Although these are often intensely idiosyncratic (sometimes to the point of being indecipherable by anyone other than the person with the tattoo), there are a few common themes in this type of tattoo. Tattoos commemorating the birth of a child, for example, are common, as are those that are meant as a tribute to a deceased loved one. Many will also tattoo a slogan, motto, or saying that they hold dear and use to orient their lives, whether it is a classical one such as “memento mori” or something more modern like a song lyric.
