Sigil Tattoos and Their Meanings
Updated
Sigil tattoos range from historical Icelandic staves to fully personal designs made from your own intention. Here is what the most popular ones mean and where they come from.
Vegvísir (the wayfinder)
An Icelandic magical stave recorded in the 19th-century Huld manuscript, said to help the bearer not lose their way in storms. It is often mistaken for a Viking symbol, but the written record is much later.
Ægishjálmur (Helm of Awe)
A protective stave recorded in Icelandic grimoires such as the Galdrabók tradition, associated with protection and overcoming fear. Popular as a strength and protection tattoo.
Planetary seals
Seals traced from Agrippa's 16th-century magic squares — for example the seal of Venus for love or Jupiter for abundance.
Personal sigils
A sigil made from your own intention is unique to you and carries no borrowed meaning. Make it, live with it on paper or as a wallpaper for a few weeks, then take it to an artist.
Before you book
Check the symbol's history so you know how others may read it, keep line work simple enough to age well, and choose an intention that will still matter to you years from now.