The symbol of the cross is one of the most world wide recognized symbols. As a tattoo, cross designs have been used for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. There are many different types of cross patterns that come from various cultures; each cross has its own specific meaning. Some of these patterns are especially popular as cross tattoo designs. The following information contains a brief description of cross tattoo designs and their meanings.

The Latin cross tattoo design, which looks like a lower case t, is symbolic of religion; this cross design is often enhanced by doves, flowers, and other religious symbols such as angles and saints. The Gothic cross tattoo design looks a lot like the Latin cross, but the Gothic cross is thicker, darker in color, and usually contains such images as thorns, red roses, blood, or barbed wire. The Latin cross tattoo, and the Gothic cross tattoo, are some of the more popular cross tattoo designs.

The Celtic cross tattoo has been rising in popularity in recent years. The Celtic cross design contains intricately knotted patterns, a circle in the middle, and is very detailed in its design. The Celtic cross has pagan origins and was believed to symbolize the sun, thus it is sometimes called the sun cross. The Celtic cross has also been used, more recently, as a symbol of Christianity.

Some of the lesser known, but no less beautiful, cross tattoo designs include the Maltese, Lorraine, and Ankh cross. The Maltese cross design has four equal arms, each arm ending in a V shape. The eight pointed Maltese cross design originated from the Knights of Maltese and each point represents aspects of character, like virtue and loyalty, which were important to the Maltese Knights. The Lorraine cross was used as a symbol of Joan of Arc and French patriotism; the Lorraine cross tattoo design is often combined with the French flag. The Ankh cross , also known as the Egyptian cross, was originally an Egyptian hieroglyph that symbolized life and immortality; the design of the Ankh cross looks like a capital T with a circle at the top.