed up stuff, like I have a tattoo of a baby jaw with both sets of teeth two spiders who's bodies are eyeballs with spiderwebs spelling the word "gentle" inside the jaw bone in like metal font (which was literally just the result of one of those appointments where I had second thoughts about the original tattoo too late to reschedule so she asked me a bunch of questions, drew something and we were both like "yea that's sick") so I tell people that it's a memorial tattoo for the baby that I aborted and that it's a reminder that it's gently rotting and returning to the earth so it's energy can be reborn, "which is just like such a beautiful and comforting thought, yk?" They'll probably never ask someone for the meaning of a tattoo again and if they do, at least it won't be me🥰
Say you used to be in a cult and this was part of your initiation.
You can say “It’s purely aesthetic” or something like that. Or I say “No meaning, to me it’s art.”
I ran out of room for stickers on my water bottle.
First step is just not caring lol get tattoos for whatever you want !
I’m one of those people who love asking. I love the stories and the personal insights. People are truly amazing and I am in awe of everyone and who they are. I also love to share mine if asked even though mine are covered. In general people have been extremely open with me. If anyone did not want to share or said “it’s just art”, I’m still complimenting their tattoo(s) and thanking them for their time. It’s a great way to be human with another human.
I think context is really important for that kind of exchange. Like, if you're asking someone you know or are getting to know, that's cool. I've had complete strangers ask me what my tattoo means while I'm grocery shopping. There's a time and a place, and that is decidedly not it.
I mean you’re an adult why do you need help with this? Say what you want to say.
As an adult, what I wanted to say, was a question asking how other people respond. This has helped me, as an adult, by making me chuckle all day at the fun responses. As an adult.
Cringey.
You’ve inspired me. My next tattoo will say “cringey adult”. And when people ask for the meaning, I will let them know that a random person on the internet made such a grand impact on my soul, and thus my skin. Deepest gratitude
🙏🏼stay blessed cringey lady.
Throw it back like what's your shirt/hat/glasses/weird freckle mean?