What Does Your Tattoo Placement Say About Your Personality?

By Sidra Lackey

What you get tattooed or where on your body you get a tattoo of: what matters more? They’re both significant choices to make when getting a tattoo. You don’t want to get just anything tattooed on you, on any part of your body. YourTango suggests, “The placement of the tattoo is as important, if not more so,” in “What Your Tattoo Placement Says About Your Personality.” The placement of the tattoo can tell you a lot about a person and therefore tattoo placement shouldn’t be a random choice, YourTango cautions.

Each tattoo placement carries with it a significantly different meaning. Below popular tattoo placements are broken down by YourTango on what a placement portrays about a person’s personality:

Ears: Tattoos on or behind the ears tend to be very small, very simple, and very sweet. Because the ears are responsible for hearing, many tattoo artists use this space in order to commemorate music, animals, and people they hold dear. It's not uncommon to see musical notes tattooed behind a person's ears. People with tattoos behind their ears tend to be the most hippie-like among us, happy to freely express themselves and the choices they've made; the things that they love. They don't necessarily want to show off, but they do through their actions and through their art too.

Neck: Neck tattoos can be discreet or they can be in your face, no pun intended. A tattoo behind the neck, especially on a woman or a man with long hair, can be easily hidden or shown off, depending on the mood or the situation. On the front or side of the neck, it's available for all to see. People with neck tattoos that are easily seen tend to be the bravest out of all of us. Tattoos on the lower and back side of the neck show they're not afraid to make tough choices and cover for them if need be. This area of the skin is sensitive, so neck tattoos are often painful. People with neck tattoos tend to be strong, wise, and bold.

Chest: The chest tattoo, sometimes called the "chest piece," is where some of the greatest tattoo artwork can be found. These tattoos can incorporate other areas, like the neck, the arms, the ears, and the ribcage area. For someone with many tattoos in many places, the chest tattoo can connect all of them and create a theme that overrides the individual meaning of each tattoo. People with chest tattoos tend to be very confident, especially when tattooed on women. In many cases, the chest tattoo has a romantic meaning, symbolizing someone or multiple someones, close to the heart of the wearer.

Ribcage: The ribcage is an increasingly popular place for a tattoo. It's a sometimes sensitive area, showing that the person acting as the canvas is tough, resilient, and brave. If a person chooses to get a tattoo on their ribs, it shows that they're highly confident about their bodies, as it's a place where a great deal of skin needs to be bared in order to actually see it. Because of the size of the area, these tattoos are often larger and more intricate, showing the depth of the person bearing them.

Back: Back tattoos tend to be more low-key since the wearer can't actively see them very often. It's something important to the wearer but not so important that they need to look at it every day to appreciate it. Like the back itself, back tattoos often symbolize the foundation of our lives. People with back tattoos are usually more mysterious, bold, and less inclined to care what anyone might think of their "tramp stamp.”

Arms: The arms carry some of the most diverse meanings of any of the body parts. No one meaning can describe every arm tattoo. Its meaning is truly determined by its size. Someone who has a small tattoo on their upper arm is probably a little on the cautious but wild side. A half sleeve shows a person who wants to showcase their artistic side but still have a career and be able to appear 'normal' to the outside world. A person with a full sleeve clearly doesn't care what the world thinks about their art. They tend to live as they choose and don't worry too much about consequences. Confidence is their game. In either case, people with arm tattoos usually like to show them off. 

Forearm: Unlike the upper arm which can be hidden, forearm tattoos can be covered only with sleeves. People with forearm tattoos showcase their art as well as their toughness. Forearms are becoming more and more a favorite as they're easy to see, indicating that the wearer wants to be able to actually see their tattoo and what it means. 

Wrist: Wrist tattoos are often the most sensitive of them all. Not because of the pain involved, although wrist tattoos can be very painful. But because people who are in the worst pain often feel that pain in their wrists. The wrists are where many people who have self-harmed are using art to hide the scars of their past. Wrist tattoos can be meaningful for people in recovery from depression, drug use, and other profoundly negative problems. They're usually the most thoughtful of all tattoos.

Fingers: Finger tattoos are typically unique and are slowly becoming more and more common. Finger tattoos usually indicate a very concise person. With limited space, the artist needs to use what they have in order to drive home the message that the tattoo itself carries. Words are often spelled on the fingers, obviously four or fewer letters, making the messages they send potentially enormous.

Thigh: Thigh tattoos are a little more hidden away. Tattoos in this area are a lot like people with tattoos on their ankles and feet, but they might be a little bit showier and they want to have more space to work with. The thighs are some of the largest surfaces on which to get a tattoo, making them able to be larger, longer, and more intricate than in some other places. Thigh tattoos can be fairly sexual too as they get higher up the leg. Not very many people wind up seeing these tattoos, giving them a deeper meaning to those who are opening themselves up to new lovers.

Calves: Calf tattoos tend to be a little bit more common among men than women, but among women, it's definitely catching on. Calf tattoos are often used by the most sporting among us, as athletes usually wear shorts. Thus, the calf tattoo is easy to show off. Calf tattoos, like rib cage tattoos, have a little bit more space to work with, so they can be larger, more intricate, and tell a deeper story. 

Feet and ankles: Nearly everyone on the list so far has wanted to show off their tattoos, but those with tattoos on their feet and ankles tend to be more shy and discreet about their decisions. If they don't want you to see their body art, you won't. It's easy. People with foot and ankle tattoos are usually more mysterious and that is often reflected in the tattoo itself. Because this area is so small, these tattoos tend to be very simple, which can cause them to carry an even larger meaning. These tattoos often commemorate the life and death of a person loved and lost. This area is a favorite spot for introverts to get tattoos.

Tattoo collectors, do any of the tattoo placements mentioned with its meaning, resonate with you and your tattoos?