There are many reasons to get an anchor tattoo. Anchor tattoos originated in tattooing as a sailors reminder to keep them grounded and safe. Many sailors got them before sailing out to keep them safe or after they returned to remember the voyage.
In the Navy, the tradition was when a sailor crossed the ocean and returned, the anchor tattoo was given to them to as a right of passage, seen as a badge of honor to fellow sailors.
The anchor also has christian ties, as it was used as an ancient symbol of a hidden cross. This demonstrated that the wearer was full of faith and that could not be budged or changed.In today’s culture the anchor tattoo could suggest many things, I myself have a anchor tattoo going through a rose, with a banner and the word “family.”
To me it signifies that i am the foundation and anchor to my family and i will always be there to the best of my abilities and keep them safe.
Others simply get the tattoo in a traditional tattoo style to show homage to the past and iconic meaning of the tattoo, or just because it is cool looking.
you can see many types of anchor tattoos out there from new school, to traditional, to abstract, but in the end they all have meaning to the bearer of the tattoo, whatever it may be. open a tattoo magazine and bet you will see multiple anchor tattoos and different types of people wearing them.
Another controversial meaning of the tattoo is used in the gay community, as a sign of there struggle and there overcoming the obstacles and stigmas they have faced, and their strength in who they are or have to had to act like in the past to be accepted by society.
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