Post Malone’s collection spans face lettering and swords, finger portraits, hand and arm tattoos, and larger designs on his neck and chest. Some explanations come from Malone himself; others appear in close-up photos or published tattoo coverage. Several meanings remain unconfirmed.

What does Post Malone’s “Always Tired” tattoo mean?

The words “Always Tired” sit beneath Malone’s eyes. In GQ Taiwan’s tattoo interview, he tied the phrase to his work schedule and touring life. He also said it was his most painful face tattoo, comparing the sensation to a needle near the eye.

A close photo makes the two words easy to read; in a distant shot, they blend into the other marks. Malone has explained this phrase, but that does not mean every facial tattoo carries the same meaning.

The “Stay Away” tattoo above his eyebrow

“Stay Away” sits above Malone’s right eyebrow. GQ Taiwan connects it to the Nirvana song of the same name. The report says Malone chose the script after seeing Lil Peep’s “Cry Baby” tattoo, then decided on his own design spontaneously while visiting friends in Montreal. The playing-card imagery above it adds up to 21.

A close view separates the nearby designs: the sword tattoo runs beside the eye, while “Stay Away” is written across the forehead. They often appear together in photos, but they are separate pieces. The Nirvana story applies to the words; the source does not tie every nearby symbol to the song.

The sword tattoo on his face

Another sword runs down the side of Malone’s face. Business Insider distinguishes it from the sword on his inner arm and the one across his collarbone. The face piece is long and vertical, beside his other face tattoos. Its private meaning has not been confirmed.

Other face, forehead and head tattoos

Photos show smaller marks around Malone’s lettering too. Business Insider identifies a Playboy bunny beneath a smiley face, a red heart on the upper-left forehead, and barbed wire along the hairline. Malone said he thought the barbed wire looked cool as trim and joked he might regret its placement if he went bald.

Later close-ups reveal more ink on the side of Malone’s head, including a skull, spider and succubus imagery. Which designs appear depends on the date and his hairstyle: hair can cover tattoos, and he has continued adding new work.

Post Malone’s finger portrait tattoos

Close-up photographs show a series of small portrait tattoos across Malone’s knuckles and fingers. Published images identify John Lennon, Kurt Cobain and Elvis Presley. At that scale, a concert shot rarely shows enough detail to tell the faces apart.

These miniature faces are easy to confuse with the larger hand designs, but they are a separate group. Close-ups and source captions identify several; public reporting does not offer a definitive key for every finger portrait.

What is on Post Malone’s hands?

One of Malone’s earliest hand tattoos is a Saint Jude image. In the interview quoted by Business Insider, Malone said Saint Jude lifts his robe to reveal a skeleton. The same report notes “nevermind” and “whatever” on his palms, credited to celebrity tattoo artist Jonathan “JonBoy” Valena. Those palm words are among the better-documented artist-linked pieces.

Business Insider also identifies a small eagle near a Kennedy portrait on Malone’s hand. He has not confirmed a personal meaning for the bird. Its location and appearance are documented; a symbolic reading would be a guess.

The arm portraits and major forearm designs

Malone’s arms include a Kurt Cobain portrait showing the Nirvana frontman playing guitar. Business Insider places it among the musician portraits, and GQ Taiwan also mentions Cobain, Lil Peep and Bob Dylan on the arm near Malone’s first Playboy bunny tattoo.

Another forearm design shows a minuteman; a separate piece depicts a knight on horseback striking a figure with a spear. Malone described the knight in the GQ interview. The same source says the Sauron tattoo remains unfinished because he sometimes stopped when the process became too painful.

Near the elbow is a skull filled with the Texas flag. A horse represents Malone, and he has described a small Playboy bunny as his first tattoo. He got it while recording Stoney in 2016. Malone said Justin Bieber damaged it while it was healing. That account concerns his first tattoo; it says nothing about the pieces he got later.

Hand, wrist and arm designs that have a documented connection

A few tattoos have clear ties to Malone’s work or interests. “Patient,” named after one of his songs, appears on his upper arm. Business Insider identifies the Gallenson’s Gun Shop logo on the inner arm and says Malone discussed it in the GQ interview. The same coverage dates the snake wrapped around an M16 to 2016. The designs and context are reported; there is no single confirmed meaning for every weapon image.

Malone later got Kansas City Chiefs tattoos after losing a bet involving Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes. Business Insider, summarizing TMZ, reports signatures from both players alongside the Chiefs logo. That explanation belongs to this group of tattoos; other meanings online are not as well sourced.

Neck and chest tattoos

Two eagle tattoos sit on opposite sides of Malone’s neck, one black and one white. Business Insider says they frame a cow skull. Malone has not publicly explained the birds, so their placement and appearance are the details we can confirm.

Larger designs fill the chest and stomach area. GQ Taiwan describes a zombie version of Easter Jesus reaching from the chest toward the stomach, the phrase “come and take it,” and Master Shake from Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Business Insider separately records “Molon Labe” on his stomach, often translated from Greek as “come and take them.” Malone said Master Shake hurt the most; pain alone does not reveal a tattoo’s meaning.

How Post Malone’s tattoo collection has changed

Malone’s first tattoo appeared in 2016, and more followed across his hands, arms, face, neck, chest, legs and head. Hair and clothing can hide parts of the collection; dated close-ups show how it grew.

A dated photo can show when a tattoo was visible, but not when the appointment happened or why a later cover-up was made. Sources give the clearest accounts of “Always Tired,” “Stay Away,” the barbed-wire hairline tattoo, the first Playboy bunny, Saint Jude, the knight, Sauron, Master Shake and the JonBoy palm lettering. Many other meanings remain unknown.

Frequently asked questions

How many tattoos does Post Malone have?

There is no fixed official count. Published coverage has put the total above 60 or 70 at different times; Malone has kept adding tattoos, and small or covered pieces are counted differently.

Who tattooed Post Malone?

Jonathan “JonBoy” Valena is credited with the “nevermind” and “whatever” palm lettering. GQ Taiwan also links some work to Ganji, while reports name Kyle Hediger, Evan Kim and Lauren Winzer for other specific pieces. Those credits apply to the tattoos each source identifies, not the full collection.

Are the meanings of all his tattoos known?

No. Malone and other sources have explained some designs, while many more are identifiable only by their appearance and location. When there is no reliable explanation, the meaning is unknown.