They say that celebrities are just like everyone else, and since everyone else on Earth has tattoos, so do celebrities. However, being in the public eye at all times can influence some strange tattoo ideas. From flashy and bold to thin and subtle, or just downright silly, here are the most interesting celebrity tattoos...
Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott
To celebrate a major milestone in their relationship, Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner got matching butterfly tattoos. Even after her mishap with Tyga, Kylie felt comfortable enough with her relationship decision to get this tat with her current boo. Don't worry, a tattoo this small is extremely easy to cover up if need be.
Ariana Grande
To commemorate her and her crew's Manchester roots, Ariana Grande and other members of her stage act got these matching bee tattoos backstage before a show. Grande and her crew got this tattoo on the year anniversary of the terror attacks on Manchester Arena, right after Grande came off of the stage from her performance. Grande is one of the thousands of individuals that share this tattoo in memory of the 22 individuals that lost their lives that night.
Kylie Jenner
Kylie went a little nuts when she turned 18 and was finally able to get tattooed. She went to celebrity tattoo artist Bang Bang to get this done. This tattoo is the phonetic spelling of the word "sanity," and it's rumored that she might have the phonetic spelling of "insanity" on her other hip.
Lady Gaga
Gaga added this trumpet to her collection to commemorate a collaboration that she shared with Tony Bennett. For those who don't know, Tony Bennett is famous for his writing of show tunes and pop songs with his hired big band that has a particularly large brass section. This trumpet, and Bennett's signature, are forever immortalized on the inside of Gaga's right arm.
Emma Watson
Watson was first spotted with this cursive tattoo on the runway while attending the Vanity Fair Oscars party. This tattoo reads "Times Up," which is linked to the #TimesUp movement to end sexual harassment against women. Our resources show that this tattoo was actually just done with temporary ink, which may be good for Watson because there is a grammatical error since there is no apostrophe between the "e" and the "s" in "times."
Miley Cyrus
Miley gets tattooed so frequently that it's difficult to keep up. However, one of her more recent additions showcases her favorite canine friend. This is a portrait of Miley's dog Mary Jane!
Lady Gaga
This enormous death moth tattoo has several meanings on top of Gaga's actual justification for getting the piece. The death moth symbolizes the death and rebirth of a person, often a turning point piece for individuals who seek to change their lives in major ways. However, Gaga got it because she was opening for Metallica at the Grammy's and she thought it would make her look more bad-ass. According to our assessment, it does.
Halsey
This singer/songwriter broke down the meanings of many of her tattoos to iHeart Radio recently. Evidently, the upside-down horseshoe tattoo on her shoulder is a statement about bad luck. According to Halsey, she doesn't need good luck to get where she's going, so she's accepting the risk of having bad luck.
Dakota Johnson
Johnson revealed this new ink while she was shooting a promotional commercial for the Suspiria remake at the Venice Film Festival in 2018. As it turns out, her husband, Chris Martin, also has this matching tattoo. It's difficult to see, but the tattoo is an infinity symbol with two X's on either end of the sideways figure eight. The significance of the tattoo is unclear, but if we had to make an assumption, we would say that it's a devoted couple's tattoo.
Sophie Turner
This Game of Thrones star has been getting regularly inked up since she concluded the eighth and final season of the legendary show. Evidently, she got this tattoo the day the show ended. The "G" is intended to symbolize her relationship with her grandfather, who has since passed.
Paris Jackson and Macaulay Culkin
We've got a two-for-one deal on these tandem tats that you're not going to want to miss. Mac-Culkin and Paris Jackson share a special bond, specifically, a godfather-goddaughter bond. These two got these matching spoon tattoos to celebrate an inside joke that they both share.
Miley Cyrus
Miley is back with another sick tat. If you look under her left armpit, Miley has a V with a sunflower growing out of it tattooed just beneath the pit itself. This is the international vegan symbol, likely solidifying Miley's commitment to being vegan for life.
Emma Stone
Emma Stone got these tattoos to commemorate her mother and her love for the Beatles. When she found out her mother had beaten cancer, she and her mother both got these matching tats on their wrists. These little crow's feet are a reference to the song "Blackbird" by the Beatles. Both Stone and her mother share a mutual love for the Beatles and have this song, in particular, to accredit to the positivity of their relationship.
Miley Cyrus
Breaking News! Miley Cyrus recently got a new tattoo at the Shamrock Social Club in Los Angeles. Instead of sharing the news with her fans herself, her tattoo artist, Dr. Woo, shared this image on his Instagram. Evidently, this is another one of Miley's dogs. This one is a Shetland sheepdog named Emu.
Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato has been getting more and more tattoos as time has gone on. However, she got her most recent statement piece done right before the Time 100 gala. This lion was intended as a tribute to the essay that Ariana Huffington wrote about Lovato earlier this year.
Sam Smith
Sam Smith recently got this addition to their tattoo collection to represent their views on gay marriage and the equality of everyone. They got this on their ring finger to signify their commitment to the cause, essentially saying that they're married to the idea. They have a multitude of other tattoos, but this one stands out above the rest.
Nicki Minaj
The Chinese script on Minaj's arm was inspired by her connection to faith and spirituality. The symbols translate to "God will be with you," but not exactly. There is no distinct word for God in Chinese script, so it translates closer to "holy one will be with you."
Zayn Malik
This former One Direction heartthrob got covered in tats after his tenure with the boy band ended. One of his most notable tattoos is the word "love" across his right hand. Malik stated recently that this gesture is a testament to his partner and soon-to-be baby mama, Gigi Hadid.
Kendall Jenner
Jenner herself didn't release any story behind this tattoo, but her artist decided to break protocol and tell the paparazzi what this was all about. According to celebrity tattoo artist JonBoy, Jenner got this tiny dot tattoo to signify that "it's the little things that matter." She chose the color white so it wouldn't interfere with her modeling career.
Evan Rachel Wood
You've seen her on Westworld, but have you seen her back tat? Wood's only visible tattoo is a quote from the Pink Floyd song "Shine on You Crazy Diamond." The tattoo reads "all that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream."
Hailey Baldwin
Evidently, Baldwin got these tattoos done just one week before her wedding ceremony with the infamous Justin Bieber. Along with these hand tattoos, which Baldwin has gone on record saying that they have no meaning, she also blasted the left side of her neck. The jury is out on what her neck tat says, but individuals speculate that it says either "loyal" or "laugh."
Britney Spears
Spears got this tattoo to match with her (now ex) husband Kevin Federline. He has a set of blue dice on his left wrist, while she chose to do pink. Fortunately, this one should be an easy coverup.
Colin Farrell
Even in today's day and age, Colin Farrell hasn't given up on the principles of "true love." The tattoo on Farell's left peck reads "love no matter." Apparently this is a reference to his belief in true love and the healing power of human relationships.
Justin Bieber
Much like the other celebrities on this list, Beiber is a fan of single-needle subtlety in his highly-visible areas. This tiny face tattoo was a couple's tattoo that Bieber got with his then-fiancee, now wife, Hailey Baldwin. The tattoo reads "Grace," and although the tattoo's significance is not known, we do know that Bieber got this tattoo removed a few months ago.
Miranda Lambert
Lambert regretted this forearm tattoo of two six-shooter guns pointing at a rose when she got it to honor her success as a performer. But, as the years went by, this tattoo became part of her iconic image. In fact, tons of people have gotten this same tattoo to commemorate her on her stranglehold on country music.
Presley Gerber
At just 20-years-old, Presley Gerber got his first face tattoo. The small print reads "MISUNDERSTOOD" as if the people that look this man in the eyes need to understand that before they continue a conversation with him. Some think this tattoo was ill-advised, others praise it, but ultimately, this was his choice to make.
Tim McGraw
Even though this is a stereotypical Christian tattoo, this has a different meaning to the country star. When he began his career, McGraw was internally conflicted as to whether he was doing the right thing for his life. Then, he found God and trusted his heart. Now, he's a superstar.
Kevin Jonas
The oldest Jonas brother decided to get this ink to honor his wife, Danielle, earlier this year in October. This small, single-needle tattoo depicts his wife isolated from a picture that was taken of her earlier on that year. In the original photo, Danielle was actually walking six corgis at the same time, all while holding her dress up.
Anne Hathaway
The "M" tattooed on the inside of Hathaway's wrist is a mystery. Anne has never said anything about it to prying journalists, so the public is in the dark. The most popular theory is that Hathaway got the tattoo to commemorate her relationship with her brother, who's name is "Michael."
Miley Cyrus
Miley got this one as a tribute to her father, Billy Ray Cyrus. He is often outspoken about being against his daughter covering herself with tattoos, but this one was a little different. He proudly posted this photo on his Twitter praising his daughter for finally getting a tattoo he loves.
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga has a ton of really cool tattoos, and this one is one of the public's favorites. When David Bowie died, Gaga decided to get this done. She debuted this tattoo at the Grammy's during her legendary tribute to Bowie.
Ruby Rose
Rose is completely covered in tattoos for the most part. One of her most recent and most notable is this Pantone sheet that she got tattooed in the center of her back. Apparently, her tattoo artist had a ton of colors that they wanted to try out and Rose offered her skin for science.
Miley Cyrus
This pretty lady on Miley's arm is actually a co-opted work by the 20th-century artist Henri Matisse. This particular piece is from a work that Matisse titled "Dance Me to the End of Love." When Miley posted these photos on Instagram, she included the caption: "Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin. Dance me through the panic till I'm gathered safely in. Touch me with your naked hand or touch me with your glove. Dance me to the end of love." This is a quote from Leonard Cohen. Her reasoning behind this tattoo is vague albeit powerful.
Kaia Gerber
Gerber showed off some new ink just three days after her brother, Presley Gerber, debuted his newest face tattoo. Gerber captioned her Instagram post behind this image "Elf," which presumably has some hidden meaning between her and her brother. The angel, heart, and script arent the only bits of ink that this 18-year-old has. She also has some flowers tattooed on her wrist and some dots and shapes elsewhere. Her tattoo artist has yet to be revealed.
Kylie Jenner
After breaking up with her former boyfriend, Tyga, Kylie Jenner decided to blast over a former bad decision. To honor their relationship, Kylie got a lowercase "t" tattooed on her left ankle. However, after they split, Kylie got this reworked to say the word "la."
Justin Bieber
Bieber got this tattoo to try and keep himself on a good track for success in the future. In the Instagram caption associated with this tattoo, Bieber stated "[When] I look back at a lot of things in my life, mistakes, insecurities, and although I have felt I've wasted a lot of time it also makes me want to be better faster! For me personally, I want to work every day to be BETTER AT 70." This is a statement that more people should live by.
Carey Mulligan
Mulligan attributes this tiny seagull tattoo to the fact that she got her role in Shame. She mentioned in her audition that she wanted to get a seagull tattoo to remind her of the character that she played in the stage performance of "The Seagull." This ambition, the conversation, and the decision to get this tattoo ended up landing Mulligan the role.
Lady Gaga
To commemorate the creative team that helped Lady Gaga reach her level of fame, Gaga got the word "Haus" tattooed on the back of her arm because she calls her team "Haus of Gaga." This tattoo was the 20th addition to Gaga's collection.
Justin Bieber
The Biebs has this bear tattooed on his chest. He nestled it right in between his mother's birth year (shown here in Roman numerals) and the cross that he got to symbolize his connection with Christianity. The bear tattoo symbolizes inner strength and confidence.
Lily Collins
This foot tattoo reads "the nature of this flower is to bloom." According to Collins, the single pedal that is falling off of the rose is to indicate that even though she may seem delicate, she is as strong as a rose. She got the tattoo done after she finished shooting "Love, Rosie."
Demi Lovato
Lovato debuted this on Snapchat while she was still under the needle. These two large roses were put in place to compliment the tattoo on her wrist that says "stay." Apparently she got her back tattooed the same day, but we have yet to see those results.
Sofia Richie
Tons of celebrities love getting tiny script tattoos. For them, their bodies are their jobs essentially, so large statement pieces seem like blemishes on an otherwise flawless resume. Because of that, she has several small, hidden tattoos. The highlighted one here is the initials "MBR" that she etched into her finger for her brother, Miles Brockman Richie.
Kylie Jenner
We didn't highlight the original "t" tattoo as much as we initially wanted to. For some backstory, Kylie Jenner claims that Tyga pressured her into getting this tattoo for him. He denies ever doing this.
Vanessa Hudgens
Hudgens got this tattoo when she was 22. This was the first tattoo that she ever got, and initially, she wanted it to be more concealed on her neck. She wanted to get this tattoo because her name, Vanessa, means butterfly in Latin.
Amanda Seyfried
Seyfried explained the meaning behind this foot tattoo on live television when she made an appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers a few years ago. This tattoo reads "minge," which evidently is a slang term for the word vagina in England. Since she spends most of her time in America, where this word means nothing, she got this tattoo to match with her friend, who has since gone unnamed.
Kendall Jenner
Jenner talked tats when she was invited on the Ellen DeGeneres Show some time ago. When questioned about her most unique attribute, Kendall pulled her lower lip forward to reveal the word "meow" to the audience. According to her, she got the tattoo when she was drunk and not thinking clearly. She admittedly doesn't regret getting it one bit.
Megan Fox
Megan Fox is a bit more famous for the tattoos that she's had removed versus the tattoos that she actually still has. Her only currently visible tattoo is on her shoulder that reads "we will all laugh at gilded butterflies." This is a quote from Shakespeare's "King Lear," which is one of the most notably slept on Shakespeare works to date.
Kylie Jenner
Jenner kept this tattoo a secret for quite a long time. It wasn't until recently that she finally cracked and talked to the media about it. Evidently, she got this tattoo to commemorate her grandmother. This is her grandmother's name written in her grandfather's handwriting.
Justin Bieber
Justin added this "SONOFGOD" tattoo when he was on tour in Italy in 2018. He allegedly stopped at one of the highest-rated tattoo spots in Bologna, got this finished in 45 minutes, and then immediately went to the venue he was playing at in under two hours. Since then, Justin has covered this tattoo up.
Kelly Osbourne
Osbourne has both sides of her head tattooed. Her most recent addition to her head tattoo collection says "solidarity," which she got to show her solidarity for the individuals that lost their lives in the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida. On the other side, she has "stories" tattooed, which has not been elaborated on whatsoever.
Jessica Alba
According to a testimony she made while on The Late Show with Colbert, Alba confessed that she got this tattoo after her first breakup. This lettering means "lotus" in Sanskrit. According to her, this signifies the manifestation of spiritual beauty from within.
Demi Lovato
This is Lovato's most carefree tattoo that she's showed the public. There is no explicit meaning or sentiment behind this one, other than the fact that she's saying that this is her body and she can tattoo it if she wants to. According to an Instagram testimony, she stated that "Life's too short not to tattoo your pinky."
Selena Gomez
Gomez got this tattoo in Arabic to hide the meaning from those who are unable to read the language. This roughly translates to "love yourself first." She stated that she got this piece when she was most active in her campaign to promote female empowerment and self-love.
Amy Schumer
Schumer hasn't spoken about her relationship with her only tattoo whatsoever. Although it seems like a drunken mistake while out partying in Miami, Schumer must have some sort of personal connection to it. In fact, she named her biography "The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo."
Miley Cyrus
According to our sources, Miley got her first tattoo when she was just 17 years old. Her first tat ever was the statement "just breathe" under her left breast. She has gone on record saying that she got this as a tribute to her friend and both of her grandfathers that had died of lung cancer.
Lady Gaga
This script tattoo is a bit of a deep cut even for those who like old German literature. This quote reads: "In the deepest hour of the night; Confess to yourself that you would die if you were forbidden to write; And look deep into your heart where it spreads its roots, the answer; and ask yourself, must I write?" when translated to English. This was written by a poet named Rainer Maria Rilke, and it was quoted from a book titled "Letters to a Young Poet."
Jennifer Aniston
This is Jennifer Anniston's only tattoo. She got it as a tribute to her dog that passed away in May of 2011. His name was Norman, and he would fall asleep on her feet every night before he passed.
Christina Ricci
This tattoo is almost as precious as the person who got it. The bubbly lion on Ricci's back is supposed to be Aslan from The Chronicles of Narnia. This is Ricci's favorite book series.
Johnny Depp
Depp has stated that this tattoo is the most important of the 37 that he has gotten over the course of his life. Located in the crook of his left thumb, the number three symbolizes his infatuation with the "trinity" of the universe and "magical" numbers. Deep says that he is deeply connected to the significance of numbers, the number three being the most fascinating to him.
Rihanna
This shark tattoo actually has a twin on another very famous musician that Rihanna has worked with on many an occasion. Drake has the same one. Both of these tattoos are supposed to symbolize the former relationship that the duo used to have. In particular, this is a reminder of their second date, when Drake took her to the Toronto aquarium and surprised her with a stuffed shark.
Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber doesn't love to tell the story behind his tattoos, but this particular one has some serious significance. This tattoo is to commemorate the "king of pop" Michael Jackson. Bieber got this after Jackson's death because he was one of his all-time idols.
Brooklyn Beckham
Beckham got this tattoo on his bicep to commemorate his passion for, well, photography. This was a gift to himself for being patient and allowing his passion to drive him to higher heights than he ever dreamed of. He did not come from money, and he did not have any help on the way to the top. His work spoke for him.
Kesha
Kesha has a lot of tattoos. But, this particular tattoo of a psychedelic whale stands out among the rest. According to her, this is the first of many psychedelic sea creatures that she plans to permanently stab into her body.
Sara Hyland
Hyland got this tattoo to represent joy and lightness in her life. She stated that the hummingbird is an independent and resilient animal, and she wants to embody that feeling. This was Hyland's first and only tattoo as of right now.
Ruby Rose
Rose got this crude drawing of a crown tattooed on her to commemorate Jean-Michel Basquiat's life. Since then, she has gotten a portrait of his face tattooed on her left shoulder. She believes that Basquiat was one of her largest influences throughout her career.