Tattoo Designs Overview

Birds are associated with flight and freedom, they symbolize the desire to be free or the reality of overcoming a challenge in life. Different species of birds have specific meanings associated with them. In general, these tattoos represent spreading your wings and soaring through life.

The symbolism of the butterfly is as diverse as the species itself. Often associated with the soul, the butterfly may represent the spiritual realm. It is also a strong symbol of transformation because the butterfly transforms from a caterpillar into a butterfly, becoming something new and beautiful. This can be a powerful tattoo for those who have endured hardship of any kind and have found a new, better life...

The dolphin is a highly intelligent creature and holds significant meaning in many cultures. The most common theme is that they carry souls between the realms of life and death. They are also symbols of health, hidden personal power and intuition.

The dragonfly represents fertility because of its ability to lay thousands of eggs at once. It may also be a representation of transformation, much like the butterfly. Native American culture gives us the dragonfly as a symbol of inspiration and the reminder to follow your dreams. Other meanings are happiness and contentment.

These brightly colored fish are popular tattoo symbols. They are associated with luck, love, strength and energy. In Chinese culture, Koi fish represent following your dreams and good fortune. Koi fish are also associated with the Astrological sign of Pisces.

Lions are often called the King of the jungle. This animal displays raw power, and is often said to be courageous as it protects the pride. Symbolically, this tattoo might represent personal power and courage after overcoming life challenges. It also signifies authority, strength and cunningness.

The number of legs of the octopus is significant: eight is important as it relates to the symbol of infinity. The symbol of the infinite represents various concepts of immortality. The natural regeneration of lost limbs reinforces this idea.

The panther not only represents a sly and powerful predator, but is associated with both poise and grace. The panther's ability to strike unseen symbolizes physical dexterity, and the ability to strike out on your own without fear of failure.

The swallow represents the freedom of taking flight. In the early days of sailing, the swallow represented a well-traveled sailor. Swallows are also known as creatures of habit making them the perfect symbol for those who prefer stability and consistency over chaos.

A symbol of the perfect predator, this animal has strength and is known as one of the world's most dangerous creatures. The symbolic meaning of a tiger is power, overcoming weakness and can also represent danger balanced by beauty.

The turtle is a force of nature that will not be moved easily in any direction it does not want to go. The turtle shows up in several creation myths and symbolizes immortality and fertility.

The wolf symbolizes the wild spirit within. This predator is a pack animal that requires interaction with his pack to survive. The wolf can represent wild energy, loyalty, and the desire to be free from the constraints of the modern world.

The dragon in Chinese culture represents power. This mysterious creature evokes a sense of fear and fascination, and when used as a tattoo it often speaks of the person's personal power, ability to fight any force within and move through the world with a mysterious and confident way of being.

The fairy is usually depicted as a childlike creature that is curious about the world around her. These tattoos are associated with innocence and being fascinated with life. The fairy also represents magic, personal power and the energy of unseen realms.

Various cultures have contributed to the design of these great serpents. Dragon tattoos carry different meanings depending on the style and culture that they relate to. The form of the dragon conveys power, beauty, elegance and a fearsome nature. All dragons have common features of wings, scaled body and fiery breath.

The Japanese dragon represents both power and wisdom. Though it is a fierce warrior, it is also protective. This symbol can represent life balance, luck and abundance. Dragons hold deep meaning in Japanese culture, and far from being feared, they are respected and admired.

This hunched flute player is a symbol of fertility. He is related to the stork as he carries children to their mothers. The spirit of music links him to the motif of the trickster as well. His music brings on the weather that encourages growing and the harvest.

The phoenix is a symbol of death and rebirth as the ashes of the burnt phoenix bring it back to life, and a new being is created. It is a good symbol for you if you have been going through some hard times that have transformed you.

The cherry is most often associated with fertility. It also represents the sweetness of a person and their attempt to remain balanced in a world full of temptation. Most often, cherry tattoos are a symbol of femininity and temptation.

The heart is a worldwide symbol of love, and as a tattoo it usually has the same meaning. As a Christian symbol, it can represent Christ's love.

The peace sign is one of the most recognizable symbols of all times. Although it is usually associated with the 70s, the peace sign has a revival and it shows up in more and more tattoos lately...

This skull has been used as a symbol of death and decay for centuries. The empty eye sockets often represent a reflection of one's own mortality. The skull as a tattoo is a reminder of one's own mortality.

Symbolically, the star represents both light and dark. It gives off light, but shadows remain. It can be associated with celestial guidance that lights the path, but does not reveal the way completely.

The sun is the symbol of life. It also represents light chasing away the darkness, warmth of heart and the center of the universe. Most commonly, the sun is associated overcoming personal periods of struggle.

Tribal tattoo designs are associated with primitive cultures as rites of passage. They serve a social and protective function. The looks of these designs have been copied in the West and became very popular...

The ankle tattoo is one of the most popular among women. They are often seen as a fashionable and vogue style. The ankle is considered to be the most feminine place for a girl to have a tattoo.

Armband tattoos were traditionally used in Japan to brand criminals. Nowadays they are a popular tattoo design: bracelet designs for women and tribal armbands for men.

Many people aren't interested in choosing a tattoo for its meaning, the only reason for their choice of design is that they like the way it looks.
On this page you'll find tattoos that just look good, regardless of its meaning...

You'll find feminine designs all over this website, but this page is solely dedicated to tattoos for women and girls...

The foot is a popular spot for women to get tattoos. Foot tattoos are often seen as decorative, beautiful, elegant and an expression of a woman's personal style. There are some reasons not to get a foot tattoo though, one of them being that they are hard to maintain.

Once a popular location for women's tattoos, lower back tattoos are often viewed negatively nowadays. The original reason for having a lower back tattoo was because it was easily shown when desired and hidden when needed. The lower back tattoo has fallen out of popularity, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't get one if you feel this is the perfect spot for your tattoo.

The wrist area is limited to small-sized tattoos. Simple symbols such as stars, hearts and words work well as a wrist tattoo. Bracelets and bow tattoos are popular as well.

Zodiac tattoos are immensely popular. They are usually small and simple, but if you believe in astrology, full of meaning.

Aquarius is the god of water and the birth sign for those born between January 20th and February 19th. The aquarius symbol looks like 2 waves. Aquarius tattoos often include the water bearer.

Aries is the first sign in the zodiac, and the beginning of a new astrological cycle. The Aries sign looks like a V and resembles the horns of a ram.

Gemini is an astrological sign that also represents intellect and duality. It can also be a representation of light and dark, and the dualistic nature of the human being to be both good and evil.

Libra tattoos often involve scales or Lady Justice. The sign also represents balance and harmony, along with justice and personal problems being brought into natural balance.

As a symbol of the zodiac, Pisces is a water sign that represents fluidity of personality. The Greek myth behind this symbol is the transformation of Aphrodite and her son, Eros into fish. This allows them to escape a terrible monster.

In some ancient cultures, the scorpion has been seen as a piece of evil. In other cultures, the scorpion was a form of protection from evil. The scorpio sign looks like the letter M connected to an arrow.

The symbol of Taurus is the bull, which represents strength and virility and reveals the base instincts of human nature.

Virgo represents youthfulness and innocence. It re-energizes the spirit with its vibrant nature. The virgo sign looks like an M with an extra curl.

Angels are a link between heaven and earth and occur in all major religions. These tattoo designs are usually very detailed and inspired by classic art.

Christian symbols are used to express a person's faith. Over the ages, the icons have expanded in number, but they convey the same fundamental convictions. Examples include the famed crucifix, the Greek fish symbol, the dove, praying hands and of course the cross. Tattoo designs often include a verse from the Bible.

The cross is one of the oldest symbols and its symbolic meaning changed throughout the ages. Originally it was a phallic symbol, but its meaning changed when crucifixion became a popular method of capital punishment. For Christians, the cross stands for the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and today it is a common symbol of salvation.

These tattoos include a variety of known religious symbols and icons. On this page you'll find designs from Christian, Hindu, Buddhist and islamic traditions.

Traditionally, Celtic designs were used to decorate sacred buildings. The rising popularity of Celtic tattoos is associated with the belief that the body is a sacred temple. The Celtic cross and the Celtic knot are the most popular tattoos in this category.

Chinese symbols work well in tattoo art. Keep in mind though, that these symbol tattoos are not very original. Also make sure that your design means what you think it means, double-check your translation!

The ancient Egyptian culture fascinates many with its philosophy of life, death and the afterlife.Various motifs can be found in the ancient Egyptian art that are suitable for a tattoo, like the eye of Ra, the Ankh or hieroglyphs.

The geisha is a traditional symbol of Japanese culture. They are entertainers who were elegant, trained and highly valued by their culture.A tattoo design featuring this woman represents mystery, beauty, skill, creativity and wisdom.

Tribal tattoos are specific to Hawaiian culture, but because of their beauty, they have become common around the world. Common designs are turtles and sea life as well as flowers and natural vegetation.

Although Hebrew tattoos are seen as being disrespectful to the Jewish faith, many people choose for a Hebrew script tattoo, including celebrities like Victoria Beckham and Madonna.

Henna is a temporary tattoo with deep cultural meaning, usually worn by a bride on her wedding in countries like Morocco and India. In Western culture, Henna has gained popularity as temporary body art, while the designs are also popular as a permanent tattoo.

Irish symbols range from leprechauns, four-leaf clovers, and gold to the Celtic cross designs that have become so popular.

The most popular Japanese-style tattoo in the West is the Kanji symbol. Kanji is a type of Japanese writing: each symbol represents a specific word. Known for their beauty due to their flowing style, Kanji symbols continue to grow in popularity.

The Maoris used tattoos as a symbol of status and rank using spirals and lines that contoured the face and other body parts. These tattoos were specific to the people they adorned.

The samurai were the epitome of the Bushi lifestyle. They represent nobility, honor and personal sacrifice for one's master. The code of the samurai dictates every aspect of their existence. Honor is one of the most recognized traits represented by this symbol.

The broad spectrum of Mexican tattoos draws on their native culture: the art of the Aztec, Mayas and Incas. Some of these designs are incorporated by Mexican gangs as part of their inner status system to rank members.

The art of Tibet which has been influenced by many cultures around them, including Tantric and Mahayana Buddhists. Popular designs include Mandalas, Tibetan script, lotus flowers and Buddha tattoos.

These tattoos represent freedom, the open road and the love of bikes. Bikers often get tattoos that represent their favorite bike or brand. One of the most popular biker tattoos is the American Eagle.

Gothic designs are usually of a dark nature and inspired by medieval and Christian art. Popular designs include skulls, pentacles, the grim reaper, roses and rosaries.

Military tattoo designs are usually centered around the pride a person has in his branch, unit, and country. Different symbols can be used that relate to the particular branch of service, such as eagles, ships and bulldogs.

The term old school tattoos refers to the style of the traditional American tattoo. The most famous tattoo artist of that time was Sailor Jerry. The images were stylistic with bold outlines colored blue-black, filled with solid colors of green or red.

Cherry blossoms represent the feminine power. Strong willed, independent women get this tattoo. A different meaning relates the cherry blossom to the short lifespan of the human body. It is seen as a link to the understanding and acceptance of mortality.

Different flowers have different meanings. Most often, the flower is seen as a representation of natural beaty and the fragility of life. The blossoming of a flower represents the female ability to give birth.

The lotus is also commonly associated with spiritual awakening, and overcoming obstacles or dark periods of life and entering into periods of success, understanding and spiritual abundance.

The rose has a long history and many meanings. It is the symbol of life and love, often seen as a romantic symbol when red. The five petal rose has strong Christian roots which symbolize the five wounds of Christ.

Tree tattoos symbolize many things in a beautiful way. They are deeply personal and can convey an individual’s cultural origins, spiritual or religious aspirations and beliefs.