Names tattooed in katakana

Is it a stupid idea to have my grandmothers( who was pure Japanese)maiden name tattooed in katakana or kanji on me. Also my sisters Japanese middle name as well. Oh, for the people who want to give stupid remarks, did I mention that both of them have recently passed away.
So , what I'm asking is it alright to do that as a way of remembering or honoring them?

It not really a thing that "pure" Japanese would do to honour the family members that have past.

But you do you...

I agree with the other poster. It's really up to the culture of your own country.

If a Japanese person happens to spot that tattoo, the person would typically think that the tattoo-holder is someone who doesn't really know about Japanese culture. There is also a risk of being banned from places like baths, pools and beaches in Japan that prohibit tattoos.

So, it's up to you to think if it's a stupid idea to take those risks, or to think that that's the best way to honor your lost ones no matter what. I'm not sure what the spirits of your grandmothers would think. I don't think my mother would like it if my son got her name tattooed on him, but that's just my mom.

Regardless, I'm sure your grandmothers are happy in heaven that you thought as much about them.

I agree with the above posters that it is not a thing that a Japanese person would typically do to honor the souls of their dear ones.

But if you must, may i suggest that you find a decent tattooist who is fully familiar with the Japanese writing, and make sure that the names are written in a correct and beautiful way.

You are free to do whatever you want to your body.
One option is to use some sort of symbol that represent the person you wish to honor, instead of spelling out his/her name. E.g., Chinese zodiac signs.

Note that Chinese zodiac signs are partially different from Japanese zodiac signs.

You said your grandmother was "pure Japanese," by which I'm assuming you mean she was born, raised, and lived her life in Japan. Since katakana is used for foreign names/words, tattooing her name in katakana seems unusual. Whether or not that qualifies as "stupid" is up to you.

As other have mentioned, though, tattooing someone's name in memory of them isn't something that people in Japan do, even among Japanese people who get tattoos. There's not necessarily a taboo about it, but since it's not commonly done, Japanese people are more likely to be puzzled than impressed by it, sort of like if you wrote your grandma's name on the front door of your home.

So really, the more important thing to ask yourself is whether or not the tattoo will be seen as "stupid" in your home country, and whether that will affect your decision to get it or not. If you want to do it, but are wondering if it's going to be disrespectful to Japanese culture, it's not, so you can rest easy (aside from mainstream Japan's dislike of tattoos in general). On the other hand, if you're on the fence about getting the tattoo and thinking you'll do it if it's in keeping with customs people follow in Japan, or hoping to shut down people who tell you they don't like your tattoo by telling them the practice is part of your grandma's heritage, those things aren't really true either.

Note that some Japanese people have their first names officially registered (on their koseki) in hiragana or katakana. In any case, there is a set of letters the name-holder always preferred the most.