Home › Tattoo ideas
Heart Tattoo Ideas and Meanings: 20 Designs
The heart is probably the most tattooed symbol in the world. It's been on sailors' arms for two centuries and on Instagram feeds for two decades. Here's what each kind of heart tattoo means, with 20 designs from tiny to traditional.
What does a heart tattoo mean?
At its simplest, love. But the style changes the message:
| Heart style | Traditional meaning |
|---|---|
| Plain outline heart | Love, kindness, an open heart |
| Heart with a banner | Devotion to a person, usually named (Mum is the classic) |
| Sacred heart (flames, thorns, cross) | Faith, devotion and passionate love; from Catholic imagery |
| Winged heart | Freedom, or a loved one who has passed |
| Heart pierced by a dagger | Heartbreak, betrayal, or love strong enough to survive pain |
| Heart with an arrow | Falling in love (Cupid) |
| Heart with lock and key | Someone holds the key to your heart |
| Broken or split heart | Loss, or one half of a matching pair |
| Anatomical heart | Raw honesty, life itself, sometimes a nod to medicine |
20 heart tattoo designs
Small and minimal
1. Tiny outline heart
A finger, wrist or behind-the-ear classic. See more on our small love tattoos page.
2. Tiny solid red heart
Ages better than a thin outline and stays bright.
3. Single-line heart
One continuous line, sometimes with a word written into it.
4. Heartbeat into a heart
Popular for memorials and new parents.
5. Heart with initials
One or two letters inside or beside the heart.
Traditional
6. Heart and banner
The original love tattoo, with any name or word.
7. Heart and dagger
Bold, a little dark, and ages beautifully.
8. Heart with roses
Love plus beauty, a classic pairing. The rose alone carries the same meaning.
9. Heart with swallows
Love and coming home.
10. Heart with a lock
Pairs with a key tattoo on someone else.
Statement hearts
11. Sacred heart
Flames, thorns, a cross and rays of light. It works in bold traditional or delicate fine line.
12. Anatomical heart
Realistic, illustrative or even full of flowers.
13. Winged heart
Big on the chest or upper back, small on the wrist.
14. Heart made of flowers
Birth flowers for each family member arranged into a heart.
15. Crystal or gem heart
A faceted heart in colour, which suits neo-traditional style.
Personal hearts
16. Heart in someone's handwriting
Ask them to draw a heart, and get exactly that.
17. Fingerprint heart
Two thumbprints overlapping to form a heart.
18. Heart-shaped map
A place, outlined inside a heart.
19. Split heart for two
One half each. More ideas like this are on our couple tattoos page.
20. Heart with pet's paw
A paw print with a little heart for a central pad.
Where do heart tattoos look best?
- Tiny hearts: ring finger, wrist, ankle, behind the ear.
- Traditional hearts: forearm, upper arm, calf. These are flat areas where bold lines show off.
- Sacred and winged hearts: sternum, chest or upper back, where they can be symmetrical.
Not sure how much a spot will hurt? Check our tattoo pain chart.