In the interests of research and as an ongoing barometer of popular culture we have decided to provide you with a weekly update of the Top Ten Weekly Tattoo Designs Search.

You can access the archived weekly lists on this page.

The Top 10 Tattoo Designs, based on site searches ending 4/28/06.

Very strong showing this week for Tribal Tattoo Designs and Maori tattoo designs in particular. Would be curious to find out what is sparking the interest in Maori tattoos, perhaps a certain amount of intrigue with facial ta moko and face tattooing in general?

As Easter has passed there has been a slight waning in the interest in tattoo designs with religious themes, but angels remain as popular as ever and there is still a great deal of interest in rosary designs. Fairies are back, as are dolphins - can Spring Break have anything to do with we wonder. Both designs are predominantly popular with women. Two Zodiac signs made the Top Ten as well as two tattoo design stalwarts, the tiger and the dragon.

1. Tribal/Maori - accounts for nearly a third of all tattoo design search requests, and the term "tribal" of course covers an astonishing array of tattoo design possibilities, from the traditional tribal tattoos of indigenous and aboriginal cultures, to the latest in graphic design for the body. Interest in "Haida" and "Maori" tattoo designs have been very prominent in recent weeks.

Maori tattooing is a distinct school of patterns and graphic designs within Polynesian tattooing. While much of Polynesian tattooing is derived from straight-line geometric patterns (and thought to originate with patterns found on ancient Lapita pottery shards such as have been discovered in Samoa), a design fact which rose in part because the traditional Polynesian tattoo combs are best suited to linear designs, Maori tattooing is essentially curvilinear, and the mainstay of Maori designs are based on the spiral. It should be noted that renowned traditional Hawaiian artist Keone Nunes has demonstrated that it is possible to reproduce complex curved designs using traditional Polynesian tattooing implements.

There are some wonderful web sites that tell the history of Maori tattooing and are well-worth exploring. Who knew tattoos could be so educational!?!

2. Angel/Angels - Dropped down to second spot after Easter. An angel tattoo design is an overtly religious symbol. Angels are anthropomorphic - meaning in the shape of men - winged forms intended to transmit the word of God to humankind. Angels personify divine will and are the messengers of God. Winged messengers appear in a number of religions as intermediaries between the spiritual and material worlds, but appear most often in Islamic, Jewish but most particularly the Christian faiths. The word angel comes from the Greek 'aggelos', meaning messenger. Angels make frequent appearances in the Christian Bible, not only as messengers of God but also delivering his protection or punishment. Angels act as God's intermediaries, carrying out God's will in the affairs of man.

Symbols closely associated with angels in art include trumpets, harps, swords, sceptres and wands. Angels are usually portrayed as young men with wings and halos, representing their divinity. The representation of angels as Cupid-like young boys or babies, 'putti' did not occur until the period of the Renaissance.

As a tattoo design, an angel is a symbol of devotion, spirituality and faith and signifies a relationship with God. An angel can be intended as a figure of guidance and protection. An angel is often used as the centerpiece of a tattoo that is intended as a memorial.

3. Star/Stars - Has only dropped one spot from last week. A perennial Top Ten tattoo design for the past six months. Have occupied the second spot for the past month. Same spot as last week! Still number two. Stars are often encountered as symbols, and many cases the meaning of a particular star symbol may depend upon the number points it has, and sometimes the orientation of these points as well. As a light shining in the darkness, the star is often considered a symbol of truth, of the spirit and of hope. The symbol of the star embodies the concept of the divine spark within each of us. Their nocturnal nature leads stars to represent the struggle against the forces of darkness and the unknown. See the Nautical Star, a star with its own special meaning.

4. Fairy/Fairies - One of the most popular designs for women, and now that Spring is here and Summer is just around the corner, obviously some women re thinking about what tattoos would set of the new bikini they have in mind...

The Fairy as a tattoo design can be as simple as a take-off on the often overpowering presence of corporate America in pop-culture, think Tinkerbell and Disney creatures, or it harkens back to a rich history of story, myth and folklore. Fairies in literature are often the personification of human wishes and desire in the form of little people with magical powers. As a tattoo design they can be symbols of youthful innocence and a desire to retain a child-like imagination, wonder and awe.

The very word fairy, derived from the Latin "fata", or fate underlies the use of fairies in literature and myth to explain the workings of destiny, with it's often unpredictable nature of gifts and disappointments. The use of supernatural beings, who often meddle in human affairs in fairy tales, has created a genre of story-telling that is rich in symbolism and that lays bare the psychological and social challenges as we pass through the stages of childhood to adulthood. The presence of magic makes fairies a favorite of children and as a tattoo design they are a potent symbol of our youth.

5. Cross/crosses - Up a spot from last week.
For many people, the idea of a tattoo of a cross may well serve to smooth over any negative feedback they are receiving about getting body art. If you're a nice Christian boy or a girl, and you want a tattoo but don't want to be excommunicated by the local Baptists or tossed out the house by Mom and Dad and make Grandma wail, a cross tattoo seems like a positive compromise.

It testifies to personal faith, shows commitment and is a tough symbol to argue against. The cross may well be an artfully cunning manoeuvre for the Christian who wants to sport ink and cut off the body art opposition before they get to the pass! And for the members of the family who bring up the Bible as opposing tattoos, this will surely spark a lively, fun-filled family discussion about the scriptures - Leviticus And that can never be a bad thing.

6. Taurus - A first appearance in the Top Ten for this sign of the Zodiac. But the Bull has a rich symbolic history. The Bull is a symbol of power, strength, resurrection, masculinity, fertility, impulsiveness, fathers, kingship, and the Zodiac sign and constellation Taurus. The widespread presence of the Bull in many different and widespread cultural mythologies and early religions can be explained by the fact that cattle were among the first animals domesticated by man, in fact probably not longer after the Asian wolf became the household dog. Cattle were the first wealth in a shift from a hunter-gather society to an agrarian culture. This was a profound change in the organization of human social and political units and domesticated Cattle were a crucial source of reliable and dependable supplies of meat, milk, blood and all else that the carcass could provide.

The Bull straddles two opposites in the world of mythology and symbolism, in that it is both a solar and a lunar creature. The Bull's male fertility, fiery temperament, and role as father of the herd make him the masculine sun-god in many cults. Just as the lion is the king and terror of the beasts of the forest, the bull is the king of the farm and the personification of brute strength and power. The lion, the bull, and the sun are popular symbols of life and resurrection. The bull's crescent shaped horns link him to moon worship and symbolism although in some areas the sun is a bull while the moon is a cow.

7. Tiger - Back in the Top Ten this week. The Tiger is a potent symbol across Asia in many cultures and has long been a fixture in indigenous tattooing in India, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, China and Japan. Tigers are associated with power, ferocity, passion and sensuality, beauty and speed, cruelty and wrath. The appearance of a tiger in a dream may signal that new power or passion may awaken within you
In Asia the tiger is associated with the power and might of kings, a position similar to the Lion in the Middle East and Europe. (not a terribly surprising symbolism for apex predators who early men would have seen as direct competitors and potent threats - see also sharks, bears, wolves and lions).

The Koreans call the tiger the 'King of the Animals'. In Hinduism the god Shiva, in his aspect of the destroyer, is depicted wearing a tiger skin and riding a tiger. The tiger is generally seen as a symbol of power and strength, but also of destruction and violence. The tiger can be a symbol of both life and death, evil and evil's senseless or destructive power. In China, tiger images are used as charms to ward off evil. Stone tigers are common protective guards outside of buildings and houses. At the time of the Chou dynasty, images of tigers were hung in pregnant woman's rooms to protect the unborn baby. In some areas tigers are thought to punish sinners, in the name of a supreme being, by attacking them.

7. Dolphins - Back in the Top Ten. The popularity of the dolphin tattoo design can most definitely be traced back to a long standing empathy and understanding between our two species. Humans and dolphins have co-existed for quite some time now, and the more we continue to learn about these creatures, the more we come to believe that the dolphin carries a divine spark that separates them from other animals.

It has long been believed that dolphins serve as our connection between the world of men, and the underwater world of the sea. This interconnectedness between the dolphin and humanity has led to great understandings and innovations, like dolphin interaction and therapy. Swimming with dolphins has helped children to cope with handicaps, overcome learning challenges and soothed the suffering of individuals with severe depression or mental anguish. It is a sought after experience for people with various problems and from different walks of life.

Our affinity with this amazing creature has spawned the tribute of dolphin tattoo designs, living breathing art that testifies to the character, traits and symbolism of the dolphin, and in some way attempts to absorb this creature's qualities into our own bodies

8. Aries - Up a spot from last week. Searches for Zodiac symbols encompasses both the West and the East, with people searching for Zodiac symbols that represent both the classic Greek myths and the Chinese Zodiac, and even searches for Zodiac signs rendered in Japanese Kanji. A way of telling people something about who and maybe what you are and possibly about what you might believe in, what a concept for a mere tattoo design!

9.  Rosary - Down from the number 5 spot last week. The Rosary (its name comes from the Latin "rosarium," meaning "crown of roses"), is an important and traditional devotion of the Roman Catholic Church, combining prayer and meditation in sequences of ten "Hail Marys," each sequence being called a decade. A complete Rosary involves the completion of fifteen (now twenty) decades. A common tattoo symbolizing religious faith, particularly among Catholics, and a favorite tattoo design within the "chollo" culture of Hispanics in the United States. The Rosary is also a favoured religious tattoo design among women, and a number of celebrity women have had tattoos of rosaries, including Cher and Alyssa Milano.

10. Dragons - One of the favorite classics is back in the Top Ten. a dragon is a classic tattoo design that shows the influence of Japanese and Chinese culture in western tattooing. This design is popular with both men and women. A dragon is wondrous monster, often thought of as a giant winged, fire breathing lizard or snake. The word is derived from the French and Latin form of the Greek, drakwu, connected with derkomai "see," and interpreted as "sharp-sighted." The equivalent English word "drake" or "fire-drake" is derived from Anglo-Saxon draca.

For great tattoo design ideas, check out our good friends at TattooJohnny.com

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