10 Celebrity Tattoo Meanings

Many celebrities seem to be getting tattoos, whilst some of them are meaningless and just there as eye candy, a lot of celebrities get tattoos because of what they represent. Here are 10 examples of celebrities with meaningful tattoos.

#1: Demi Lovato
Demi has fourteen tattoos, but one in particular is on the right side of her ribs and it says ”you make me beautiful”. The phrase comes from the song ”Beautiful” by Bethany Dillon. Demi says that the song changed her life, inspired her and helped her through a tough time. She got the quote from the song tattooed on her body so that she could look in the mirror everyday, see it and remind herself that she is beautiful. Demi has experienced a lot of dark times, and this song was her inspiration when she was dealing with self-image issues. This tattoo obviously means a lot to Demi. Demi first heard the song when she was thirteen and it changed her outlook on life. She connected with the song because of her issues with eating disorders, self-harm and low self-esteem. Her other tattoos are also just as important to her.

#2: Miley Cyrus
Miley has over twenty tattoos, but her first tattoo ever was the “Just Breathe” on the left side of her rib cage. She got the tattoo when she was just seventeen years old. The tattoo is a a tribute to her friend Vanessa who died of lung disease cystic fibrosis in 2007 and her grandfathers who both died of lung cancer. “It reminds me not to take things for granted, I mean breathing - that was something none of them could do, the most basic thing. And I put it near my heart because that is where they will always be.” Miley Cyrus said, talking about her tattoo.

#3: Cara Delevingne
Cara has many tattoos, but this specific tattoo is a matching tattoo with her friend, Jourdan Dunn, to celebrate their friendship. The pair nicknamed themselves ”DD” - because of their initials Delevingne and Dunn. For the tattoo design, they chose a ”DD” logo with the two letters interlocking. They got these tattoos done in 2014.

#4: Rihanna
Rihanna has around 21 tattoos altogether, but this one is probably her most noticeable tattoo. In September 2012, Rihanna got this tattoo as a tribute to her late grandmother. Alongside the picture of her new ink, she tweeted: ”Goddess Isis - Complete Woman - Model for future generations - #GRANGRANDOLLY - always in and on my heart.” The tattoo is of the Egyptian goddess Isis, who was depicted as the ideal mother and wife.

#5: Katy Perry
Katy Perry has seven small tattoos. This specific tattoo is on her left wrist and it says ”Jesus” - she got this tattoo when she was eighteen. Katy comes from a religious family, so she got this tattoo as a constant reminder of her religious upbringing, which will always be a part of her. In 2009, Katy said: ”I knew I wanted this on me because no matter what changes around me or how much I change, there’s not really an eraser for this.” She also said that when she plays the guitar, the tattoo stares right back at her - it’s like a reminder.

#6: Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez has four known tattoos. Her first tattoo was a tiny music note on the side of her right wrist. ”I was named after a singer (Selena Quintanilla-Perez) and music obviously has a big influence on me.” Selena explained to E! Online, talking about her tattoo. ”And there’s a lot of music stuff with my mom that means a lot to me, too.” Selena got this tattoo in February, 2012. The tattoo came shortly after Selena announced she was taking a break from music to spend most of 2012 focusing on her acting career. Perhaps music is a part of her even when she isn’t performing; this tattoo clearly means a lot to her.

#7: Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga has fourteen tattoos. One of them is a peace sign on the inside of her left wrist - the tattoo is a tribute to John Lennon, one of her musical idols. John Lennon was a major advocate of the anti-Vietnam movement and a believer in peace. Gaga says that her peace sign means ‘give peace a chance’ because she grew up one block away from where John Lennon was assassinated. Gaga is also a huge Lennon fan, so he inspired her in many ways. “The reason I wanted it upside down was because I wanted it to be a reminder to me that even though I always write fun music about sequins and panties and fame and money, that I make sure to always keep in mind the important things.”

#8: Cher Lloyd
Cher has 21 tattoos in total. One of the tattoos is on her right arm and it says ‘bosillo lleno de suenos’, which is Spanish for ‘pocketful of dreams’. The phrase comes from Alicia Keys’ song ‘Empire State of Mind’. Her ex-boyfriend told the press that she doesn’t speak Spanish, but she thought it looked pretty and liked the song. ‘Empire State of Mind’ is one of the songs Cher performed whilst she was on The X Factor. On The X Factor she explained why she liked the song: ”The lyrics basically explain how if someone wants something so bad, they have to get to the right places to get it. And it’s basically the story of me being on The X Factor today.”

#9: Ariana Grande
Ariana has three tattoos - her first tattoo was the heart on her toe which she got in April 2012 whilst recording her debut album. Its purpose is to serve as a reminder of this exciting time in her life (recording albums). She also has a song called ”Tattooed Heart” which is one of her favourite songs that she’s written. This tattoo is basically a reminder for Ariana of how much she loves what she is doing. Plus, it does look really cute, too.

#10: Justin Bieber
Justin has many tattoos, but in 2012 he chose a new tattoo. This time he decided to have a set of praying hands on his leg. He’s never been afraid to speak about his religious beliefs - the fact that he is a Christian and he believes that Jesus died on the cross for him is what inspired him to get this tattoo. It’s thought that the place of the tattoo is significant in that it’s one of the largest and most noticeable places on his body, and that it’s something significant.

Although some celebrities have tattoos without meaning and simply just for the look of them, most celebrities actually have personal reasoning for their choice of tattoos.