A Guide to Chris Evans' Tattoos and Their Meanings

From his Dodger tattoo to his matching Avengers ink with his costars, here's a guide to the actor's tattoos

Chris Evans is well-known for his shirtless movie scenes, which is why you may be surprised to learn he has multiple tattoos.

Though the actor — and husband to Warrior Nun actress Alba Baptista — has shown off some of his ink over the years, including in the 2011 film Puncture and on his Instagram Story from October 2020 when he backflipped into a pool, he usually keeps his tattoos out of sight.

"I really like tattoos, but the problem is, when you wear a short-sleeve shirt in a movie, that's an extra hour in the makeup chair. It's not worth it," the Marvel alum revealed during a 2014 interview with The Hot Hits. "I'm all for tattoos, but just somewhere they can be hidden."

Hence, you don't often see Evans sporting T-shirts or V-necks on the red carpet. (Though fans can't get enough of his sweater outfits, so they're not complaining.)

That being said, each of his tattoos seems to hold a special meaning, including tributes to his family and his beloved dog, Dodger.

From his chest ink to a memorial piece for a friend, here's everything to know about Evans' tattoos.

Related: 15 Reasons We Love PEOPLE's Sexiest Man Alive Chris Evans

Eagle tattoo

Evans has a large eagle tattooed on his chest, which he gave a glimpse of in his viral poolside video from October 2020 (as well as in a selfie with Dodger that he shared on his Instagram Story).

In July 2018, tattoo artist Josh Lord seemingly teased the new ink when he shared a photo of Evans, writing, "Chris Evans!! Shamelessly asked him to sign my Avengers book when we got started on a giant new tattoo this week!!! I promised not to show it off yet though."

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A year later, Lord revealed to Revolver that after Evans got his Avengers tattoo, he "continued to come back for more tattoos," including a "whole big new chest piece for him," alluding to the eagle tattoo.

Eckhart Tolle quote tattoo

In addition to his eagle tattoo, Evans also has a quote inked right below his collarbone, which he revealed was an Eckhart Tolle quote after he spoke about it during a Q&A with Spreecast in 2013.

"I really like Eckhart Tolle ... he wrote the book The Power of Now," Evans explained. "I am a big fan of Buddhism, Eastern Philosophy, the notion of trying to be present in the moment, turning the third eye off and detaching from ego. Eckhart has a quote from his book called Stillness Speaks that just really resonated with me, enough to permanently ink my body."

The quote reads: "When you lose touch with your inner stillness, you lose touch with yourself, when you lose touch with yourself, you lose yourself in the world."

Dodger tattoo

In honor of his sweet pup, who was named after a character from Evans' favorite childhood movie, Oliver & Company (1988), the actor has "Dodger" tattooed on his chest. Evans gave a glimpse of the ink in a since-deleted Instagram photo from October 2020, which showed Dodger lying on his stomach.

"Dodger lying on DODGER 💙," he wrote at the time.

During a 2020 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Evans revealed that he got the tattoo shortly after he adopted Dodger in 2017.

"That's probably one of the purest relationships I have," he told host Jimmy Kimmel of his ink-inspiring relationship with his pup. "It didn't take much convincing. I'll never regret that tattoo. I've regretted a few in my life, but not that one."

Taurus tattoo

On his left shoulder, Evans has a tattoo of the astrological sign for Taurus as a tribute to his mother, Lisa Capuano, who was born on May 21, per his interview with USA Today. He notably gave a glimpse of the tattoo during a photoshoot with Men's Journal (teased on Instagram) for their May cover story in 2019.

"Family" tattoo

On his right shoulder, Evans previously had the Chinese character for "family," which was often visible during his red carpet appearances in the early 2000s. However, Page Six reported he has since had it removed.

"Loyalty" tattoo

Also, on his right shoulder, Evans has the word "loyalty" written in cursive letters, which was visible during his steamy Gucci campaign with Evan Rachel Wood in 2016.

"They're pretty much all for family," Evans previously told Glamour in 2012 about his array of arm tattoos. "Opinions change, people grow, but I think as long as they're rooted in the family, I'll probably never regret them."

Matt Bardsley tattoo

On his stomach, Evans has a tattoo that reads, "In Loving Memory, Bardsley, With Me Always," which can be seen in his 2011 film Puncture.

According to his 2004 interview with USA Today, the ink is a tribute to his friend Matt Bardsley, who died in an off-roading accident in November 2003.

Avengers tattoo

In honor of the release of Avengers: Infinity War in April 2018, five of the six original Avengers got matching tattoos by Lord, including Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth and Jeremy Renner.

"It was Johansson's idea, and she and Evans did it in New York," Downey exclusively told EW. Though it's unclear where Evans' tattoo is located, Downey did share a glimpse of the design, which includes the Avengers logo, on his Instagram.

"SCS" tattoo

On his ankle, Evans has the letters "SCS" tattooed. The actor reportedly told USA Today that it represented his three siblings, Scott, Carly and Shanna.

Though this tattoo is usually hidden whenever he hits the red carpet, Evans did give a glimpse of the ink when he filmed A Many Splintered Thing alongside Michelle Monaghan and Topher Grace in November 2012

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