Tribal Dragon Tattoo Ideas

1. Standard Tribal Dragon Tattoo

Your standard Tribal Dragon Tattoo comes with deep, bold black lines, geometric patterns, and symmetrical shapes.

This Tribal Dragon Tattoo embodies what a good Tribal Dragon Tattoo is all about, paying tribute to the classic design in every way. 

2. Maori Tribal Dragon Tattoo

Maori are a culture known for their intricately detailed Tribal designs. Maori designs involve curvilinear shapes and spiral patterns, with each design having a specific meaning that reflects the wearer’s identity and personal history.

Common elements of the Maori Tattoo include the koru (spiral), which represents new life and growth, and various forms of lines and shapes that depict different tribal stories and symbols.

3. Polynesian Tribal Dragon Tattoo

The Polynesian Islands are another age-old Tattooing culture with magnificent Tribal Tattooing designs.

Polynesian Tattoos are used as cultural expression across the many islands of the Polynesian triangle, which includes Hawaii, New Zealand, Easter Island, and other Pacific islands.

Polynesian tattoos are made up of several geometric and symmetrical patterns, including spirals, lines, and oceanic motifs. 

4. Japanese Tribal Dragon Tattoo

Japanese Dragon Tattoos come with a lot of varying symbolism. From Wisdom and Guidance to the weather and seasons, there is so much your Japanese Dragon Tattoo can symbolize.

While it may be hard to differentiate a Japanese Dragon from a Chinese Dragon, often the only way to tell is by the number of claws the Dragon has. Japanese Dragons tend to have three claws maximum, with Chinese having four or five claws.

However, Chinese Dragons are also sometimes known to have three claws. 

5. Chinese Tribal Dragon Tattoo

Chinese Dragons Tattoos, while similar to Japanese Dragon Tattoos, they come with their own meanings.

Chinese Dragon Tattoo meanings can vary depending on the color of the Dragon. For example, a White Dragon Tattoo can symbolize purity and wisdom, while a Yellow Dragon Tattoo can symbolize power and good fortune. 

6. European Tribal Dragon Tattoo

While European Dragons have had a long history of malevolence, more modern interpretations of these mythical beasts have given them a brand new lease of life as guardians and partners.

You can spot a European Tribal Dragon Tattoo by its four legs and wings compared to its Eastern brethren’s short legs and wingless form. 

7. Infinity Loop Tribal Dragon Tattoo

An infinity loop is a symbol that looks like the figure eight rolled over onto its side. The infinity loop Tattoo can represent eternity, infinity, or limitless possibilities.

The symbol has no beginning or end, so it can also mean forever or always. An infinity Tribal Dragon Tattoo could symbolize the infinite power of the Dragon or your ultimate potential as you have the power of the Dragon within you. 

8. Spiral Tribal Dragon and Phoenix Tattoo

You don’t have to settle for just a Dragon in your Tribal Dragon Tattoo. Having a Dragon and Phoenix Tattoo in your Tribal design can symbolize peace and harmony.

This tribal design is really nice with the Dragon and Phoenix coiling around each other. Dragon and Phoenix Tattoos symbolize romance and marriage in East Asian countries. 

9. Tribal Combo Dragon Tattoo

Here is a cool Tribal Dragon Tattoo design. If you don’t want to go for a full Tribal style, try out a design like this where there are some elements of the Dragon having the Tribal patterns while other parts do not.

This Tribal Dragon Tattoo has great detailing along the scales, while other parts of the body like the legs have Tribal ink. 

10. Dragon’s Nest Tribal Dragon Tattoo

If you’re not content with just one Dragon, try getting a Tribal Dragon Tattoo design like this.

This Tribal Dragon Nest has a really menacing vibe to it. The Red Dragon Tattoo Queen looks incredibly fierce, surrounded by jagged shapes and other smaller Dragons. 

11. Rayquaza Pokemon Tribal Dragon Tattoo

Raquaza was the game mascot of Pokemon Emerald, the sequel to Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire.

Raquaza is the Legendary dual Dragon-Flying Pokemon that serves to end the conflict between Kyogre and Groudon. 

This Pokemon Tattoo depicts the battle of Groundon and Kyogre at the center, with Raquaza circling both. 

12. Patapon Dragon Tattoo

Patapon was one of my favoirite games growing up as a child.

I used to play it on the drives my father would take me on when he needed to deliver merchandise to other stores in Ireland.

God only knows how I didn’t get motion sickness playing a rhythm-based game while driving. This Tribal Dragon Tattoo is of one of the Patapon bosses Majidonga, the red stronger version of Dodonga who appeared in all three Patapon games. 

13. Floral Tribal Dragon Tattoo 

You can add other elements to your Tribal Dragon Tattoo to give it more symbolic meanings.

Flowers come with a lot of symbolism based around what flower you choose from so you should have no shortage to choose from. This Dragon Flower Tattoo has a nice spiraling Dragon surrounded by some florals. 

14. Toothless Tribal Dragon Tattoo

Probably nothing has brought Dragons to the forefront of modern media in recent years than Game of Thrones and the How To Train Your Dragon franchise.

Toothless is the partner of the series protagonist Hiccup, who, after trying to slay the Dragon initially, changed his mind and mended him back to health, starting an era of Dragon-Viking relations. 

15. Tattered Tribal Dragon Tattoo

Give your Tribal Dragon Tattoo a rougher and tougher look by giving it this tattered design.

This Tribal Dragon Tattoo has a great curved design, almost like a moon shape, with the Dragon’s wings having a jagged and torn aesthetic as if this Dragon has seen countless battles yet also comes out the other end victorious. 

16. Ouroboros Dragon Tribal Tattoo

The ouroboros is an ancient symbol of a snake or dragon eating its own tail and is often interpreted as a symbol of eternal life, death, and rebirth.

This Tribal Dragon Tattoo has a really great design with a brush stroke style for the body and a Tribal Tattoo design for the head. 

17. Dragonite Tribal Pokemon Tattoo

Dragonite is one of the first generation and 149th Pokemon in the Pokedex. Dragonite is the third and final evolution in the Dratini lineage of Pokemon.

Dragonite is a draconic, bipedal Pokémon with light orange skin with, large, grayish-green eyes, and a round snout with small nostrils. 

18. Coat Of Arms Tribal Dragon Tatoo

If you want to add some national identity or fictional identity to your Tribal Dragon Tattoo, try adding a coat of arms to your design.

Coat of arms were hereditary symbols dating back to early medieval Europe, used primarily to establish identity in battle. Arms evolved to denote family descent, adoption, alliance, property ownership, and, eventually, profession.

19. Blue Tribal Dragon Tattoo

If you don’t want your Tribal Dragon Tattoo to be the typical Black Dragon Tattoo then change the color of your ink to any you prefer.

This Tribal Blue Dragon Tattoo is really incredible with a lovely mixture of light and dark blue ink and a bit of green ink to boot. 

20. Charizard Tribal Dragon Tattoo

Charizard is one of the first generation of Pokemon being the final evolution of the very first fire starter Pokemon Charmander.

Although Charizard was my brother’s go-to starter, and mine was Blastoise, I still get teary-eyed thinking about the time Ash had to leave Charizard behind, and I always dreamed he would come back someday.

He did, in fact, return in episode 773 of Pokémon the Series Black & White "The Fires of a Red-Hot Reunion.

21. Eastern Dragon With Wings Tribal Dragon Tattoo

The normal depiction of an Eastern Dragon Tattoo is to have it without wings, which pays tribute to the classical design.

However, Tattooing is a form of self-expression and unique ideas, so you can choose to depict your ink however you feel like. This Tribal Dragon Tattoo has an Eastern Dragon shape but with wings. 

22. Colored Charizard Tribal Dragon Tattoo 

Back to Charizard again, but this time with a dash of color in it. Charizard was the game mascot of Pokemon Red, and its remake, Pokemon FireRed, appearing on the boxart of both games.

Charizard flies in search of powerful opponents to battle, and its fire will burn hotter as it gains experience.

23. Calamity Ganon Tribal Dragon Tattoo 

Ok, I already know I'll get a lot of criticism for putting this on my list, however, there is no mistaking that Calamity Ganon’s form looks more like a Dragon than a boar as it circles Hyrule Castle in the Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild game.

And plus, who can’t deny how cool this Tattoo design is of the malice form of the King of Evil from the the old tablets. 

24. Elegant Tribal Dragon Tattoo

Most Tribal Dragon Tattoos have sharp edges, pointed tongues, and a fierce-looking Dragon to their design. But it doesn’t always have to be that way.

This Tribal Dragon is super cute with a nice soft-designed dragon with some pointed but mostly smooth features around its body and a nice use of negative space at the center of the torso.

25. Flying Tribal Dragon Tattoo

To make your Tribal Dragon more dynamic, try having it in flight. Most Tribal dragon Tattoos look stagnant in nature, but adding spread wings such as this design makes the Dragon look like it is in motion.

One thing to be said, though, is that this design does look a little bit like a Phoenix. 

26. Tribal Trash Polka Dragon Tattoo

This Tribal Dragon Tattoo has both Tribal and Trash Polka elements within its design.

Trash polka is a tattoo style that combines realistic elements with abstract ideas, such as brush strokes, geometry, paint splatters, and patterns. This Red Dragon Tattoo is great, with nice deep coloring and a blogged design.

27. Blue Eyes White Dragon Tribal Tattoo

The Blue Eyes White Dragon is one of the most powerful monsters in the Yu-Gi-Oh! Universe, even rivaling that of the Egyptian Gods Obelisk the Tormentor and Slifer the Sky Dragon.

Even though Blue Eyes White Dragon is called White Dragon, its body is actually Light Blue in complexion. 

28. Dragon Head Tribal Dragon Tattoo

If you don’t want to go for a full-bodied Dragon Tattoo, then try just going for a Tribal Dragon Head Tattoo.

Having Dragon Head Tattoo by itself allows you to focus more on the detail with in the Dragons Face so you can be more intricate with its design.

This Tribal Dragon Tattoo is nice with large, deep black lines and a good use of negative space. 

29. Wyvern Tribal Dragon Tattoo

There is a debate as to whether Wyverns are considered Dragons or not, but we aren’t going to dive into that here.

Wyvers are classified as being two-legged or no-legged rather than four-legged winged dragons. This design depicts a Wyvern with no legs with a nice design.

30. Tribal Flygon Tattoo

Flygon, known as the Desert Spirit, is a Pokemon that hides in the sandstorms it causes by beating its wings.

Flygon is the 300th Pokemon in the Pokedex and is the final evolution in the Trapinch lineage of Pokemon. Flygon lives in the desert, and it typically works together with the Pokemon Krookodile in searching for food.

31. Dragonball Tribal Dragon Tattoo

If you’re a fan of the Dragonball franchise by the late legendary Akira Toriyama, then check out this Dragonball-inspired Tribal Tattoo design.

Dragonball was Akira Toriyamas masterpiece adventure series inspired by Journey to the West, which eventually evolved into a battle manga over time about a Saiyan from planet Vegeta who fights to protect planet Earth and the universe from danger while selfishly always looking for the next strongest opponent. 

32. Yin Yang Tribal Dragon Tattoo

If you want to add a more philosophical element to your Triabl Dragon Tattoo, then try making it a Yin Yang Dragon Tattoo.

Yin Yang is a Chinese philosophical concept that describes two opposite but complementary forces that interact to create a dynamic system.

Things Yin Yang Tribal Tattoo also doubles as a Dragon Tiger Tattoo with the Dragon representing Yang and the Tiger representing Yin in Chinese culture. 

33. Fire Dragon Tribal Dragon Tattoo

Add a bit of heat to your Tribal Dragon Tattoo by imbuing your Dragon with Fire. This Tribal Dragon is super cool, with the body of the Dragon being a deep red color, making it look like the Dragon’s body is made out of fire itself.  

34. Fire Spitting Tribal Dragon Tattoo

Just like the flying Dragon design makes your Tribal Dragon Tattoo look more dynamic, so too can adding fire to your design.

You don’t have to settle with fire breath, either. Modern interpretations of Dragons are known to breathe all kinds of elements, such as Ice and Electricity. 

35. Cracked Tribal Dragon Tattoo

If you want to make your Tribal Dragon Tattoo look like it’s built into your skin, add cracking effects around the design.

This design is super cool and makes the wearer's body look like it’s made of stone, with the Tribal Dragon Tattoo bursting so full of energy that it cracks the stone around it. 

36. Coiling Tribal Dragon Tattoo

To give your Tribal Dragon Tattoo a more traditional Eastern design, have your Dragon with nice sweeping coils to its design.

This design is a nice depiction of a classical Eastern Dragon, but what you might not realize is that it is holding the nipple, which pays homage to how Chinese and Korean Dragons hold onto a ball known as the Dragon’s Pearl.

37. Tribal Mega Charizard X Tattoo

Ok no more Charizard from this point onward, I promise. Charizard breathes fire of such great heat that it melts anything.

However, it never turns its fiery breath on any opponent weaker than itself. Mega Evolution was introduced in he Pokemon X and Y games and gave Charizard two mega evolutions in Charizard X and Charizard Y. 

38. Sword Tribal Dragon Tattoo

If you want to show off your warrior spirit, then add a sword to your Tribal Dragon Tattoo. Sword Dragon Tattoos can symbolize an individual's ability to overcome any obstacle or defeat any opponent, no matter how big or small.

39. Purple Tribal Dragon Tattoo

Finally, try adding a little purple to your Tribal Dragon Tattoo to add a little bit more vibrancy to the design.

Purple can stand from many things, from Royalty, Poison, or Darkness, so the reasoning behind your color is really up to you. 

This Tribal Dragon Tattoo with purple accents is really great, with the Dragon on its hind legs spitting purple fire. 

1. Tribal Dragon Tattoo On The Back

If you’re serious about your love for the Tribal Dragon Tattoo design, then there is no better place to get your design than on your back.

The back offers the most amount of space for you to go as big and as detailed as you like.

However, keep in mind that the bigger and more detailed you go with your design, the longer you will have to be under the tattoo gun. 

2. Tribal Dragon Tattoo On The Chest

The chest is another great space for big designs, particularly for men. While women will have less space with their breasts, good artists can make clever designs that take advantage of the female anatomy.

For men, the pectoral muscles offer a lot of of nice space, and the chest allows you to wear your chosen design off with pride.

3. Tribal Dragon Tattoo Idea On The Ear

For people who like smaller designs with their Tribal Tattoo, try getting one behind the ear. Minimalist Dragon Tattoos are perfect for those who love the design and its symbolism yet want to keep their design discrete.

Having a Dragon Tattoo behind your ear can symbolize how the Dragon whispers its ancient knowledge into your ear, guiding you in every step of your journey. 

4. Tribal Dragon Tattoo Design On The Shoulder

The shoulder is another great place for your Tribal Dragon Tattoo. While the shoulder doesn’t offer a lot of space, if you choose to get a design that synergizes with your shoulder shape, like in the design shown, it can really elevate your style.

This Tribal Dragon Tattoo of a Dragon spiraling around itself is really nice with the Dragons body looking like blades. 

5. Tribal Dragon Tattoo Idea On The Arm/Leg

Last but certainly not least, the arm and leg. The arms and legs are the go-to places for those who are looking to show off their Tribal Dragon Tattoo as often as possible.

If you live in a hot country, you should have no problem showing off both your arms and legs in the heat and if you frequent the beach quite often, then you can even have your Tribal dragon Tattoo up high on your thigh for all to see at the seaside.