Some tattoos age beautifully. Others go viral for the wrong reasons. Few things derail a good ink idea faster than a spelling mistake — especially in English, a language with traps even fluent speakers fall into. These tattoo fails prove that proofreading is just as important as the design itself.
7 Tattoo Fails Caused by English Spelling Mistakes
Whether it’s a botched word or a missing letter, spelling errors in tattoos are hard to ignore — and even harder to hide. Here are seven infamous examples, plus what they were (probably) meant to say.
1. “Believe in Yoursef”
A classic motivational message… with a missing “l”. “Believe in yourself” becomes instantly ironic when you forget to believe in your own spelling.
2. “No Regerts”
An internet legend. Meant to say “no regrets“, this one became a meme for the ages. It’s been remade as a joke — but for one unlucky person, it started as a serious design.
3. “Strenght”
Strength is a popular word in tattoo culture — symbolizing resilience, survival, or growth. But rearranging it into “strenght” turns muscle into a misprint.
4. “Never Don’t Give Up”
This one’s more of a grammar fail than a spelling error, but the double negative leaves people confused instead of inspired. A classic case of trying too hard to sound deep.
5. “It’s Get Better”
Likely meant to say “It gets better” — a phrase associated with perseverance and LGBTQ+ empowerment. The misstep in grammar, though, changes the emotional tone completely.
6. “Too Cool For Scool”
The kind of ironic that only works if it was intentional (and often, it’s not). This tattoo endures as a meme about skimping on spellcheck — literally.
7. “Angel’s Don’t Cry”
A stray apostrophe turns this design into an awkward grammar fail. Meant to express deep emotion — but poor punctuation steals the spotlight.
Tattoo artists usually double-check everything — but even a small lapse can live on forever. If there’s one takeaway from these cautionary tales, it’s this: spellcheck before you ink.
