The skull is an ominous image that is immediately associated with death and the realm of the dead. While that might make it seem like the skull tattoo is only for people who want to get a tattoo that represents death, that isn’t always the case. On this page we’ll take a look at why the skull image has held such significance to people over the years and some of the most popular skull tattoo meanings that folks like to use.

The skull is a very popular tattoo image and is often used to emphasize a tone of foreboding, peril or the occult. People who are looking for a darker tattoo meaning will often find themselves picking the skull tat because that meaning is obvious when you see the skull. It’s also the type of image that you can mix with other darker designs, making it an excellent pick for a larger tattoo design.

The skull was used anciently and is still used modernly in ritualistic practice in various cultures around the world. The human, or animal, skull signifies a missing soul and is used as an emblem of a relative or friend that has passed on from the world of the living. People who get the skull tattoo for this reason will often have the name of the person it represents above the skull to make the meaning a bit clearer. Of course, if it is meant to be a very personal tattoo, the owner can leave out the name since they will always know who the skull represents.

The skulls can be elaborately decorated ceremoniously and made part of a celebration or ritual. Specifically, the Day of the Dead, the Mexican holiday that follows Halloween, is often celebrated with decorated skulls called calaveras or sugar skulls that are brightly colored. They are decorated very ornately and used to honour the spirits of dead relatives. Although they are a signifier of the dead, they serve as a remembrance of ancestry and a reminder of the rebirth that death allows for.