The 20 best, worst, and weirdest tech tattoos

By Joe Donovan October 17, 2014

I thought the Gateway Cow would never resurface. I was wrong. Yesterday I encountered tech’s favorite barn animal in tatoo form. That’s right, there exists a person with a tattoo of a gateway cow.

At the intersection of “completely insane” and “the end is near” are technology tattoos. They play ode to operating systems and technology visionaries alike. Fortunately, there there are libraries of tech tattoos posted online for our viewing pleasure.

In a way, the technology tattoo has a kind of logic. It all makes sense when you consider that the tech industry is often described as tribal. We put together 20 of the most stunning tech tattoos out there. Notice how I didn’t say “best?”

Ironic Gateway Cow?

Gateway Cow Tattoo — geekytattoos.com Image used with permission by copyright holder

This happened.

Wife’s name in Binary Code

Binary Leg Tattoo — Photo Credit: Brandon Burke Image used with permission by copyright holder

She wanted her name tattooed on his leg. Love is a four letter word but it apparently takes dozens of 1’s and 0’s.

Portrait of Bill Gates

Bill Gates Tattoo — Nate Beavers / bigtattooplanet.com Image used with permission by copyright holder

You can call it a tribute. Pretty sure I’ve seen similar portrayals of Gandhi.

Steve Jobs’ Autograph

Steve Jobs Autograph Tattoo — greezer.ch/ flikr Image used with permission by copyright holder

iSkin? There are plenty of Jobs tattoos out there. Not all are as tasteful as this one that looks like a designer logo.

Cisco Systems Shoulder Tat

Cisco Systems Shoulder Tattoo — Mitch Barrie/Flickr Image used with permission by copyright holder

Best of the bunch. I can’t take my eyes off that cable-knit smock.

Mouse and Hourglass

Mouse and Hourglass Tattoos — buzzfeed.com Image used with permission by copyright holder

A subtle reminder that your computer back home has frozen.

WordPress > Blogger

Lots of wordpress love in the Tattoo world.

Anonymous Leg Tat

Anonymous Leg Tattoo — Photo Credit: A Pele é Minha Image used with permission by copyright holder

This is gonna look like a spoiled meat special in 15 years.

WordPress shoulder action

WordPress Shoulder Tattoo — Hugo Baeta / WordPress Image used with permission by copyright holder

Notice the giant cat tattoo? It’s coming for you, WordPress.

Code is poetry

Code is Poetry Tattoo — Hugo Baeta / WordPress Image used with permission by copyright holder

So profound.

HTML neck tat

HTML Neck Tattoo — buzzfeed.com Image used with permission by copyright holder

I’m surprsied that HTML tattoos aren’t more of a thing.

Code is poetry redux

HTML love and hate tattoos — Francis Storr/Flikr Image used with permission by copyright holder

Oh wait… I guess they are a thing.

Too ‘Zune

Who said Zune won’t last?

Dude, you got a Dell?

‘Cause why not?

Sidekick Eulogy

Sidekick Phone Tattoo — boingboing.net Image used with permission by copyright holder

RIP Motorola Sidekick? The halo is a nice touch.

Forearm powered by Google

Forearm Google Tattoo — geekytattoos.com Image used with permission by copyright holder

It’s only a matter of time until we all become powered by Google… or something.

Related: Google’s new patent is a neck tattoo

Mac Power button… on leg?

Mac Power Button Tattoo — flikr/r3v Image used with permission by copyright holder

Needs to get that thing cleaned out.

T-Pain puts Facebook on leg

T-Pain's Facebook Tattoo — Image used with permission by copyright holder

All you need to know is this, T-Pain gets a new tat every time he goes to Hawaii.

Dappy Hashtag Teardrop Tattoo

Hashtag Cheek Tattoo — twitter / The Dappy Image used with permission by copyright holder

Here’s some news for Dappy, bad decisions will always trend.

It was only a matter of time?

MySpace Belly Tattoo — photo credit: the chive Image used with permission by copyright holder

The current state of Myspace.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Joe Donovan is an editorial assistant for Digital Trends who covers a variety of general assignments throughout the…

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