In general, other neck tattoos fall into two categories. Symbols and medium-sized designs that fit on the side of your neck (roughly below your ear) and circling neck tattoos that go all the way around. Necklace tattoos can be quite feminine too.

But regardless of gender, you need to feel confident in your neck before you get a tattoo here. The skin around your neck wrinkles and sags greatly with age, so think about that before you get inked.

Ribcage

• Best for: large designs
• Pain levels: high
• Potential meaning: any large motif meaning

Rib tattoos can cover a very wide area. From under the armpit down to the stomach, or directly on the front of your torso. The designs vary widely too, from a few words scrawled underneath one breast to a large motif that covers you from one side to the other.

Regardless of the size of the tattoo, getting a tattoo over your ribs is quite painful as the ribs are delicate and boney. If you are slender and there’s not much flesh between your skin and ribs, it will hurt even more.

As there is such a large space to play with here, the designs for ribcage tattoos are very diverse.

Upper Back

• Best for: medium and large tattoos
• Pain levels: medium
• Potential meaning: carrying a burden or memories

Sometimes, a back tattoo is just placed there because it’s a great spot that’s easy to cover up. Other times, this placement indicates that you’re carrying something. A memory, a burden, guilt, grief, etc. You’re carrying it on your back wherever you go.

Upper back tattoos are often medium sized (large ones cover all areas of your back at once) and are generally placed between the shoulder blades. Check out shoulder tattoos on our list for more ideas for tattoos in this area.