NAUTICAL STAR TATTOOS
DESIGNS and EXAMPLES

I’ve rarely come across a tattoo with as much history and mystery as nautical star tattoos. Many feel that their nautical star design represents their attitude towards life and it’s been said that others use it as a silent signal to others of the same sexual persuasion. Many who feel that the star is simply an illustration of the face of a sailing vessel’s compass find the idea of placing such meaning on a graphic design rather ludicrous while others take the pictures they choose for their bodies very seriously.

There’s nothing wrong with getting inked with tattoos that are a symbol of what your philosophies of life might be. Not everybody waltzes into the ink shop after a random night of drinking with their buddies and pays for the biggest or flashiest design in the album. Often an individual feels the need for outward expression of what he feels inside or his beliefs and tattoos are a permanent way to get this done.

But what if nobody can agree on the meanings or the history behind tattoos of nautical stars ? I’ve tried to drill down to see what the deal is so that I could shed some light on the subject and clear the air of mystery and confusion. The reality is that there's nothing really unique or mysterious in the history of nautical star tattoos designs. However, there are some rather diverse and unique opinions on the meaning and significance of nautical star tattoos.

Here are some of the facts that I have compiled so that our visitors can use them as the first step in forming their own opinions. Use them as a starting point in making an informed decision as to which color tattoo designs of a nautical star that you want to wear for the rest of your life.

HISTORY OF NAUTICAL STAR TATTOOS
There is reliable documentation that states sailors long ago wore this tattoo to indicate their occupation anchors. Some sailors chose anchors over stars. Stars were the earliest means of navigation and ships relied on them to lead the way to their destinations and very important to the livelihood and well-being of the ship's crew. Similar designs were used for the face of compasses with the longer points indicating North, South, East and West with the shorter lines indicating points in between.

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE NAUTICAL STAR TATTOO?
While the history part of this tattoo design is no mystery, the meaning behind it is much more complex. Here are some of the many opinions on what a tattoo of a nautical star means:

• A reminder to follow your dreams

• Some say that lesbians used the star as a silent message to other gay women to indicate their sexuality before the lesbian lifestyle was widely accepted. It’s said they would get the tattoo on their wrist and keep it covered until they went out to social events where they wanted their sexual preferences to be known. The practice hasn’t been used much since the late 1960s and lately it was one of the popular lower back tattoos.

• Some groups who don’t use any substances or abstain from sex get tattoos of nautical stars as a reminder to stay the course or stay true to their beliefs and not give in to temptation.

• In some cultures, convicted criminals will get tattooed with one nautical star for each year of jail time they serve

I believe that this information indicates that there is no definite meaning attached to nautical star tattoos. Some people just get them because they like the way that they look.

This is a tattoo design that has been in and out of fashion so many times that it's hard to pinpoint when it was or was not considered to be in vogue or stylish for any given lifestyle or group. One thing is for certain, if you get one early in life you probably will be on the cutting edge of a trend at least a couple of times with your nautical star tattoo no matter what ink colors you use!

Return to Strike Lightning Motorcycles, Choppers and Classified Ads to check out more tats in our gallery.