Tattoos have exploded in popularity amongst both men and women, but it can sometimes be tough to decide on a tattoo design.
With this in mind, here are 20 unique and uncommon tattoos:
1. Atom Tattoo
At one point in history, an atomic tattoo design might have been strongly associated with the atomic bomb, but that has changed.
Lovers of science and progress may find some profound meaning in such atomic tattoos. For them, it suits their view of life and their search for truth.
For other people, a nucleus with subatomic particles rotating around it can also mean personal freedom and liberty. Perhaps it is a freedom for religion and cult-like unawareness of the universe around us. Or perhaps it may symbolize their own free will.
2. Barcode Tattoo
The barcode originated in the 1940s, but it was not until 1975 that it was used on a wide scale in product inventory and sales.
Many people interpret the so-called “mark of the beast” in Revelations to mean that we will all one day be tattooed with a barcode so that we can be treated like products by a one-world government.
Whether you believe this or not, the barcode has come to mean an anti-establishment stance. It is related to individual freedom from tracking and is the opposite of being treated like a product.
3. Che Guevara Tattoo
You’ve probably seen his stylized portrait on T-shirts or other products, but what has made this man so popular among those who love tattoos?
As a Marxist revolutionary in South America, he was pivotal in the Cuban revolution. He represents rebellion, freedom, and personal liberty from oppression.
He was not just a revolutionary and guerrilla leader though. He was also a physician, reformist politician, diplomat, and author. For some people, his inked face has deep cultural and political connections.
4. Cow Tattoo
The bull might be more about the masculine spirit, but a cow tattoo is perfect for nurturing mothers everywhere. The cow represents fertility and the nurturing and northerly spirit.
The cow has also long been seen as sacred in places such as India, and has been an important animal across many ancient human cultures.
The cow gives life to its young, but also gives us life too. From our earliest beginnings, the cow has been a part of our farming cultures. For this reason, the cow has a special place for many people.
5. Dagger Tattoo
The dagger on its own is not common as a tattoo. It is often combined with other imagery, such as roses and skulls. For some people it can mean the dangers inside themselves, serving as a warning to others.
One common dagger tattoo is the dagger piercing a heart. This symbolizes the heartbreak or betrayal of love.
A dagger and swallow has been common in American Traditional style tattooing and means safe passage or luck for a sailor in getting home from their time at sea.
6. Dragonfly Tattoo
A dragonfly tattoo can look amazing, especially when lots of colors of ink are used. These iridescent creatures symbolize personal transformation and change.
Just as the dragonfly begins life as a tiny nymph and then transforms into something majestic and beautiful, it also symbolizes our capacity to change and adapt to circumstances around us.
The dragonfly is graceful and free. It represents our struggle to move beyond our own confines and to truly become something more.
The dragonfly tattoo is for anyone who understands personal transformation and yearns to be something greater than themselves.
7. Four-Leaf Clover Tattoo
Lots of people think that the four-leaf clover isn’t real and is just some made up myth. In fact, there is such a thing as a four-leaf clover.
The white clover grows everywhere in Ireland, and while most of them are the standard three-leaf variety, one in ten thousand are the rare four-leaf variety. It’s a genetic mutation, but for the Irish it also means good luck.
Good fortune is what it means to us too. They say that if you discover a four-leaf clover, you’re bound to have good luck for the rest of the day. Of course, the four-leaf clover tattoo doesn’t just mean good luck and fortune.
8. Fox Tattoo
The fox means different things to different people and cultures. It can be cute and cunning in one moment, and then vicious the next.
It is a predator that is frightened of humans and operates by stealth. It also happens to be a very popular tattoo for women.
The fox is not just cute and cunning. It is also a symbol of feminine sexuality.
The Japanese Goddess of fertility, Inari, could transform into a fox, for example. In Nordic culture, the fox is a symbol of deceptiveness, wiliness, and cunning.
9. Hummingbird Tattoo
For the Aztecs, wearing a dead hummingbird around their neck in a small bag was a symbol of royalty and power. They also believed that Aztec warriors were reincarnated as hummingbirds. To the Native Americans, the hummingbird represents love.
10. Ladybug Tattoo
Ladybugs have traditionally been associated with good luck. It’s said that if a ladybug lands on you, you’ll receive good fortune. For the Chinese, the ladybug is all about good luck and is similar in meaning to the four-leaf clover.
11. Lighthouse Tattoo
Have you ever felt lost in your life? As a symbol, the lighthouse is a guiding light. It has traditionally helped sailors avoid accidents, and has profound meaning even for modern sailors.
The lighthouse is also representative of protection and finding a way forward out of the darkness.
Maybe you need some guidance in your life or you remember a dark time in your life before you found the light. Or maybe you just love the sea and how great a lighthouse tattoo can look.
12. Lizard Tattoo
From fearsome Komodo Dragons to tiny Geckos, the lizard has long been a fascination for people from all cultures.
Some people might place them right alongside snakes as one of their biggest fears, but lizards are definitely more scared of us than the other way around.
The ancient Egyptians associated the lizard with good luck, while images of lizards were used to scare off evil spirits in parts of Africa.
The lizard represents agility, speed, cunning, intelligence, flexibility, adaptability, and rebirth. As such, they make for great tattoos for anyone who relates to any of these ideas.
13. Moth Tattoo
While some people might look at moths as the ugly cousin of the butterfly, moth tattoos can look absolutely wonderful.
Indeed, there are many more species of moth than butterfly in the world, and they have long had symbolic significance across many cultures.
The moth represents determination and faith. Those who seek the light and have the determination to succeed in their quest out of the darkness may find a profound connection with the humble moth.
They also have a strong connection with the moon, and thus they are also often seen as feminine symbols too.
14. Panda Tattoo
Symbolically, the panda represents peace and serenity. The panda is not a vicious creature and is known to be slow moving and laid back. Perhaps this is partly why it is an endangered species.
The panda is also strongly associated with wisdom, grace, strength, good luck, magic, calm, and balance. Interestingly, the panda is associated with both femininity and masculinity, making it a great choice for either a man or woman.
15. Peacock Tattoo
The peacock has been held in high regard for many centuries by many cultures. The colorful plumage of the male is sometimes associated with vanity, pride, social status, luxury, and beauty.
For some people, the colorful peacock feathers are representative of their colorful persona.
The peacock also has an important place in the Buddhist religion. Here, it is strongly associated with an expanding consciousness. In the Christian faith, the peacock is also often associated with rebirth and immortality.
16. Rabbit Tattoo
The rabbit is not just about Easter and the cute Easter Bunny, although there’s nothing wrong with having such a tattoo done.
It is also one of the animals in the Chinese zodiac, and is associated with kindness, compassion, tenderness, and grace.
The rabbit is also seen as a symbol of good luck and prosperity. Just think about the tradition of the lucky rabbit’s foot.
17. Ram Tattoo
Like the sun, the ram is primarily a masculine symbol.
If you happen to be born under the zodiac sign of Aries, the ram might have some meaning for you too. For the ancient Egyptians, the ram also carried solar energy, making it a sacred animal.
Symbolically, the ram is associated with the qualities of perseverance, overconfidence, stubborn character, and a lack of mental flexibility.
While some of these qualities may not sound ideal to a modern audience, there is something strong and determined in the ram that makes it an ideal choice as a tattoo, especially for men.
18. Scorpion Tattoo
The scorpion is one of those creatures that seems to have a bad name.
Apart from the obvious connection with the Scorpio zodiac sign, the scorpion has also long been associated with power and toxicity. There is something fearful about the scorpion and its stinging tail.
Having said that, there is also an ancient tradition of the scorpion being associated with sexuality and arousal as well.
In fact, some women are using the scorpion motif to represent their own power and control over their powerful sexuality.
19. Stag Tattoo
The stag is a strong protector. He is the alpha of his pack of deer and protects and guides them. His antlers are symbols of strength, power, and virility.
Due to his position within the pack, the stag is also a symbol of royalty and nobility. If you’ve ever seen a stag, you’ll know how large and noble looking they are.
20. Triangle Tattoo
The triangle as a geometric shape has been used by countless cultures in tribal tattooing rituals, but it also has deep meanings for many people in other ways too. For them, a triangle is not just a triangle.
A simple triangle also has strong ties to the Christian tradition, with the three sides representing the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
We also see a triangle and the all-seeing eye of Horus on the one dollar bill in the United States. In this way, it can also represent the eye of providence too.
When tattooed with the point upward, the triangle relates to the sun and masculine power. When it is pointing down, it symbolizes the moon and feminine power.
