What Does the Nautical Star Symbolize?

What does the nautical star symbolize?  The nautical star symbolizes Polaris, the North Star and is associated with all things nautical.  Since the North Star guides sailors, the nautical star is a popular tattoo that symbolizes guidance for the future or safety.  Let’s now delve more deeply into what the nautical star symbolizes. 

The nautical star represents the hope of finding your way and was also considered lucky so that you would find your way home safely. It has been a symbol for sailors and the US Armed forces for a long time:

• The nautical star is a five-pointed star that is drawn with half of each tip being a light shade and half being a dark shade. It has five points like the stars on the US flag.   
• The shading makes it look like a compass rose and gives it a three dimensional effect. 
• The nautical star can symbolize membership in the United States Navy or the Marine Corps.
• Sailors got tattoos of the nautical star for luck, hope, and guidance.  Soon they became popular tattoos for other people, as well. 
• Even though the North Star was used in former times for navigation at sea, the nautical charts of today still have a five-pointed star to show the position of North.

Meaning of the Nautical Star Tattoo

The nautical star is a very popular tattoo today.  There are several possible meanings of the tattoo and several possible reasons why that tattoo is picked.  Let’s look into some of them:

• One of the possible meanings of the nautical star tattoo when it is placed on the left wrist and aligned with the thumb is a positive guide for the future.  It is placed on the left hand because that is the hand used by palm readers to show the future and the nautical star is used for guidance.

• An obvious reason for this tattoo is that the person getting it is a sailor or makes his living from the sea.  It can be colored in green or red to symbolize whether the person is a member of the port or starboard watch.  It has been a fact for a long time that sailors, especially in the olden days, are very superstitious.  So the nautical star can be a lucky charm.   

• Some people may get this tattoo to pretend they are a sailor or a member of the Marines or Navy.  Others may just really like the simplicity and beauty of the design and some may have a unique meaning for it, like symbolizing their quest for your life’s path.  Sometimes, it is incorporated into a more elaborate tattoo.

• Two groups have adopted the nautical star as a symbol: punk rockers and gays and lesbians.  Punk rockers use the tattoo because of the famous tattoo artist Sailor Jerry, who is known for his unique designs.  Because the nautical star stands for the North Star, punk rockers have it to show that are finding their own way in life.  So their meaning goes along with others that use the nautical star as a symbol of find your way in life.  Most punk rockers will have a nautical star somewhere among their tattoos.

• Gays and lesbians have historically had to hide their lifestyle, and even do so today.  Often, they would get a star nautical star tattoo in a place hidden from sight.  Sometimes it would be placed on the inside of their wrist so a watch or jewelry could cover it when they were not around accepting people.  Because of this, today many lesbians get the tattoo to show support for these earlier traditions and as a symbol of their identity. 

So you can get a nautical star tattoo whether you are gay, straight, a punk rocker, in the military, or none of the above.  It is no one’s business if you are a member of one of these groups or not.  Your decision to get a nautical star tattoo is a personal choice and the nautical star can symbolize whatever you believe it should.