The reasons people choose to get tattoos are both wide and varied. While some are just for fun and others are purely for body aesthetic, a growing number of them are meant to represent something special in a personโs life.
Whether itโs a tattoo of a face or a paw print, or some scene representing a memory long gone but not forgotten, tattoos are a great way to symbolize something that has meaning in ones life.
Thankfully, thousands of people are willing to share the details behind their tattoo choices and the stories that they tell. Here are 47 of the best of them.
1. A boost in confidence
Hair loss can make one feel less confident about herself. Fortunately, this person met somehow who was able to tattoo new brows on her. And honestly, the artist has done a great job.
2. Dream come true
Itโs better late than never, right? For sure, her dadโs happy that she finally got a tattoo to match the one he had on his arm.
My father passed away almost two months ago. Today is his birthday and he always wanted us to have matching tattoos. Done by Chip @ Olde Tyme in GA
byu/everyday__grey intattoos
3. A tribute to Grandpa
Grandpa would be proud to see the new version of his tattoo on his grandchild. The sentimental value of his tattoo will be around for a long time after this.
A recreation of my Grandpaโs 50yo tattoo, by Gabriella Mancini at Apocalypse Tattoo in Atlanta, GA
byu/SleepingWillows intattoos
4. Forever and always
Dogsโ paws are unique so this piece is definitely one of a kind. Itโs a touching way to pay tribute to his dog.
My favorite tattoo, always. A realistic portrait of my dogs paw. Forever, and always my heartbeat at my feet. Done by Andrea G. DNA Tattooing, Williamstown, NJ.
byu/stephiiejean18 intattoos
5. Remembering Grandma
This tattoo is beautifully done. Staring at it can make you feel Grandmaโs care and love for her grandkids.
Tea is very important at my Grandmaโs house and everyone has an assigned teacup with a particular pattern. Mine is โBrigadoonโ Scottish Thistle. Iโve drunk tea from that cup my entire life, every time Iโve visited my grandma. Today I got the pattern tattooed as a band on my arm. pic.twitter.com/eiU6QZU69u
โ Jordan Raskopoulos (@JordanRasko) September 28, 2020
6. Momโs handwriting
Having her momโs handwriting is a great way to remember her. Itโs nice that sheโs got the words โI love youโ. It can serve as a daily reminder of her momโs love for her.
My mother always had beautiful handwriting and wrote this at the end of every single card and letter. She passed in October. Done by Greg Duthie at Dead Gods Tattoo in Tigard, Oregon.
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7. Hiding scars
To hide the surgical scars she got from having her appendix taken out, this woman decided to get tattoos. The resultโs perfect. The butterflies were beautifully done. You canโt even see the scars underneath!
8. Beautiful dog, beautiful tattoo
Even though theyโve been together for only three years, her dog meant everything to her. Thatโs why she decided to get this portrait done. With it, sheโll be able to take her precious dog everywhere she goes.
9. The human and his dog
This is one of the best pet tattoos around. Itโs simple yet full of meaning. Itโs a design that can be considered as timeless.
10. Together forever
This is absolutely beautiful. While the photo will fade away in a few years, the tattoo wonโt. Itโs a clever way to show that theyโll stay together forever.
11. A memorable trip
The rain made their trip extra memorable. Because of that, they made sure to include umbrellas to these tattoos.
Weโre getting matching tattoos for all the trips we take together- it rained all week for this one. Done by Rafael Marte at Studio 28 in NYC
byu/thought_I_knew_excel intattoos
12. Honoring oneโs heritage
This womanโs quite proud of her cultures. To make sure no one feels left behind, she made sure to include both her momโs and dadโs side. Honestly, itโs an awesome concept!
13. A tribute to Black Panther
He got the tattoo because it was cool. Now that his favorite actor is gone, the tattoo feels a bit bittersweet.
I was really excited to get this last year. Now itโs kind of bittersweet, RIP. Artist is Clinton Ransdell at Artistic Designs in Indianapolis.
byu/MrStealUrGold intattoos
14. A tattoo of Grandpa
This tattoo represented Grandpa well. Itโs simple, just like the old man.


15. A beautiful homage
Even though she lost her babies, she found a way to keep them close. The placementโs perfect, too. What a lovely tattoo!
Just got my very first tattoo today! 4 birds in memory of my 4 babies. (3 miscarriage s and a stillborn)
byu/KenPie2 intattoo
16. A helpful reminder
Most of the time, she has to tell people that she has hearing difficulties. With this tattoo, she may no longer need to explain herself all the time.
Decided to get my first tattoo on my 23rd! Thanks Ty! (Kindhand Tattoo/Menomonie)
byu/dunham-doodles intattoos
17. Being sisters
The concept is stunning and the execution is marvelous. This is an amazing tribute to her sibling. It represents a very beautiful sibling relationship.
A tattoo for my sister and I. Us against the universe. Made by Daniel in Sinners Inc, Aarhus (Denmark)
byu/nicolaims intattoos
18. A good sense of humor
This person needs to be applauded. Itโs hard to keep your sense of humor when youโve literally lost a part of you.


19. An image of Dad
This tattooโs quite clever. Instead of having his dadโs entire face, she chose to get his glasses and mustached tattooed. The piece is subtle but itโs full of meaning for this person.
20. Itโs all in oneโs attitude.
Going bald isnโt entirely a bad thing. You just have to set the right attitude towards it- just like this guy.


21. Not average
This tattooโs really cool. At first glance, youโd think itโs just an average piece. However, once you illuminate it with the right light, itโll reveal all its details. Itโs just like humans. We all look average until someone gets a closer look at us.


22. The catโs nose
With this tattoo, Loki will forever live on. Moreoever, the family will remember his most adorable feature for years to come.
23. Glowing together
The way the tattoo glows is quite amusing. Itโs certainly an interesting piece. Plus, itโs a good reminder to always have fun.
24. Not an easy battle
Admitting someoneโs mental health issue isnโt easy. For this person, getting a tattoo offers a way to open up about it. She considers it as a great conversations starter.


25. All the places heโs ever called home
Instead of keeping a list, this guy decided to have this tattoo. Itโs a creative way to remember all the places heโs been.
A skyline of everywhere Iโve lived. Drawn by a friend of mine and done by Mason at Imperial Tattoo in Toronto.
byu/Whiskeysneat intattoos
26. A daughterโs request
The daughter did an excellent job in picking the tattoo. She chose a really cool piece!
My daughter asked if she could pick my next tattoo. Tonight I honored that request. @ Modified Designs done by Savannah Johnson.
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27. He deserves it.
The dogโs been super loyal to his human. He deserves this tribute.
My first major tattoo! Itโs my pup Bentley, who has been the best part of my life. By Brandon Thurston at Bloodmoon Gallery, NC
byu/lolidkimjustakitten intattoos
28. An anniversary tattoo
The tattoos are adorable! And the best part? They got them on their anniversary. What a way to celebrate their special day!
My wife and I got matching anniversary tattoos from Rene at Red Dagger, Houston TX!
byu/muddywaffles86 intattoos
29. Clue
I guess people were having a hard time pronouncing his name so he got this tattoo. Clearly, heโs got a good sense of humor.
Chick cow ski (how to say my last name) Jonathan Ellis, Mr Bs Tattoos Baltimore MD
byu/hyjnx intattoos
30. A minimal tattoo of mom
Itโs nice that this person chose to go minimal instead of getting something realistic. Itโs definitely a beautiful ode to her mom.
31. Scar to tattoo
This is really sweet. Instead of covering his self-harm scar, he decided to leave it and turn it into something better.
32. Proud of his job
This is clever! Itโs showing off his love for his work and marketing his skills at the same time.
Decided to get a tattoo to commemorate my trade/skill as an electrician, and since I work with my hands for a living I thought what better place to put it? Done by Kyle Thomas at White Lotus Tattoo (Centennial, CO)
byu/JackkHammerr intattoos
33. For Grandpa
This is awesome for a lot of reasons. The colors, the design, the execution, everything about it is perfect.
Tribute for my grandpa! Done by Allie who was guest spotting at Rebel Muse in Lewisville, TX
byu/chloe0711 intattoos
34. No more iron stain
Iron staining tends to be permanent. So instead of using makeup products to conceal it, this woman came up with a permanent solution to hide it for good.
Before and after, covering an iron stain. Done by Nic at Capricorn Body art in nudawading, Victoria, Australia.
byu/prebuiltswing intattoos
35. Comfortable again
Letting the public see self-harm scars isnโt easy. They can easily attract peopleโs attention and that often leads to unfair judgments and offending opinions. Hopefully, with this beautiful tattoo, this person will be able to go out without feeling judged.
Self harm tattoo cover up done by Mark Clifford at Dearly Departed in Milford MI. Makes me feel a lot more comfortable wearing short sleeve shirts.
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36. She survived.
This is an incredible way to cope with what happened. Itโll always remind the person how fleeting life can sometimes be.
After a horrible car accident in July, the god of death swung and missed: done by AJ AUlOSE at Aerros ink, San Antonio, TX
byu/mirandawillowe intattoos
37. A fish tattoo
This is a super creative way to hide a scar! Since the tattoo only touched both ends of the scar, it probably didnโt cause excessive pain. Tattooing scar tissues can cause discomfort in some people.
38. A favorite
This movie scene probably has a deeper meaning for this person. You see, even though a lot of us have a favorite movie, not everyone would do what this guy did.
My favorite scene from one of my favorite movies. Done by Kate Sv at Dot. Creative Group in NYC
byu/bennzito intattoos
39. Not scary anymore
Most people choose to cover their birthmarks with tattoos because they think theyโre ugly. For this person, itโs all about perspective. Why hide it when you can have fun with it?


40. For the car racer
Even though his friend wasnโt able to achieve his dream, itโll be forever remembered through this tattoo. Itโs simple but itโs packed with sentimental value.
Tribute to a friend who died in a car crash and was on his way to a brilliant racing career. David โ XS Montreal Canada
byu/supadupame intattoos
41. What mom would say
Having mom around brings so much comfort for any person. Since she canโt always be next to her mom, this woman decided to get this tattoo.
My first tattoo had to be a sentimental one, my moms favorite saying to me in her hand writing! Done by Elekktra at Beneath the Surface in Las Vegas, Nevada.
byu/viblical intattoos
42. These birds
For this woman, the birds represent three of the most important people in her life. The red one represents her dad while the bluebirds were for her grandparents. Getting the tattoo helped her cope with their loss.


43. Clean and happy
This tattoo doesnโt just celebrate his success in quitting heroin; it also serves as a reminder to stay that way. Itโs an excellent visual reminder.
Always wanted a tattoo of a dragon, and Skyrim got me through quitting heroin in 2011 and helped me stay clean. Iโm super happy I finally did it. [X-Post /r/Skyrim]
byu/PinsNneedles ingaming
44. Dadโs handprit
His dadโs always right behind his back. No matter where he goes, his dad will always be there to push him forward.


45. Supporting the wife
What a sweet husband! Going through depression isnโt easy. Fortunately for the wife, she has an excellent supporter.


46. A daily reminder
Working three jobs isnโt easy. But when you see your goals every single day, it can give you the nudge you need to keep moving forward.
[Image] This woman in New Orleans lost everything in Katrina. She set a goal of rebuilding the home she lost and tattooed the plans on her hands as a daily reminder while she works three jobs to achieve her dream.
byu/petitveritas inGetMotivated
47. Couple in love
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