The ultimate tattoo commitment is a neck tattoo. Ink on your neck is wildly visible—and, at times, stigmatized. But no one can deny that a neck tattoo is undeniably badass.

Yet heavily inked people know neck tattoos aren't something to take lightly. Not only are they painful, but neck tattoos are often only done when you've run out of sufficient space on your arms, legs, and torso. In fact, many tattoo artists refuse to tattoo highly visible spots like the hands and neck until a person has little to no space left.

That being said, the neck is probably not the location for your first tattoo. But if you are highly tattooed and want some neck ink, these 40 neck tattoo ideas may help you narrow down your ink choices.

More From Men's Health

preview for Men's Health US Section - All Sections & Videos

1. Butterfly

back view of man with tattooed butterfly on his neck

Westend61 // Getty Images

Butterflies symbolize going through it but still coming out flying high. But the insect with detailed wings can represent transformation or a new beginning. Remember metamorphosis from middle school science?

2. Birth Year

young man with tattoo on neck, close up, rear view

John Slater // Getty Images

Rep the year you were born by inking your birth year. But be warned: The simple tattoo will keep you honest about your age for the rest of your life.

3. Geometric Shapes

rear view of man with tattoo on neck

Parth Goswami / EyeEm // Getty Images

Get a little artsy with an abstract geometric tattoo. Triangles are especially popular for unapologetic hipster vibes.

4. Lion

urban hipster holding metal pipe profile portrait

timnewman // Getty Images

Lions symbolize courage, power, royalty, and downright badassery. Consider this ink masculinity to the max.

5. Initials

midsection of man with tattoo on neck

Justin Mcfarland / EyeEm // Getty Images

Sure, you should never get a name tattooed. But getting the initials of your mom, dad, or kids is a little more forgiving. After all, you're stuck with them.

6. Flying Birds

cropped image of man with tattoo on neck

Niklas Storm / EyeEm // Getty Images

Soar high with a tattoo of flying birds, which can symbolize joy, optimism, and freedom.

7. Eye

watford v luton town   sky bet championship

Naomi Baker // Getty Images

If two eyes aren't enough, why not ink a third? Eye tattoos can symbolize honesty, intuition, and wisdom.

8. Anchor

fc augsburg v 1 fsv mainz 05   bundesliga

TF-Images // Getty Images

In the West, nautical imagery is forever associated with tattooing, thanks to sailors who first brought the art form to the Western world from Polynesian and indigenous Asian communities. That said, nautical-themed anchors will never go out of style.

9. Religious motif

pumas unam v america   torneo clausura 2020 liga mx

Hector Vivas // Getty Images

For those who praise a higher power, religious tattoos are a top pick. From depictions of gods to symbols like crosses, religious tattoos keep your faith close.

10. Eagle

good girls   season 1

NBC // Getty Images

Eagles symbolize strength, wisdom, and soaring above it all. Eagles are also obviously associated with patriotism, if that's your thing. Plus, those wings make for a killer neck tattoo.

11. Roman Numerals

birmingham city v newcastle united   the emirates fa cup third round

Stu Forster // Getty Images

Instead of tattooing a numeric birthdate or year on your body, transfer that number into Roman numerals for more aesthetically-pleasing ink. With line-based figures that provide angles and structure, Roman numerals lend themselves well to tattooing.

12. Swallows

do it yourself tattoos pose health risks

Tim Boyle // Getty Images

Another staple of traditional and nautical tattooing, swallows were popularized among well-traveled sailors. Nowadays, truly anyone can get a swallow tattoo—and it will never go out of style.

13. Lucky Number 13

caucasian mid adult man with tattoos and piercings

Fotosearch // Getty Images

On Friday the 13, many tattoo shops hawk flash sheets low-cost "13" tattoos. If 13 is truly your lucky number or means something to you, the date is the perfect opportunity to get the "unlucky" ink.

14. Creepy Motifs

close up of man seen from glass with reflection

Avel Shah / EyeEm // Getty Images

Are you a certified creep? Display it proudly with ink warning others of your sinister, spooky ways.

15. Portrait Work

a young man has the portrait of his mother tattoed on his

Thierry Falise // Getty Images

When done right, portrait tattoos are plain stunning. Just make sure you go to a portrait artist, for the love of god.

16. Rose

celebrity sightings in los angeles   september 8, 2020

MEGA // Getty Images

A rose tattoo is a classic for a reason. The subject lends itself to almost any style of tattooing, providing depth and interest with layered petals. You really can't go wrong.

17. Skull

close up of ronald vellucci

Lawrence Schiller // Getty Images

Both a morbid reminder of mortality and a badass piece of ink, a skull tat spans tattooing styles, fitting any guy's tattoo collection.

18. Blackwork

close up of man with tattoos and ear plug against sky

Sven Hagolani // Getty Images

If you have existing neck tattoos you want to cover, blackwork may be for you. This style of tattooing covers often large areas of skin with saturated black ink. It's an eye-catching way to cover a bad decision, but also a tattoo style that takes talent to master.

19. Patternwork

"supernova" red carpet   15th rome film festival 2020

Elisabetta Villa // Getty Images

Not every tattoo needs to depict a tangible object. Some ink can just be eye-catching (and plain cool) patternwork.

20. Letterwork

one of the protests organized for toronto today

Rick Madonik // Getty Images

Go to an artist specializing in lettering if you want a single word (or two… or three… ) in bold type. Lettering work is an art, and a way to really make a word stand out.

21. Animal Skull

61st annual grammy awards   arrivals

Dan MacMedan // Getty Images

Celebrate the natural world (and death, but whatever) with an animal skull tattoo. From bird to steer skulls, animal skulls are aesthetically pleasing and edgy. And extremely dead.

22. Some Quirky Ink

brazil national football team in training in sochi

Sergei Bobylev // Getty Images

Come on, a bright yellow smiley face tattoo is pretty funny. Even if the happy face isn't for you, equally quirky designs show you don't take yourself too seriously.

23. Something Sweet

the tattoo on fedez's neck the italian rapper fedez has met

Pacific Press // Getty Images

If you have a sweet tooth, proudly display it with ink of a frozen pop, a chocolate bar or a layered piece of cake. Yum.

24. Hand

fc barcelona v arsenal   pre season friendly

Matthew Ashton - AMA // Getty Images

Whether it's a peace sign or a sign of the horns, a tattoo of a hand is a simple way to illustrate a message—like a love of world peace or hair metal.

25. Your Biggest Passion

ac milan v as roma   serie a

Jonathan Moscrop // Getty Images

Take a page from this soccer player and tattoo your biggest passion on your neck. If you like it that much, why not ink it in a prominent spot?

26. Angel Wings

worcester warriors v northampton saints   gallagher premiership rugby

Stu Forster // Getty Images

Angel wings are a gorgeous way to memorialize a lost love one—and especially powerful in black and gray.

27. Heart and Dagger

spain v morocco group b   2018 fifa world cup russia

Francois Nel // Getty Images

A heart and a dagger? Now that's some harsh juxtaposition. The traditional tattoo symbolizes the good and bad—and can be traced back centuries to early Christian imagery.

28. Sacred Heart

cyprus tattoo convention

ADEL AL-SALMAN // Getty Images

Like the heart and dagger, a burning heart is some intense imagery. Called a sacred heart, this popular traditional tattoo with roots in Christianity represents devotion.

29. Wolf

montblanc mb01 headphones  summit 2 launch party

Dia Dipasupil // Getty Images

Wolves are fierce, powerful animals representing leadership and alpha-like mentality. So not only do they look cool, but they represent some seriously enviable qualities.

30. A Single Word

universal music group's 2020 grammy after party presented by lenovo

Amy Sussman // Getty Images

Pick a word, any word—and tattoo it forever in simple type. It's simple, yet powerful.

31. Collage

neck tattoo

MediaProduction // Getty Images

Got a few tattoo ideas you just can't pick between? Collage them together into a giant neck piece attached by patterned filler. Call it a badass turtleneck.

32. Compass

man resting in the evening in the city

Justin Case // Getty Images

Another staple of nautical imagery, compass tattoos symbolizes guidance and finding your way even in the most treacherous circumstances. Now that's deep.

33. Crown

tattooed man in red and white outfit, looking in camera

Klaus Vedfelt // Getty Images

Celebrate your King status with a crown tattoo representing strength, self-assurance, and power.

34. Spider

the london international tattoo convention 2019

Eamonn McCormack // Getty Images

While spider and web tattoos previously represented time in prison, the creepy, crawly arachnids now have a better rep, symbolizing creativity, illusion, and creation. Oh, and creepiness.

35. Bat

portrait of man with neck tattoo

John Rensten // Getty Images

Bats are a gloriously goth tattoo staple—and putting it front-and-center on your neck is a symbol of mystery and darkness. Being goth never looked so good.

36. Feathers

close up of neck tattoo on man against yellow background

Maskot // Getty Images

Loose feathers are said to symbolize luck and freedom—and most people can use more of both.

37. Gems

tattoo artist tattooing red headed male

Jamie Garbutt // Getty Images

Want to attract riches and wealth? Inking a gem is an easy way to recognize money as the motive.

38. Owl

rear view of man

Marijana Lacalandra / EyeEm // Getty Images

Owls have long symbolized wisdom, maturity and mystery. While these are all qualities worth embodying, let's be honest—owls just look freakin' cool.

39. Devil

portrait of tattooed young man wearing sunglasses smoking a cigarette

Westend61 // Getty Images

Constantly dancing with the devil? Immortalize the ongoing tango with danger through your neck ink, bad boy.

40. Handwriting

close up of woman neck with tattoo

Thomas Shepard / EyeEm // Getty Images

Immortalize the handwriting of a loved one with a sentimental tattoo. Just maybe don't show grandma….

This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.