20 Celebrity Tattoos That Have a Special Meaning Behind Them

Whether to commemorate an important event, for aesthetic pleasure, or to reflect a life belief, many celebrities have adorned their bodies with tattoos that range from discreet to striking. A well-thought-out tattoo can say much more than words or text, forming part of the life of each artist.

Bright Side made a new selection of celebrities with tattoos and what led them to put a permanent design on their bodies.

1. Jason Momoa

Jason Momoa has an eye-catching tattoo — its peculiar design that resembles black triangles lined up around his arm like a bracelet. According to the actor, this tattoo is a tribal symbol representing a shark, which is part of his family and provides protection against darkness.

2. Eminem

Throughout his career, Eminem has covered his arms with colorful tattoos with great meanings. Among them is the face of a little girl, who happens to be his daughter, Halie Jade, leaning on a bed of roses. He also tattooed the word “Proof” on his left forearm as a tribute to his friend, rapper Proof.

3. Ariel Winter

Ariel Winter got a tattoo of a tiger’s head on her back. Visually, it looks quite detailed despite being small and discreet, which caused quite a lot of admiration from her fans. She related the feline figure with protection, saying that she has always had protectors in her life.

Just as she got her back tattooed, she also got tattooed on different parts of her body. On her Instagram, she uploaded a video where she is seen with a snake tattoo on her forearm, which was designed by the same tiger tattoo artist, Dr. Woo.

4. Rihanna

Rihanna is also fond of discreet tattoos, the most visible being the phrase tattooed on her right shoulder. What is striking is that it was tattooed with the letters upside down so that it could only be read in the mirror. The singer gets up and reads it every morning to remember her life motto: “Never a failure, always a lesson.”

5. Lily Allen

Lily Allen has a total of 9 tattoos of different symbols that seem to form a bracelet on her wrist. Although she has not specified the reason why she got them tattooed, she has expressed that she has scattered feelings for different beliefs in the world, which she respects. She has also tattooed other signs in this line, like a smiley face, a little dog, and even Homer Simpson’s face.

6. Katy Perry

On her Instagram account, Katy Perry posted a status where she explained her tattoo of the planet Saturn located on her forearm. Her intention was to memorialize a trip taken a while ago that gave her many life lessons.

Sometime later, she would tattoo herself again but on her finger, after celebrating her show at the 49th Super Bowl. She chose to tattoo the number 49 in Roman numerals to reflect the great experience she had that night.

7. Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga wanted to pay tribute to the musical A Star Is Born with 2 tattoos, one of them being a pentagram. However, she made a mistake by featuring only 4 lines of the pentagram, something she managed to correct right away. The other tattoo is a rose on her back, which she posted on Instagram with the message “Happy Valentine’s Day,” explaining that it is inspired by the song “La vie en rose.”

8. Kendall Jenner

In an interview, model Kendall Jenner showed off a tattoo of the word “Meow” that she got on the inside of her lower lip. She said it was the first thing that crossed her mind when she spent a night with friends at a party. She had already tattooed other parts of her body and, even though they are so tiny that they are barely noticeable to the naked eye, they are quite reflective of her free spirit.

9. Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson has a peculiar tattoo that wraps around her wrist like a bracelet — it is in the shape of a chain with a small medallion in the shape of a T. On it are the initials “I” and “NY” with a heart in the center, which means “I love New York.”

She also has a large part of her back tattooed, where roses and a lamb stand out. The roses are thought to be a tribute to her daughter Rose and were placed next to the lamb, which she has had for quite some time.

10. Dua Lipa

After announcing a new album, singer Dua Lipa uploaded to her Instagram a photo where she shows a new tattoo on her arm, which consists of 2 words in cursive letters that read “Future nostalgia.” In the description of the post she wrote “Album title” next to a lock and a heart. She also stated that her album would have some “nostalgic” sounds.

11. Elsa Pataky

A few years before meeting her future husband, actress Elsa Pataky got a small tattoo of Thor’s symbol on her shoulder. At that time, she was only about 15 years old and it never occurred to her that she would marry the actor who would play the mythical Norse god in the Marvel movies, but she was attracted to the legend and wanted to carry it with her.

12. Megan Fox

Megan Fox has several tattoos on different parts of her body, from little details to phrases with artistic lettering. On the right side of her back you can see a phrase that says “We will all laugh at gilded butterflies.” This quote is attributed to writer William Shakespeare and reflects the value that the actress gives to life.

13. Bella Thorne

Although subtle, the small heart-shaped tattoo stands out on the skin of this actress who, after having gotten it, made a post on her Instagram saying how much she loved her “little baby,” along with some hashtags with words related to love and friendship.

14. Dwayne Johnson

This actor has tattoos on both of his arms and, on one of them, he wanted to reflect the Polynesian culture and his family’s heritage. He also wanted to represent his efforts and the success he’s achieved throughout his career. On the right arm, on the other hand, he tattooed the figure of a bull because it reflects his zodiac sign, which is Taurus.

15. Hayden Panettiere

This actress tattooed a phrase on her back in Italian that would mean “Live without regrets.” But the tattoo artist made a spelling mistake, because the word “rimpianti” appears with one “i” too many, so it reads “rimipianti.” However, Panettiere stated that she was proud of the tattoo.

On her Instagram account she posted a photo of a new tattoo she got on the back of her neck, which reflects the eye of the Egyptian god Ra, along with 3 small triangles, some lines bordering the well-detailed eye, and other little dots extending underneath. This symbolizes the cleansing of bad vibes, and bringing harmony and restoration in her life.

16. Paris Jackson

Model and singer Paris Jackson had a Yin and Yang tattoo done with her brother Prince Michael Jackson. While she used the Yang symbol, which would represent the masculine principle of the universe, he got the Yin tattoo, which would be the feminine principle. In addition to explaining the Chinese philosophy, Paris also commented on her Instagram, saying that, “sometimes I feel like my big brother and I always think the same thoughts...”

17. Lana del Rey

It seems that singer Lana del Rey likes letter tattoos, putting several of them on her hands. This is how she got the letter “M” tattooed on her left hand, which is the initial of her grandmother Madeleiney. She also has the phrase “Trust no one” on her back. On her right hand, on the other hand, the word “paradise” can be seen.

18. Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber loves tattooing his body so much so that he already has several figures on his skin. In 2020 he uploaded a video to his Instagram where he showed a new tattoo on his neck, which consists of roses. It was designed by Dr. Woo, a well-known celebrity tattoo artist, whom Bieber mentioned, thanking him for his work.

19. Dakota Johnson

Dakota Johnson has a combination of different tattoos ranging from figures to phrases. On her back she has a group of 3 birds with their wings outstretched and, as for the phrases, she got a tattoo on her foot that says “Look At The Moon.” According to the actress, she has approximately 11 to 12 tattoos all over her body.

20. Zoe Kravitz

Zoë Kravitz has a large number of tattoos on her arms, including an anchor, a feather, and a protective eye that protects her from everything bad in the world. She also has several on her hands, including dots and asterisks that form a cross on both wrists, a photo of which she posted on her Instagram along with the description “Late night stick n pokes.”

What moments would you like to remember in the form of tattoos? Which design would you choose?

Captivating the internet, A$AP Rocky recently shared rare and tender snapshots of Rihanna embracing motherhood with their son RZA. The photos reveal a side of Rihanna seldom seen by the public, showcasing her nurturing qualities and the beautiful bond she shares with her child. The post also included a photo documenting Rihanna’s second pregnancy, allowing fans to share in the couple’s joy and anticipation for their expanding family.