ArtsAutosBooksBusinessEducationEntertainmentFamilyFashionFoodGamesGenderHealthHolidaysHomeHubPagesPersonal FinancePetsPoliticsReligionSportsTechnologyTravel

Awesome Tattoo Designs, Ideas, Symbols, And Meanings

Updated on June 19, 2013
thelyricwriter profile image

Richard Hale is a tattoo enthusiast who studies and researches tattoo symbolism, meanings, and history.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT TATTOO


Choosing the right tattoo can be a very difficult process. If your looking for your first tattoo or your tenth, you always want to choose the right tattoo. There are a variety of different ways to find the right tattoo. It all depends on what you are looking for. Men and women choose tattoos for different reasons. Some may choose a tattoo to represent their past life, future, or current life. Some men and women may want a tattoo that symbolizes their children or loved ones. Some people may even get their animal totem or Zodiac symbol. Many women and men choose a tattoo symbol that gives meaning to their life. Nearly all tattoos hold special meaning and symbolism. In this article, we will discuss several different ways to help you find the perfect tattoo for yourself. We will also cover popular tattoo symbols, designs, ideas, and meanings. In the end, we hope that you are able to find what you need and we hope that you are able to make a confident decision on your next tattoo venture.

WHAT TATTOO CAN REPRESENT ME?


Since there are thousands of tattoo symbols, it can sometimes be difficult to choose only one. On top of that, it can be that much harder finding a tattoo that symbolizes what you stand for, represent, or believe in. We want to make this decision easier for you and help you understand the process of finding a tattoo that will symbolize you. Since we are all different, we have different wants, likes, and needs. The same can be said for each tattoo symbol. Each tattoo symbol represents something different. For example, we will review the butterfly tattoo. The butterfly tattoo is a popular choice among women. The butterfly tattoo symbolizes freedom and fragility. Women that may choose this specific tattoo may want to express that they are free. Perhaps, a women may choose the butterfly tattoo because they are now on their own. The butterfly now represents this freedom in her life. This is just one example of why men and women may choose a specific tattoo. Meaning and symbolism play a big role when choosing a tattoo.

Some men and women may want to choose a tattoo that represents where they are born or where they live. In the United States, the American flag is a very popular tattoo. The entire "American Theme" are popular tattoos. The bald eagle is often portrayed with the American flag in tattoos. If you are from Canada, you may want to choose the maple leaf tattoo. Country flags are not always a popular choice for a tattoo, but if it is what you want, make it happen!

Men and women may also choose to get a tattoo that represents their city or place of birth. In America, New York and L.A. tattoos are quite common. Some may choose to have a famous landmark in their tattoo that represents their home. For example, if you are from Brooklyn, you may choose to have the Brooklyn Bridge inked. We always have a special connection to our home and some choose to represent it in a tattoo. Anything that represents your home can be used. You can also apply yourself in a tattoo that represents your home, making it to be a tattoo that represents you and your home.




TATTOOS WITH MEANING


Most men and women choose to get a tattoo that symbolizes them. They choose a tattoo symbol that represents them and one that has special meaning. So how can you find a tattoo that has special meaning? Nearly all tattoo symbols hold special meanings that may or may not represent them. Since there are so many tattoo symbols, it is best that you do your own research to find their meanings. We have took some of the more popular tattoo symbols below and listed their meanings.


  • Butterfly- Freedom, Independence, Soul
  • Cherry Blossom- Wealth, Youth, Beauty
  • Cross- Christ, Spirituality, Faith
  • Crown- Power, Royalty, Wealth
  • Diamond- Durability, Wealth, Luxury
  • Dove- Love, Peace, Innocence
  • Dragon- Power, Fearless,
  • Dreamcatcher- Protection, Guidance, Good Omen
  • Grim Reaper- Death, Life, Remembrance
  • Heart- Romance, Desire, Love
  • Key- Responsibility, Opportunity, Freedom
  • Koi- Courage, Endurance, Perseverance
  • Lion- Strength, Courage, Family
  • Moon- Femininity, Balance, Renewal
  • Octopus- Change, Protection, Agility
  • Orchid- Beauty, Hope, Precious
  • Owl- Independence, Knowledge, Wisdom
  • Phoenix- Prosperity, Kindness, Rebirth
  • Rosary- Christ, Strength, Remembrance
  • Rose- True Love, Faith, Everlasting
  • Skull- Good Luck, Death, Life
  • Star- Achievement, Regeneration, Magical
  • Tiger- Strength, Courage, Ferocity
  • Tree- Understanding, Honor, Life
  • Turtle- Graceful, Longevity, Serenity
  • Vine- Power, Everlasting, Devotion
  • Wolf- Success, Wisdom, Family




MORE GREAT TATTOO IDEAS


Our life can also influence our decision making when it comes to our tattoo choice. Our past, present, and future can all be symbolized in one tattoo or perhaps more. If your still having trouble choosing a tattoo or your looking for more ideas, take the time to reflect on your life. For example, perhaps you were in the military. You may then want to choose a tattoo that symbolizes this great accomplishment. If you worked on motorcycles your whole life, you may want to choose a motorcycle tattoo. Take the time to reflect on your life and think about what is important to you. This may be the route that leads you to your next tattoo.



Our children can also be a big influence on a tattoo. Our love and bond for our children is unconditional. We often try to find ways to show them how much we care or what they mean to us. There are many tattoos that can be portrayed to represent our children. Baby hand prints and footprints are two of the most popular. Often, these type of tattoos include their name above or under the prints. If you don't want the foot or hand print tattoo, you may just want to choose to get their names tattooed on you.



Another great idea for a tattoo is by finding a meaningful tattoo that represents your family, pride, or heritage. We see these types of tattoos within the Irish community and Celts. The shamrock tattoo is often worn by those from Ireland to symbolize their Irish heritage. Men and women that choose to wear such a tattoo find great pride in wearing such a symbol. If you are unable to find such a meaningful tattoo symbol, you may want to look into seeing if you have a family crest or coat of arms. If you can't, many tattoo artist will have great examples that can be applied to the type of tattoo that you want. If you're into the family theme tattoo, you can always choose to get your last name inked on your back or elsewhere. If you feel that the name will be too plain, you can always add symbols and elements to your tattoo design.



REMEMBER


There are some important things to remember before you choose to get any tattoo. Make sure that you take the time to research your tattoo. You want to make sure that you fully understand what your tattoo stands for and represents. You don't want to get inked and find out later that your tattoo represents something totally different from what you first thought. Take the time to research and understand all the meanings behind your tattoo.


Never rush to get inked! Many men and women rush into the tattoo process without thinking twice about their decision. Make sure you really want this tattoo because you will be wearing it for the rest of your life. Men and women that do rush may later regret their decision. If so, then you have to go through the removal process and it can be costly and time consuming.


Remember, there are thousands of different tattoo symbols too choose from. Make sure that you take the time to look through them all and make a decision. Always make sure that your tattoo is what you really want and don't get tattooed on an impulse thought.





working

This website uses cookies

As a user in the EEA, your approval is needed on a few things. To provide a better website experience, hubpages.com uses cookies (and other similar technologies) and may collect, process, and share personal data. Please choose which areas of our service you consent to our doing so.

For more information on managing or withdrawing consents and how we handle data, visit our Privacy Policy at: https://corp.maven.io/privacy-policy

Show Details
Necessary
HubPages Device IDThis is used to identify particular browsers or devices when the access the service, and is used for security reasons.
LoginThis is necessary to sign in to the HubPages Service.
Google RecaptchaThis is used to prevent bots and spam. (Privacy Policy)
AkismetThis is used to detect comment spam. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide data on traffic to our website, all personally identifyable data is anonymized. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Traffic PixelThis is used to collect data on traffic to articles and other pages on our site. Unless you are signed in to a HubPages account, all personally identifiable information is anonymized.
Amazon Web ServicesThis is a cloud services platform that we used to host our service. (Privacy Policy)
CloudflareThis is a cloud CDN service that we use to efficiently deliver files required for our service to operate such as javascript, cascading style sheets, images, and videos. (Privacy Policy)
Google Hosted LibrariesJavascript software libraries such as jQuery are loaded at endpoints on the googleapis.com or gstatic.com domains, for performance and efficiency reasons. (Privacy Policy)
Features
Google Custom SearchThis is feature allows you to search the site. (Privacy Policy)
Google MapsSome articles have Google Maps embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
Google ChartsThis is used to display charts and graphs on articles and the author center. (Privacy Policy)
Google AdSense Host APIThis service allows you to sign up for or associate a Google AdSense account with HubPages, so that you can earn money from ads on your articles. No data is shared unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Google YouTubeSome articles have YouTube videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
VimeoSome articles have Vimeo videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
PaypalThis is used for a registered author who enrolls in the HubPages Earnings program and requests to be paid via PayPal. No data is shared with Paypal unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook LoginYou can use this to streamline signing up for, or signing in to your Hubpages account. No data is shared with Facebook unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
MavenThis supports the Maven widget and search functionality. (Privacy Policy)
Marketing
Google AdSenseThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Google DoubleClickGoogle provides ad serving technology and runs an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Index ExchangeThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
SovrnThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook AdsThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Unified Ad MarketplaceThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
AppNexusThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
OpenxThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Rubicon ProjectThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
TripleLiftThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Say MediaWe partner with Say Media to deliver ad campaigns on our sites. (Privacy Policy)
Remarketing PixelsWe may use remarketing pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to advertise the HubPages Service to people that have visited our sites.
Conversion Tracking PixelsWe may use conversion tracking pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to identify when an advertisement has successfully resulted in the desired action, such as signing up for the HubPages Service or publishing an article on the HubPages Service.
Statistics
Author Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide traffic data and reports to the authors of articles on the HubPages Service. (Privacy Policy)
ComscoreComScore is a media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers. Non-consent will result in ComScore only processing obfuscated personal data. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Tracking PixelSome articles display amazon products as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, this pixel provides traffic statistics for those products (Privacy Policy)
ClickscoThis is a data management platform studying reader behavior (Privacy Policy)