For centuries, millennia even, humans have decorated their bodies with tattoos. Sometimes for deep ritual significance with meanings tied to powerful energies beyond mortal ken. Other times they do it to remember or commemorate moments in time.
Tattoos hold significance to the bearer because of the time and effort to get them applied. The lifelong commitment also bears some weight.
These days regret statistics show how often someone disagrees with their previous self over their actions. Still, the most interesting stories attached to getting or removing tattoos seem to come from the most interesting people.
Check out this list of celebrities with tattoos as we break down the stories and/or meaning behind their inked physiques.
Contents
- 1 Deciphering Celebrities with Tattoos
- 2 1. Dwayne Johnson
- 3 2. Miley Cyrus
- 4 3. Jason Momoa
- 5 4. Justin Beiber
- 6 5. Angelina Jolie
- 7 6. Paris Jackson
- 8 7. Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner
- 9 8. Pete Davidson
- 10 9. Ariana Grande
- 11 10. Johnny Depp
- 12 11. Lilly Collins
- 13 12. Kylie Jenner
- 14 13. Emma Stone
- 15 14. Lil Xan
- 16 15. Lauren Jauregui
- 17 Exploding Entertainment
Deciphering Celebrities with Tattoos
Stories about a tattoo tend to be temporal in nature. An event occurs and someone involved feels like the moment was enough to capture a part of the feeling and keep it forever.
Other tattoo meanings come from cultural symbology and time-honored traditions.
1. Dwayne Johnson
This powerful in body and spirit athlete turned actor turned symbol of personal achievement has two tattoos you may think of but 12(13) in reality.
His first tattoo, the bull on his right arm has undergone some changes recently. To Johnson, it reflects the progress in his life and has meaning in many of its features.
The old design was a young man’s whim. The new design features a drive forward (in the pointing horns) and the scars of aging (in the broken bone). This tattoo makes an appearance in Rampage (we reviewed that here).
On the right side, you have the larger tribal tattoo across the arm and part of his powerful pec. This is composed of 11 elements that contribute to an overall meaning.
- The great eye -let’s one possess their enemies’ spirit.
- Warrior spirit – the pec part representing an overcoming of obstacles
- Tortoise shell – a shield to protect against foul spirits
- Sun – good fortune
- Swirls – reflects the journey into the future from the past and present
- Coconut leaves – indicative of a Samoan warrior-chief
- Priest – a guide to powers of the spirit and enlightenment
- Stones – a foundational symbol for abundance and achievements that hold mana and power
- Family – technically isa/ga fa’atasi (three in one) depicts his wife, his daughter, and himself ready to embrace them
- Two eyes- the watching eyes of ancestors
- Broken face – depicted with shark teeth, this soul protector provides strength through life struggles
2. Miley Cyrus
Miley is one of the youngest stars to get so much ink. The urge to pick up a new piece may seem impulsive but each has a significance to her.
Several dogs adorn her arms including a photo-realistic version of Mary Jane, a dog that passed away and she wears as a tribute to the memory.
Numerous other tattoos bear references to friends and family. Some are references while others stand in a little more simply. The ‘dad’ on her right foot is both to honor her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, but also to show how he is a foundational influence for her.
Outside of people, but no less personal is the sunflower on her right arm. This she obtained as a commitment to her vegan lifestyle.
3. Jason Momoa
The single tallest of tattooed celebrities, Momoa has an interesting mixture of meanings attached to his body art.
His most identifiable piece is ion the lower left arm. This family crest and tribal ward depict shark teeth bringing light out of darkness. He sports this center frame on the poster for Braven (of which we have a review)
Surprisingly, the ‘pride of gypsies’ is both a statement he likes and the name of a production company he founded in 2010. Though if you see his ‘etre toujours ivre” (be always drunk) on his right arm you might think otherwise.
He shares this tattoo with his step-daughter Zoe Kravitz. She, in turn, heads a band titled LolaWolf, the names of Momoa’s other children.
Momoa had the signatures of said children inked-up on his chest.
He rounds out his appreciation of ink and personal meaning with a ‘diablo’ on his right middle finger as a tribute to a friend now passed.
4. Justin Beiber
The not quite so baby-faced pop-star has been adding ink to his frame for some time now.
Interesting stories attached to some of the pieces include his full torso pieces. This eclectic mix of an eagle, gothic arches, a lion, and more certainly has meaning independently. A meaning magnified by their addition as a composition.
On the easier to understand and more personal side consider the tiny word ‘grace’ over his eyebrow. A tattoo pairing he apparently shares with Hailey Baldwin, though she hasn’t said where hers is located.
His ‘Better at 70’ on his right thigh strikes a clear message. It may be a bit too much forward thinking and might also ignore the realities of aging but it is a strong bit of encouragement to the self.
5. Angelina Jolie
Angelina hit the news for her tattoos more than once. You might recall the Billy Bob tattoo that was removed after that particular relationship ended.
Or perhaps you recall the back work she got from some indigenous tribal artisans. Stacatto tapping with bone and charcoal inks added effort, if not meaning.
The most interesting is her new left arm ink. This string of GPS coordinates list the birthplaces of her children. Now that is how you define meaning within meaning.
6. Paris Jackson
We promised to provide the meaning of celeb tattoos but we might need to scale that back a bit. Mostly because we love the little spoon on her inner arm that she shares with godfather Macaulay Culkin.
They’ve said it represents an inside joke between the two. The ultimate meaning of which you’ll find in the rumor mills of the dark web.
Of an easier to understand significance is the series of chakras down the center of her torso. This beautiful tattoo is complete with the Sanskrit character for each and accompanying color.
7. Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner
There are a number of celeb couples with matching or complimentary tattoos that give subtle winks and nods. Some of these become haunting memories of a time now past and others remain endearing.
For these two the “to infinity” on him and “& beyond” on her hopefully will remain as endearing as the film that inspired the quote.
8. Pete Davidson
While some celebrities get new ink regularly, few do it while appearing on a weekly show that requires no cover-ups. This allows you to watch the evolution of Pete’s tattoos in real time.
You’ll remember being enchanted by Piggy Smalls complete with words and pictures. He got this after adopting a pig with Ariana Grande.
He also got ‘mille tendresse’ on the back of the neck. This statement from the French for “a thousand tendernesses” matches Grande’s. Both were inspired by the book Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
9. Ariana Grande
As for the other half of this once couple of tattoo sprouters, Grande has a dozen meanings and counting inked in.
The ‘Pete’ on her ring finger has recently become a black heart tattoo for obvious reasons.
Of a more global significance is the bee on her arm. This references Manchester and its textiles and to her ‘the strength of their industrious spirit’. This image found its way onto many others after the bombing in May 2017.
10. Johnny Depp
Depp’s most relatable tattoo story is attached to the ‘Winona forever’ on his right arm. Of course, it now reads ‘wino forever’ in a classic case of cover up the mistake.
Though, as mistakes mount, removal might be the answer. Learn more about tattoo removal and avoid your own future mistakes.
A slightly longer story is attached to the gonzo fist on his left shin. Picked up after his role as the larger than life Hunter S. Thompson in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
Depp was responsible for building a cannon in the shape of the fist in 2005 to launch Thompson’s ashes across his Colorado property.
11. Lilly Collins
This young star has a combination of two easily hidden tattoos on the back of her neck.
“Love always and forever” appears over a woman on a lily. The woman was inspired by Japanese art stylings. For Collins, this represents a near rebus of herself.
One might guess the “love always and forever” part is for self-love. Or perhaps it’s a general feeling towards the universe. Both have merit.
12. Kylie Jenner
Sometimes tiny tattoos have expansive meanings. So you find with Kylie Jenner’s interesting tiny pieces.
Her transformed ankle mounted ‘TA’ to ‘LA’ after Tyga left the picture comes to mind. Or perhaps the butterfly on the other ankle identical to Travis Scott’s.
13. Emma Stone
For a larger sentimental approach to meaning, check out Emma stones upper arm bird feet.
She and her mother picked up this ink in honor of said mother being cancer-free.
Legend (though true) has it that she wrote a letter to Paul McCartney explaining her love of the song “Blackbird.” McCartney sent her the design for the tattoo a bit later.
Three meanings in one is pretty good for a tattoo.
14. Lil Xan
Another image in the annals of sentimental meaning is the ‘memento mori’ over Lil Xan’s eye.
Memento Mori translates to “remember that you will die”. Lil Xan uses this literally as it was added in memory of the death of his friend Mac Miller.
15. Lauren Jauregui
An interesting combination of images adorns this stars left arm. She sports a bee tattoo on her wrist that relates back to that worn by Ariana Grande.
Closer to the elbow you find 6-6-18 which commemorate the June 6, 2018 concert when she had her first solo performance.
Exploding Entertainment
That is a lot of information displayed in pictographic format. In the future, holographic ink may give celebrities with tattoos more ability to express themselves.
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