At one point in time, tattoos were reserved for sailors, bikers, and other nefarious members of society. Nowadays, they've become a respected art form as well as a unique symbol of personal expression.
What might appear on the surface to be nothing more than a spontaneous passing thought, more often than not turns out to hold deep sentimental meaning.
To get a better idea of what I'm referring to, have a look below at these 15 celebrity tattoos with hidden meanings fans probably didn't know.
"I look back at a lot of things in my life, mistakes, insecurities, and although I have felt I've wasted a lot of time it also makes me want to be better faster!" Justin wrote via Instagram. "For me personally I want to work everyday[sic] to be BETTER AT 70."
Kevin's minimalist design is a callback to when Danielle appeared in the Jonas Brothers' music video for their song "Sucker." He also posted a screenshot of the video in a collage.
The Death's Head Moth has made several appearances throughout our pop culture, most notably in the film The Silence of the Lambs. Gaga's tattoo may also be an allusion to the Metallica song "Moth Into The Flame."
When Ellen asked Kendall what compelled her to get such an odd tattoo in such a strange place, Kendall replied simply that she was drunk and it was the first thing that sprang to her mind.
Demi unveiled her new tattoo almost one year to the day of their suspected overdose. The word "survivor" therefore serves as a daily reminder of all they've been through and how far they've come.
Kaia is the daughter of supermodel Cindy Crawford and entrepreneur, Rande Barber. Kaia unveiled the dainty tattoo via a topless photo just days after her brother, Presley, revealed his controversial face tattoo to the world.
The bee has been a symbol of Manchester ever since the Victorian Age. Ari decided to get the tattoo as a way to honor the 22 victims who died after a mass shooting broke out at her Manchester concert in 2017.
While making a webcam appearance on The Graham Norton Show, Amanda revealed that after the first Mama Mia she and her girlfriends decided to get the tattoo as a term of endearment. Also, Amanda is perfectly aware of what "minge" means in the UK.
Matisse collaborated with poet/musician Leonard Cohen to create visual artwork for his lovesong, "Dance Me to the End of Love."
As Joe explained in his Instagram caption, the two ropes are meant to symbolize his two parents, the knot represents their undying love, and the four ends reflect the four brothers of the family.
Sophie was tatted by the one and only Mr. K at the renowned Bang Bang tattoo parlor. The former Game of Thrones star captioned the photo "For my grandad. My hero."
Kesha's love for all animals, especially aquatic life, has been well-documented. She captioned the photo of her new tattoo "Psychedelic whales are slowly covering my entire body..." Kesha also has a colorful tattoo of a narwhal.
The word "nine" is meant to symbolize the nine original members that comprised "The Fellowship of the Ring." The only member who abstained was actor John Rhys-Davies.
Actor Taye Diggs loves his son more than anything else in the world. He cares for his child so much that he decided to get a tattoo with the words "I Love Daddy" written in the boy's handwriting.
Travis didn't opt for a stencil, he decided he wanted the real thing! As you can see from the above video, Kourtney was the one who inked him up.
