Tattoos have become far more common and widely accepted these days and more and more people are getting them. But, have you ever stopped to wonder why people get tattoos?

It is usually a personal decision and behind that decision is usually a very personal reason.

I can’t say I have come across many people who have not, at least once, considered getting or having a tattoo and while not every one does it, there are riveting stories behind the ones who do.

Before going any further, I want to clear one thing up. If a person has a tattoo, it does not necessarily mean they are a member of some gang (all though they may be) and it does not mean they are less intelligent than the person next to them who does not have a tattoo (although they may be).

It does not mean they are a bad person or that they are not good at their job. It does not mean that they make bad decisions, either. People with tattoos simply have a different way of expressing themselves than those who do not.

Every one of us is an individual with different feelings and motivations. We all have something unique to say that applies to only ourselves or something that is important to us. Tattoos are just another way of saying those things and telling our stories.

After speaking with a large amount of people who have tattoos, I realized that while each reason was personal, the majority of them seemed to fall into a few certain categories.

Today, I am going to share some of these reasons with you.

Tattoos In Remembrance

This category is high up on the list. Almost every person I spoke to who has them was either already sporting a tattoo in remembrance or was contemplating one.

These tattoos are usually specific to a loved one, be it a friend or family member, who has passed on. These tattoos vary from a simple symbol of representation, to your “RIP” with a date and a name, a short, meaningful poem or phrase, all the way to beautifully done, photo-replications of the person (or persons…and sometimes pets) who is no longer with us.