Most Popular Chest Tattoos for Men

The chest is one of the hottest spots a guy can get inked, and we did the research to prove it. This time, we wanted to find out some of the most popular trends in chest tattoos for men, so we went right to the source. We conducted a poll asking our male readers about their chest tattoos: where they are, what themes are most popular, top size and style choices, and the most preferred motifs for chest ink. This is what we found out about what’s popular when it comes to chest tattoos for men.

Top Spots for Chest Tattoos

Full Chest Tattoos According to our poll results, full chest tattoos are one of two most popular spots for men to get their ink. Most men seem to prefer body art that uses their entirety of the chest area so get the most out of their artwork. The full chest tied with our next result, so both take the top spot.

Shoulder to Chest Tattoos that go from the shoulder to the chest are the other most popular spot for men’s chest tattoos. These designs start on the shoulder cap, and extend down to one or both pecs on the chest.

Both Pecs Tattoo The second most popular spots on the chest for men’s tattoos are both pecs. This could be a variation of the full chest idea, or one tattoo on each individual pec, but either way, this spot is next in line from the top.

One Pec Tattoo Having a chest tattoo on just one pec is the next most common spot. The pec makes a great spot for smaller scale tattoo designs, if you’re thinking of getting a chest tattoo but don’t want to get something large.

Upper Chest Tattoo The upper area of the chest is one of the more popular places for men to get chest tattoos, but interestingly enough, this area does not include the collarbones. So from the nipples to just below the collarbones is where these men chose to get their ink.

Chest to Abdomen Tattoo In last place, we have the ultimate in chest tattoos – the chest to abdomen. These kinds of chest tattoos almost qualify as full torso designs, so it’s clear that men who prefer to go this route have a ‘go big or go home’ mentality when it comes to their body art.

Most Popular Chest Themes

Religion The vast majority of men who answered our poll indicated that the most popular theme for chest tattoos is religion. Religious iconography and elements are very commonly used in a ton of chest tattoos, and we now have the data to prove it!

Overcoming The theme of overcoming hardship is the second most popular chest tattoo theme for men. It could refer to overcoming of any kind, but is most often used in conjunction with this idea of prevailing over tough times.

Celebration Celebration is next in line for most popular chest tattoo theme, and this is a super broad area. This could be celebration of something specific, like a birthday or anniversary, or it could be a general celebration of life.

Graveyard Tied with celebration for 3rd most popular chest tattoo theme is that of a graveyard. There’s a lot of potential meaning in these tattoos, but the idea of death is heavily tied to this kind of imagery.

Obscure Simpsons Reference Quite possibly our favorite of the popular options for tattoo theme options is the obscure Simpsons reference. These people unfortunately did not specify what their Simpsons chest tattoos are referencing, but we love the idea anyway.

Outdoors Another popular chest tattoo theme is that of the outdoors, specifically, wood and mountains. These landscapes are widely chosen for chest ink because of the large area that allows for a ton of detail.

Skulls Skulls, perhaps unsurprisingly, are common themes for a lot of chest tattoos on men. Skulls are a popular choice for tattoos, period, so it makes sense that they would be used in a large number of designs on men’s chests.

Contemporary Abstract Some men preferred a more fine art theme to their chest tattoos, opting for contemporary abstract designs.

Family Finally, we have the theme of family. Family themed chest tattoos are one of the most popular routes that men go for their ink, but it’s not the most common of all the themes out there.

Top Tattoo Sizes

Full Chest Tattoo A large majority of men responded that when it comes to chest tattoos, they’re going all or nothing. Most men who get these tattoos get their ink done on the entire chest, making full chest tattoos the most popular size for these kinds of men’s tattoos.

Large Tattoo Large chest tattoos ranked third for most popular size, but didn’t have quite the same numbers as the full chest reponses.

Palm Sized Tattoo Some men polled said that their chest tattoos are roughly palm sized. This size of tattoo would be perfect for the pecs, either one or both.

Very Small Tattoo Very few men responded that their chest ink is very small, so it’s safe to say that men aren’t typically interested in getting a little, one-off design for their chest tattoos.

Pay attention to the location and sizes of your tattoo because if you decide to bulk up, it can change the way it looks.

Preferred Tattoo Style for Chest Ink

Neo Traditional Chest Tattoo of a Sparrow

Neo-Traditional Tattoo Style The vast majority of the men asked said that, of all the tattoo styles out there, they prefer Neo-Traditional for chest tattoos.

American Traditional Tattoo Style The second most popular tattoo style for men’s chest tattoos is American Traditional. This classic style has been a top choice for chest tattoos for decades, so we’re a little surprised that it’s in second place!

Trash Polka Tattoo Style The next most popular style is a newer one in the North American tattoo scene, and that’s Trash Polka. This style was created in Germany, and is slowly making its way into mainstream tattooing.

Black and Grey Tattoo Style Black and grey tattoos are another popular choice for chest tattoos for men, especially designs utilizing realism.

Script Tattoo Style Scriptwork on the chest, specifically a quote, was the style that a few men said they preferred in terms of style.

Japanese Tattoo Style A few men who responded said that their preferred style for chest tattoos is Japanese. They like the colorful, somewhat abstract look of the Japanese Traditional style, and proudly display it on their chests.

Anything Eye-Catching 1 guy said that he has no tattoo style preference for his chest tattoos, as long it catches the eye. So, basically, if the design makes you want to look, he’s in.

Top Motif Choices

Americana Tattoo Most of the men polled responded that they preferred Americana imagery and motifs for their chest tattoos above any other. Patriotic tattoos are extremely popular in the US, so we’re not surprised to see this taking the top spot.

Portrait Tattoo Portrait tattoos are the next most commonly preferred motif for chest tattoos on men. This could be portraits of loved ones, beloved idols, or celebrities they like, but the overall idea is that these men prefer to have someone’s face on their chest.

New School Tattoo This one is more of a style than a motif, but a large number of men said that they like New School motifs for their chest ink. This would incorporate 3D, graffiti-style imagery, likely referencing pop culture as well.

Animal Tattoo Animal tattoos have a ton of different meanings, and a lot of men, according to our poll, prefer animal imagery for their chest tattoos. Having an animal tattoo on the chest can be a symbol of power, among other things, so this motif choice makes sense for men’s chest tattoos.

Personal Quote Tattoo A couple of men preferred their chest tattoos to have a personal quote, either from someone they love, a famous quote that resonates with them, but more than likely it’s something unique to the person.

Abstract Tattoo Finally, one person preferred to have an abstract motif to their chest tattoos. Abstract art means anything goes so there’s no shortage of potential ideas for an abstract chest tattoo.

Chest tattoos appear to be a top choice among guys who are looking for large scale pieces, with a classic yet modern theme. Full chest, Neo-Traditional Americana tattoos seem to be the most popular size, style and motif option, with religion holding the top spot for most common themes. What it all comes down to is: when you’re dealing with chest tattoos, men want to go big or go home.