20 Small Tattoos With Big Meanings | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

Meaningful Small Tattoos: 20 Tiny Designs That Speak Volumes

Tattoos with meaning you can't deny.

3.3M
A young woman expresses herself with a small tattoo that carries great meaning

In This Article:

It's tough to find perfect tattoos with meaning.

You probably want something permanent on your body to mean something deeply, but how do you choose a tattoo that will still be significant in 5, 10, 15, or 50 years? Over time, tattoos have lost much of their stigma and many people consider them a form of art, but it's still possible to get a tattoo you regret.

So here are 20 tattoos you can't go wrong with. Each tattoo has its own unique meaning, but don't blame me if you still have to deal with questions that everyone with a tattoo is tired of hearing!

SEE RELATED: "Please Stop Asking What My Tattoos Mean"

A semicolon

A semicolon tiny tattoo

A semicolon indicates a pause in a sentence but does not end. Sometimes it seems like you may have stopped, but you choose to continue on.

"A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor."

A smooth sea-inspired lyrical tiny tattoo

Unclosed Delta, Strategy Symbols

An unclosed Delta tiny tattoo

Top symbol: unclosed delta symbol which represents open to change. Bottom symbol: strategy.

Open Moon

An open moon tiny tattoo

"There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls."

Viking Symbol

A Viking symbol tiny tattoo

Meaning "create your own reality."

Greek symbol of Inguz

A Greek symbol Inguz tiny tattoo

Where there's a will, there's a way

Deer

A deer tiny tattoo

Psalm 18:33 "He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights."

'Ohm'

An Ohm tiny tattoo

Represents 4 different states of consciousness and a world of illusion: waking (jagrat), dreaming (swapna), deep sleep (sushupti), transcendental state (turiya) and world of illusion (maya).

Alchemy

An alchemy tiny tattoo

Symbolizes copper, means love, balance, feminine beauty, and artistic creativity.

The Greek word “Meraki" 

A Greek word tiny tattoo

To do something with soul, passion, love, and creativity or to put yourself into whatever you do.

Malin (Skövde, Sweden)

A Malin tiny tattoo

You have to face setbacks to be able to go forward.

Symbol meaning "thief" from "The Hobbit"

A thief symbol tiny tattoo

It was the rune Gandalf etched into Bilbo's door so the dwarves could find his house.

“Lux in tenebris"

A Latin phrase tiny tattoo

Means "light in darkness."

Anchor Tattoo

An anchor tiny tattoo

Symbolizing strength and stability, something (or someone) who holds you in place, and provides you the strength to hold on no matter how rough things get.

Ad Maiora"

A Latin phrase tiny tattoo

Translated literally as "Towards greater things." It is a formula of greeting used to wish more success in life, career or love.

A glyph

A glyph tiny tattoo

Means "explore." It was meant as a reminder for me to never stop exploring.

"Aut inveniam viam aut faciam"

A Latin phrase for a tiny tattoo

Means roughly, "Either I shall find a way, or I will make one."

Lotus Flower

A lotus flower tiny tattoo

It grows in muddy water, and it is this environment that gives forth the flower's first and most literal meaning: rising and blooming above the murk to achieve enlightenment.

The zen (or ensō) circle

A zen circle tiny tattoo

Represents enlightenment, the universe and the strength we all have inside of us.

The moon affirms life.

A moon-affirming life tattoo

It looks as if it is constantly changing. Can remind us of the inconsistency of life. It also symbolizes the continuous circular nature of time and even karma.



SEE ALSO: Sorry That You're Offended, But I Won't Apologize For My Tattoos

Report this Content
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less
Health and Wellness

10 Hygiene Tips For All College Athletes

College athletes, it's time we talk about sports hygiene.

4580
Woman doing pull-ups on bars with sun shining behind her.

I got a request to talk about college athletes hygiene so here it is.

College athletes, I get it, you are busy! From class, to morning workouts, to study table, to practice, and more. But that does not excuse the fact that your hygiene comes first! Here are some tips when it comes to taking care of your self.

Keep Reading...Show less
Jenna Pizzi and her mom smiling by a waterfront with a historic ship in the background.
Jenna Pizzi

There is always a time in the semester when you have about three papers, four tests, five assignments and two projects due within the same time period. Isn't that just the best?

It's almost as if the professors all plot against you just to make college even more stressful than it already is. No matter how many people try to make you feel better, no one ever compares to your mom. Moms always know exactly what to say.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

7 Jobs Your Roommate Has

She's got your back with everything that college throws at you.

3097
Cristina Yang and Meredith Grey in scrubs sit against a wall, smiling and enjoying a break.

If you are anything like my roommate and I, you have a friendship with your roomie. You’re lucky to have gotten a roommate that is easy to get along with and more importantly cool to live with. Whether you found her on Facebook or went random, a roommate is a big part of life in college. This list goes through some of the jobs that a roommate has that help you get through college.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

35 Things I Wish I Learned In My Freshman Year Of College

Just some relatable college student advice! Yes, you aren’t the only one!

2388
Towson University
YouTube

Freshman year can either be the greatest year, or the roughest year. It depends on your transition and how you adjust. For me, freshman year in college was one of the best years of my life. However, looking back, there are a few things that I wish I learned.

Now that I am a sophomore, I can finally do things a little differently. Here are a few things that I wish I learned my freshman year of college!

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments