Beginning in the early 2000s, this particular type of tattoo became popular, especially among young women. Lower back tattoos are often oblong in shape, following the slope of the back on either side of the woman's spine. Worn almost exclusively by women, the lower back tattoo functions as body decoration, while underlining sexual attractiveness. Generally, a lower back design will be shaped to accentuate the shape and curvature of the female figure. The placement of such tattoos on the lower back may be seen by some as more seductive than other common female tattoo locations such as the ankle or shoulderblade.

There are several attributes of lower back tattoos that have made them popular. While the lower back is not the widest area of the human back, it has abundant space for a large design, and horizontal tattoo designs can be worked easily. Another advantage is that the lower back is less likely to stretch and distort due to minor weight fluctuations, thus avoiding the tattoo's shape becoming warped and faded as quickly. In addition, they can easily be concealed under business attire.

Lower back tattoos are also often displayed in conjunction with halfshirts and bellyshirts (also called crop tops) designed to expose the midriff, and low-rise jeans that are slung low around the hips.

Slang terms for lower-back tattoos include "ass antlers*," "tramp stamp*," "slag tag*," "California license plate*," "Santa Cruz license plate," and "Tijuana License Plate", "Panama City bumper sticker"*. P-O-T: Pull-Out-Target"