The Vikings are famous warriors who lived in Scandinavia in the 8th-11th centuries. Even though more than 13 centuries have passed since then, the memory of their courage and bravery still exists in people’s memory.
Over time, the Vikings became not just legends’ heroes, but also an image that was often embodied in all kinds of art. For a long time, their image became part of many tattoos and immediately gained wide popularity.
There are currently thousands of Viking tattoo designs for men, but we have selected for you the 53 best and most popular. In addition, we have analyzed in detail their meaning, motives and answered such popular questions as whether it is disrespectful to get such a tattoo.
What does a Viking tattoo symbolize?
As we have already said, the Vikings were brave sailors who were famous for their toughness, strength, and even ruthlessness. Therefore, the Viking tattoos for men depict strong, purposeful, and courageous people.
They also have the following meanings:
⚔ Devotion to family;⚔ Dexterity in combat;⚔ Self-confidence;⚔ Courage and brutality;⚔ Readiness for battle and defense;⚔ Readiness for the challenges of fate;⚔ Fearlessness of death;⚔ Desire to comprehend new knowledge and horizons.
Is it disrespectful to get a Viking tattoo?
Due to the specificity of this type of tattoo and the presence of many ancient and traditional symbols in the design, this question often worries people who are thinking about getting a Viking tattoo or a similar theme. Fortunately, there are no points that would recognize this tattoo as disrespectful. This tattoo will only show your respect for these people, their courage, and their strength. Therefore, no one can consider it unacceptable.
Whether you have a tattoo of a Viking or a tattoo of one of their gods, such as the Thor (god of thunder and lightning in Germanic and Scandinavian mythology), it will be a completely normal tattoo that does not contain discriminatory or racist meanings.
So we hope that we dispelled all your doubts and now you can start choosing the best Viking tattoo design!
53 best Viking tattoo designs for men
There are now thousands of different and interesting ideas about Viking tattoos for men. We understand how difficult it is to navigate, so we made the article as convenient as possible for you and divided all types of tattoos into subcategories. Therefore let’s take a look at each of them!
Tribal
Viking tribal tattoos are always unique designs, which are often large in size. They depict traditional patterns, things that Vikings used, and their images. These are very complex designs that contain unique elements, so you can always add some of your own details from Scandinavian mythology or just something you consider to fit in the general image.
Celtic
Despite the fact that the Celts lived in another part of the world and much earlier than the Vikings, the culture of these peoples is very similar. They were also conquerors, famous for their strength and bravery, and their traditional patterns are often confused with the Vikings’.
In fact, they differ from the tribal tattoos described above in the presence of lines that constantly intersect, making the pattern seem knotty. Only once you have seen such a design, you will always remember it and will not confuse with anything else.
Warrior
This type of tattoo depicts the Vikings themselves. Apparently, in every image, there are details that we associate with these people: a long beard, a stern look, and a helmet with horns. Such designs often symbolize a person’s seriousness and self-confidence.
Thor
In Norse and Germanic mythology, Thor is a red-haired god of thunder and lightning, the son of Odin and the Earth Goddess Jord. This is probably the most popular god depicted on such tattoos. In most cases, his image serves as a symbol of masculinity and courage. What is more, it can represent the protection that Thor provides and mean the strength and inspiration for decisive action.
Raven
In general, the meaning of a raven in a tattoo means extraordinary wisdom that can lead a person to the right and thoughtful decisions. But this type of raven tattoo is combined with the image of runes – an ancient German language used by the Vikings. This combination harmoniously emphasizes wisdom and prudence in every decision.
Due to the variety of designs, their sizes, and motives, it may be difficult to choose where to place such a tattoo, so we recommend you to take a look at the article, where we explain in detail how to choose the best placement for a tattoo.
Full sleeve
Full sleeve is one of the most difficult and longest to get types of tattoos. It can take more than 8 hours and a few sessions to implement the idea. Due to its size, this tattoo can contain many signs and secret meanings. These designs can harmoniously combine all the symbols of the Vikings: runes, patterns, portraits, and animals.
Small designs
Despite the fact that small designs are probably the most common form of tattoo, in the small designs it is not. Basically, all designs consist of realistic and medium-sized or large images. Small tattoos mainly consist of:
- A Viking compass, which consists of runes that indicated the right way on long journeys;
- Three triangles that symbolize the unity between the kingdoms and the ability to travel freely between them. This sign was tattooed or engraved on their clothes and weapons by men and women who were ready to die in the name of Odin.
Therefore, both of these signs are very symbolic and look beautiful in the form of a small tattoo.
Owl
An owl in the form of a tattoo has always symbolized wisdom, prudence, and caution when making decisions. But in the case of Viking tattoos for men, often the owl designs are combined with the Celtic patterns we talked about earlier. Such a combination adds an even deeper meaning to the image, combining intelligence with bravery and courage.
Skull
The general meaning of the skull on the tattoo is the ability to overcome all life’s difficulties. In the case of Viking tattoos, it also symbolizes a reminder to them that all their desperate sea voyages are very dangerous and can bring death. Such tattoos remind you that every feat involves danger and you must be ready to fight for your interests even in the most difficult conditions.
Also, such tattoos often have images of a compass, which serves as a guide and helper in making the right decisions in life.
Norse tattoos to avoid
We are sure that everyone who makes a tattoo is aware of its meaning and general sense. In the case of Norse tattoos, this also plays an important role. In general, there is no such thing as a tattoo that should be avoided. Anyone can choose any design with any image and it doesn’t matter what it’s your culture or not.
But when choosing a Norse tattoo, it is important to remember that these designs mainly contain traditional symbols of Scandinavia. This includes images of their gods (Odin or Thor), images of the Vikings, their compasses, and runes. Before getting a tattoo, you should understand that such signs already in a certain way associate you with that time and place in the world.
Therefore, the main rule that you should adhere to is not to make a tattoo thoughtlessly, without learning anything about its meaning and origin. This is the image you will have on your body for the rest of your life, so be confident in your choice.
Summary
The Vikings are famous and brave warriors who lived in Scandinavia many centuries ago. Over time, they became an image that was often embodied in all kinds of art. Over the last decades, their image became part of many tattoos and immediately gained wide popularity.
There are currently thousands of Viking tattoo designs for men, but we have selected for you the 53 best and most popular. In addition, we have analyzed in detail their meaning, motives and answered such popular questions whether it is disrespectful to get such a tattoo.
We hope that this article has helped you to get to know Norse culture a bit better and choose one of the best Viking tattoos for men!
FAQ
🗡 What does a Viking tattoo symbolize?
The Vikings were brave sailors who were famous for their toughness, strength, and even ruthlessness. Therefore, the Viking tattoos depict strong and purposeful people. They also have the following meanings: devotion to family, dexterity in combat, self-confidence, courage, and brutality.
🏹 Is it disrespectful to get a Viking tattoo?
Fortunately, there are no points that would recognize this tattoo as disrespectful. This tattoo will only show your respect for these people, their courage, and their strength. Therefore, no one can consider it unacceptable.
🛡 Did Viking men have tattoos?
It is assumed that the Vikings had a tattoo because then this way of imprinting an image on the body was popular. However, there are no documentary signs that could confirm this.
