Arm band tattoos have been around for probably centuries.  The first arm band tattoos were possibly the tattoos of the Polynesian islanders, tattoos which were used to display a message that told what tribe a person was from.  Back then, the arm band tattoos were usually tribal in nature with flowing lines and designs that held deep meaning to the wearer, sometimes designs that even told stories of the person’s ancestry and heritage.  These days, that is not usually the case. Now, arm bands might still have a tribal design here and there but they can be just about any kind of linear design that will wrap around the upper arm or forearm, connecting on the other side.  Since armband tattoos are so popular, they are sometimes laughed at because they are thought to be unoriginal in design or style, although I wouldn’t tell that to the guy in the picture, who happens to be a professional wrestler. Pamela Anderson played a character in a movie called Barbed Wire years ago which some people think have given rise to more people getting armband tattoos.  In particular, the barbed wire armband tattoo has risen in popularity, similar to the one on the main character.