12 Celebrities With Tattoos That Are Dedicated to Celebrate Their Loved Ones

Tattoos are more than just decorative art on our skin, according to studies done by a psychologist. Getting inked can help develop our self-esteem, make us feel closer to our bodies, and in the case of memorial tattoos, they can aid in emotional recovery and growth after trauma. And if a picture paints a thousand words, tattoos can also represent a thousand stories.

Bright Side collected 12 photos of celebrities who got inked in honor of their loved ones, and the emotional meanings behind their tats will pierce your heart like tiny needles.

1. Jason Momoa

The actor, who played strong characters like Aquaman and Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones, appears to be a softie when it comes to his children. Shirtless photos of him reveal not just his abs and pectoral muscles, but also what looks like red scribbles on his chest.

This is apparently a tattoo to celebrate his kids with his ex-wife, Lisa Bonet. He asked his daughter Lola and his son Nakoa-Wolf to draw their signatures. And then he used their handwritten autographs as a pattern for the tat, which he endearingly placed close to his heart.

2. Bindi Irwin

The daughter of the Australian crocodile hunter and wildlife icon Steve Irwin, now has a child of her own, whom she named Grace Warrior. Bindi said that the second name was a tribute to her dad’s legacy of being an incredible fighter and advocate for the wildlife.

In an Instagram post, she shared that she inked “Graceful Warrior” in her father’s handwriting, to keep his memory with her forever. She also imprinted an alligator on her skin, which represents her pet, Daisy, and her work in wildlife conservation.

3. John Legend and Chrissy Teigen

Kids have a permanent place in their parents’ hearts, and in the case of the celebrity couple John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, the tots have a permanent place on their parents’ skin too. John’s tattoo indicates the names “Chrissy Luna Miles,” and his wifey has the same, but with “John” instead of her name. Unfortunately, the couple lost their third child, Jack, due to a miscarriage. And to remember him, the model marked his name on her wrist, just above their existing family badge.

4. Jessica Alba

The Dark Angel actress looked up to the skies for her tattoo inspiration. Alba chose to design her arm with constellation patterns of her children’s zodiac signs. In an Instagram post, she shared what each symbol represented — Gemini for then 10-year-old Honor, Leo for then 7-year-old Haven, and Capricorn for then 1-year-old Hayes.

5. Drew Barrymore

America’s sweetheart previously shared the cute little body art she got for her kids — a tattoo of their names on her wrist. But she recently upgraded it with what she dubbed as her “lifetime note,” and she did it live on an episode of The Drew Barrymore Show. The new tattoo reads “Home is where we are,” and she said that the phrase has been her mantra for the last 5 years.

In an emotional behind-the-scenes video, a teary-eyed Barrymore explained to the audience that she used to live in rental apartments, and she was feeling sad for not living the life she planned for her kids. But that’s when it also hit her, that home can be anywhere, as long as they are together.

6. Orlando Bloom

The actor is a proud dad of two — his daughter Daisy (with current fiancée Katy Perry) and his older son Flynn (with ex-wife Miranda Kerr). Bloom also decided to literally wear his heart on his sleeve by getting a tattoo of his son’s name on his arm. But instead of going for the plain, spelled-out name, he opted to use Morse code (left photo).

His initial tat became a cautionary tale though, and served as an example on why we need to double-check before marking something so permanent on our skin. As soon as the actor shared a photo of it, people quickly pointed out that his code spelled “Frynn” and not “Flynn.” Thanks to the eagle-eyed fans, Bloom and his tattoo artist were able to correct the error (right photo).

7. Ayesha and Stephen Curry

One of the most loved NBA couples — Stephen and Ayesha Curry — took “matchy-matchy” to the next level when they got identical drawings etched onto their bodies in honor of their little ones. And these three geometric animal symbols held a special meaning for each of their children.

Ayesha shared that their youngest, Canon, will always be their young wolf. As for their two older daughters, they chose a butterfly for Ryan, and they picked a unicorn to represent their free-spirited and magical firstborn, Riley.

8. Joe Jonas

Celebrity couple Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner both got tattoos in honor of their grandparents before they were married. While Turner got a minimalist one on her pinky finger, Jonas opted for a more elaborate one — he replicated his “PaPa Miller’s” vintage photo, and the resemblance is amazing.

And it definitely wasn’t the first time this Jonas brother celebrated their family bond through body art. In 2012, he inked a symbol of intertwined strings, which he explained as two ropes (their parents) making four ends (four brothers).

9. Madonna

The American singer and songwriter has six children — her biological kids Lourdes and Rocco, plus her adopted ones named David, Mercy James, and twins Stella and Estere. And even if Madonna’s image has always been that of the wild and rebellious type, she surprisingly didn’t get any tattoos until she was 62 years old.

The Instagram post, which she adorably captioned “Inked for the very first time” as a nod to one of her famous songs, showed the initial letters of her children’s names marked on her wrist. And just recently, she shared a video showing off another tat that was made as a tribute for her mom — the word “Maman,” which is French for mother.

10. Jonah Hill

Sibling bonds are probably one of the most special relationships anyone can have, and the Oscar-nominated actor didn’t hold back in expressing his love for his younger sister, Beanie Feldstein. Hill had the phrase “Hello, Beanie!” tattooed on his arm. It was a wink to Feldstein’s first Broadway role in the musical revival of “Hello, Dolly!” and it was such a sweet gesture to show his big brother support.

11. Dax Shepard

When Kristen Bell’s hubby appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, the host noticed a tiny emblem on Shepard’s ring finger. When she asked him about it, the comedian admitted that he isn’t fond of wearing jewelry, and jokingly said that he still felt obliged to warn women that he was taken, so he went for an unconventional wedding band.

Luckily, his wife’s last name is also an object that he can easily tattoo on his finger. He added that the bell pattern also features the letters “K, L, and D” — which are the initials of the couple and their firstborn daughter.

12. Brooklyn Beckham

The eldest son of one of Hollywood’s long-standing couples — David and Victoria Beckham — recently exchanged “I Do’s” with model Nicola Peltz. Even before their wedding, the two already shared their public displays of affection on social media. However, a rather more permanent declaration of Beckham’s love can be seen through a sizeable tattoo on his back.

The eyes on his neck are assumed to be Peltz’s, and below it is a text from his former fiancée’s love letter.

It reads, “My forever boy, read this anytime you feel anxious. I want you to know how deeply loved you are. You have the kindest heart I’ve ever met, and I hope I never go a day without your love. I think you are so incredible. Just know, we can get through it all together if you breathe slow and trust. I love you beyond. Love always, Your future wifey.”

If you were to design a tattoo in honor of your loved one, what would it look like? And if you already have one, please send us a photo through the comments section, we’d love to see it.