Mythological Tattoo Ideas

Mami Wata Tattoo

Starting off with some African mythos, the Mami Wata is a usually female water spirit who is often described as a mermaid-like figure, with a woman's upper body that is often nude and the hindquarters of a fish or serpent.

In other tales, Mami Wata is described as being in a full human shape, but still not being one herself.

A Mami Wata mythological Tattoo can symbolize the wish for personal wealth and success, water and healing, and fertility. 

Dragon Mythological Tattoo Design

Dragons are mythological creatures that have stories on almost every continent in the world with Dragon Tattoos being one of the most popular Tattoo Designs there are.

This Dragon Ball Tattoo is of the three ‘Shenron Dragons’ within the Dragonball universe.

Ah Puch Tattoo Idea

Next, we have Ah Puch, also known as the Mayan God of Death. Ah Puch has several other names, the most notable being Cizin.

The name Cizin probably means stench, coming from the root "ciz," which means flatulence.

His name is said to mean Stinking One. According to Lacandon myth when a person dies Cizin burns the soul on his mouth and his anus. I see where he gets his name! 

Angel Tattoo Design

While we are not debating the existence of Angels in this article, one thing is for certain, there are no mentions of Angels in any religious texts as having a human appearance with white wings.

An Angel Tattoo can symbolize how purity, freedom and grace or can be used to show your faith in your Religion. 

El Chupacabra Tattoo

El Chupacabra or ‘Goat Sucker’ is a legendary creature in the folklore of parts of the Americas.

El Chupacabra is generally described as being reptilian and alien-like, roughly the size of a small bear, and with a row of spines reaching from the neck to the base of the tail. 

Hydra Tattoo

In Greek mythos, the Hydra is a giant, water-snake-like monster with many heads that lived in the marshes of Lerna with it being said that the teeth of the Hydra can raise the dead.

Heracles’ second labor was to defeat the Hydra that was terrorizing neighboring villages. 

Heracles cut off the beast's remaining immortal head with a Golden Sword given to him by Athena and placed the still-living head under a great rock on the sacred way between Lerna and Elaius.

A Hydra Tattoo can be a symbol or strength or a symbol of courage and adversity. 

Fu Dog Tattoo Idea

A Fu Dog is a Lion-Dog creature that protects the buildings it guards from harmful spiritual influences and harmful people who might be a threat.

Traditionally carved from decorative stone, the lions are always presented in pairs, a manifestation of yin and yang.

According to feng shui, the correct placement of the lions is important to ensure their beneficial effect.

A Fu Dog Tattoo is used for protection against harm and evil spirits. 

Death Tattoo Design

The personification of Death also known as the ‘Grim Reaper’ is a mythological being who causes death by coming to collect a person's soul, with others believing it only to be a ‘Psychopomp’, a being who merely guides your soul into the afterlife. The personification of Death takes many forms in different mythos, with the most well-known being a Skeleton in dark robes wielding a scythe. In this Mythological Tattoo, it seems like Death is taking a well-earned break from guiding the souls to the afterlife. A Death Tattoo can symbolize your acceptance that death is inevitable, so you try to live each day as if it is your last. 

Cupid Tattoo Idea

Cupid is often portrayed as the son of the goddess Venus and the god Mars. Although Cupid’s Greek counterpart Eros is generally portrayed as a slender winged youth in Classical Greek art, he was increasingly portrayed as a chubby boy. Cupid’s bow and arrow are the source of his power with anyone struck by the arrow will become filled with uncontrollable desire.

Mantis Tattoo

Mantis is a legendary South African mythological being who appeared at the beginning of the world when the earth’s surface was still covered with water. Mantis was the one who brought fires to humans teaching them how to cook after he stole a flame from beneath an Ostrich’s wing. This is why the Ostrich no longer flies, electing to keep his wings tucked to its sides to preserve the little fire he has left. A Mantis Tattoo can symbolize your good nature and willingness to help others as well as pay homage to South African mythos. 

Anansi Tattoo Design

This Spider Tattoo is of Anansi, an Akan mythological being known for its wisdom, knowledge, and trickery that often takes the form of a spider. Despite being a trickster,  Anansi often takes center stage in stories and is commonly portrayed as both the protagonist and antagonist. An Anansi Mythological Tattoo can symbolize your trickster spirit, for better or worse. 

Griffin Tattoo

The Griffin or Griffon is a being with the body, tail, and back legs of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle, with its talons on the front legs. As the lion was considered the king of the beasts, and the eagle was the king of the birds, the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful creature associated with gold deposits in Central Asia. A Griffin Tattoo can symbolize strength and royalty. 

Seraphim Tattoo

A Seraphim is a celestial or heavenly being originating in Ancient Judaism. This Mythological Tattoo of the Seraphim has become popular recently due to a social media video of ‘Biblically Accurate Angels’ which is an artist interpretation of what the Bible says. However, it is important to note that these depictions are just interpretations based loosely on quotes taken from the Bible as angels have taken many forms within the ancient book. 

Kitsune Mythological Tattoo

Kitsune are Japanese mythological beings that possess paranormal abilities that increase as they age and become wiser. While some myths depict Kitsune as tricksters, as foxes in folklore often do, other stories portray them as faithful guardians, friends, and lovers. Foxes, and by extension Kitsune, became sacred to the Japanese because they are the natural enemies of rats that eat up rice or burrow into farmers' rice paddies. 

Are you looking for Best Kitsune Tattoo Ideas and Theirs Meaning? Check out our article here!

Quetzalcoatl Tattoo

The Quetzalcoatl is an Aztec deity related to wind, Venus, the Sun, merchants, arts, crafts, knowledge, and learning. The name Quetzalcoatl comes from the Nahuatl language meaning "Precious serpent" or "Quetzal-feathered Serpent". Quetzalcoatl has many origins throughout history but in one myth he was born by a virgin named Chimalman, to whom the god Ometeotl appeared in a dream.

Fairy Tattoo Idea

Fairies appear in countless mythology mostly across Europe. Fairies were once thought of as deities in pagan traditions, but their influence dwindled with the introduction of Christianity. This Anime Tattoo is of Puck the Fairy from the Berserk franchise. Puck is an elf of the Pisky race and the first companion of Guts after becoming the Black Swordsman. 

Centaur Tattoo

The Centaur is a Greek Mythological being who has the upper body of a human and the lower body and legs of a horse who lives in the mountains of Thessaly. Centaurs are usually stated as being the children of Ixion and Nephele, where Nephele (a cloud made in the likeness of Hera) seduced Ixion in an attempt to prove his lust for the goddess.

Krampus Tattoo

Krampus is a horned human-like goat figure with one human foot and a very long tongue who is said to accompany Saint Nicholas on visits to children during the night of 5th December. Saint Nicholas rewards well-behaved children with small gifts, while Krampus punishes badly-behaved ones with birch rods. Modern interpretations of Krampus differ from his origins possibly due to Hollywood and TV series confusing him with other Central European mythical creatures.

Anubis Tattoo Design

Anubis, among many other roles, was the guide to the underworld in ancient Egyptian culture. Often depicted as a man with the head of a canine, he attended the weighing scale, which determined whether a soul would be allowed to enter the realm of the dead. An Anubis Mythological Tattoo can be a constant reminder to be a good person; otherwise, upon your death, you may not be allowed to enter the realm of the dead. 

Chimera Tattoo Idea

The Chimera was initially a fire-breathing hybrid creature from Lycia, made from different animal parts. The term "chimera" now has come to describe any mythical or fictional creature with parts taken from various animals. This Mythological Tattoo of a Chimera is of Gustave Moreau’s painting from 1867. 

Ra Tattoo

Ra is the ancient Egyptian deity of the Sun and one of the most important gods in ancient Egyptian religion. Ra was believed to be the first Phaoroh of Egypt but when he became too old and weary to reign on Earth he relinquished his throne and went to the skies. Ra’s duty was to carry the Sun across the sky each day returning to the underworld at dawn. 

Poseidon Tattoo

Poseidon one of the Twelve Olympians presided over the sea, storms, earthquakes, and horses. Poseidon was the protector of seafarers and the guardian of many Hellenic cities and colonies. Poseidon was the sixth son of the Titans Cronus and Rhea. Fearing his children would overthrow him, Kronos devoured each child one by one, however, Rhea deceived Kronos and saved Zeus’ life, who once was older, saved the lives of his siblings who then overthrew the Titans and became rulers. 

Heracles Tattoo

Heracles, the son of Zeus, was a divine hero in ancient Greek mythology. The greatest hero in Greece, the most famous of all tales, is the' 12 laborers of Heracles, ’ a series of tasks in Greek mythology that the demigod hero Heracles was tasked with completing. A Heracles Tattoo can symbolize strength, determination, and bravery, to name a few. 

Qilin Tattoo 

The Qilin is a legendary hooved creature in Chinese mythology. It is said to appear with the imminent arrival or passing of a sage or illustrious ruler. Legends state that the Qilin appeared in the garden of the legendary Yellow Emperor and in the capital of Emperor Yao as a testimony to the benevolent nature of the rulers. It’s also said that the arrival of a qilin foretold the birth of the great sage Confucius.

Minotaur Tattoo Idea

The Minotaur is another ancient Greek mythological being who has the body of a man but the head and tail of a bull. In the creation myth of the Minotaur, Minos asked Poseidon for a snow-white bull to prove the Gods' favor. Minos was meant to sacrifice the bull to honor Poseidon, but he kept it due to its beauty. Angered, Poseidon made Minos's wife Pasiphaë fall in love with the bull, and she would then give birth to the first Minotaur. 

Zeus Tattoo

Zeus ruled as king of the gods on Mount Olympus, being the sky and thunder god in ancient Greek myth. Zeus’ father, Cronus, wanted to devour him as a child after receiving a prophecy that one of his children would overthrow him. Zeus's life was spared by his mother Rhea after tricking Cronus, ultimately leading to the prophecy’s outcome. 

Yokai Tattoo Idea

Yokai are supernatural entities and spirits in Japanese folklore. Yōkai often have animal-like features but may also appear in humanoid form. There are many different types of Yokai in Japanese mythos, with some of the most common being Oni, Kappa, and the Tanuki. 

Harpie Tattoo

A Harpie is a half-human and half-bird, often believed to be a personification of storm winds from Greek and Roman myth. Harpies are usually depicted as birds with the heads of women, pale faces, and long claws on their hands. Harpies were agents of punishment who abducted people and tortured them on their way to Tartarus.

Cerberus Tattoo

The Cerberus is a multi-headed dog that guards the gates of the Underworld to prevent the dead from leaving in Greek mythology. Heracles was sent by the king of Tiryns, to bring back Cerberus from Hades as his twelfth labor. There are many interpretations of how Heracles captures Cerberus, such as Heracles fighting Hades, taming the beast with a lion skin, or Persephone welcoming Heracles and giving Cerberus to him "in chains" 

Unicorn Tattoo Idea

A Unicorn is a mythological beast described as having a single large, pointed, spiraling horn coming from its forehead. Unicorns are symbols of purity and innocence, and their horns are said to have healing powers that can purify poisoned water. This Unicorn Tattoo by nonleeink is phenomenal with some absolutely unique and stunning colors that would be hard to find anywhere else. 

Odin Tattoo

Although most associate Odin with Norse Mythology, Odin was in fact a widely revered god in Germanic paganism. Norse mythology contains most of the surviving stories about him with him representing things such as wisdom, death, and war. This Odin Tattoo is super cool with Odin having a modern interpretation of the Viking helm and one of his crows atop his head. 

Loch Ness Monster Tattoo

Maybe not such an ancient mythological being and some might consider it controversial, but the Loch Ness Monster, otherwise known as ‘Nessie,’ is a dinosaur-like creature said to live in Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. Nessie mania soared after a now-debunked photo of the beast was published in the Daily Mail on 21 April 1934. 

Troll Tattoo Idea

Trolls are beings in Nordic folklore who dwell in isolated areas of rocks, mountains, or caves and are rarely helpful to human beings. In some tales, sunlight turns Trolls to stone, so Trolls became associated with landmarks in Scandinavian folklore, being explained as formed from a troll exposed to the sun. 

Thunderbird Tattoo

The Thunderbird is a legendary creature in North American indigenous peoples' history and culture. It is a supernatural being of power and strength that can create thunder by flapping its wings. The Thunderbird is the most powerful of all spirits, and a Thunderbird Tattoo symbolizes power, protection, and strength.

Wendigo Tattoo Idea

The Wendigo is another North American mythological being from the Algonquian culture. It is a cannibalistic monster said to be a malevolent spirit that causes its victims a feeling of insatiable hunger, the desire to eat other humans. This Mythological Tattoo of the Wendigo is super cool, with it split in half but seeming like it is still alive. 

Mermaid Tattoo Design

This Disney Tattoo is of the Mermaid Ariel. Mermaids are an aquatic creature with the head and upper body of a female human and the tail of a fish. Mermaids have many varying stories about them, from being associated with storms and shipwrecks to alternatively being benevolent beings bestowing boons or falling in love with humans.

Kraken Tattoo

This Mythological Tattoo is of the Kraken. The Kraken is an enormous Squid or Octopus that is said to appear in the sea between Norway and Iceland. The Kraken’s first credited description was by Danish bishop Pontoppidan, who described it as an octopus of tremendous size with a reputation for pulling down ships. 

Raijin Tattoo

Raijin is a god of lightning, thunder, and storms in Japanese mythology. Raijin is often portrayed with aggressive features as he stands atop his cloud and beating on his den-den daiko drums. Raijin and wind god Fujin stand side by side in the Kaminarimon gate that guards the entrance to the Sanjusangendo temple.

Banshee Tattoo

The Banshee is a female spirit in Irish folklore who heralds the death of a family member. Banshee, meaning woman of the fairy mound connects her to the tumuli or "mounds" that dot the Irish countryside. The Banshee marks the death of a loved one by screaming, or keening, while sometimes being seen washing the blood-stained clothes of those who are about to die.

Leprechaun Tattoo

The Leprechaun is a supernatural being in Irish folklore, who is often depicted as a little bearded man, wearing a coat and hat, who partakes in mischief. The earliest reference to the Leprechauns is a tale where the King of Ulster, falls asleep on the beach and wakes being dragged into the sea by three leprechauns. The King captures them and they grant him three wishes in exchange for release.

Kratos Tattoo

While not being a real mythological God, Kratos was inspired by the tales of Greece before he found himself in the tales of the ancient Norse. Kratos was the son of Zeus who rebelled against the Gods of Olympus after betraying him. He would later find himself on a journey of introspection when he landed in Midgard as he journeyed with his son to fulfill his wife's dying wish. This Video Game Tattoo has the older Kratos set in the Nordic mythos with a Helm of Awe Tattoo behind him.

Thor vs Jormungandr Tattoo

During Ragnarok, Jormungandr releases its tail and emerges from the ocean, causing massive upheaval and flooding. Thor and Jormungandr face off and ultimately kill each other in their final battle. Thor manages to slay the serpent with his hammer, Mjölnir, but he only takes nine steps afterward before succumbing to the serpent's venom.

Fenrir Tattoo

Fenrir is one of the children of Loki which includes the previously mentioned Jormungandr. With the Gods growing fearful of Fenrir, they attempt to bind him. Having failed twice they enlist the help of the dwarves who invent Gleipnir, a bind that is incredibly strong and made from impossible ingredients. At Ragnarok, Fenrir breaks killing Odin, before he himself is killed by Odin’s son, Víðarr.

Baba Yaga Tattoo

Baba Yaga is an enigmatic figure in Slavic folklore, with stories of her being a help or a dangerous hindrance. This mythological Tattoo depicts Baba Yaga's house.  A hut that stands on chicken legs, her house can rotate on its legs, enabling it to face any direction and even has a mind of its own. 

Medusa Mythological Tattoo Idea

Medusa was one of the three Gorgons, described as a woman with living snakes in place of hair. The Gorgon’s appearance was so hideous that anyone who looked upon her was turned to stone. Modern interpretations have made the Gorgon look more beautiful, like in this Medusa Tattoo, perhaps in an effort to reflect themes of the dangers of lust.

Icarus Tattoo

This incredible Hand Tattoo is of Icarus. The story of Icarus gave birth to the idiom “fly too close to the sun,” as in the tale, Icarus and his father escaped their prison by constructing wings made from feathers, threads from blankets, clothes, and beeswax. Daedalus warned his son of his complacency and then of hubris, warning him to fly neither too high nor too low. Icarus ignored his father's plea and flew too high into the sky where the Sun’s heat melted the beeswax, plunging Icarus into the ocean where he drowned.

Yeti Tattoo

The Yeti, or Abominable Snowman, is an ape-like creature alleged to inhabit the Himalayan mountain range. Many attempts have been made to ‘prove’ the existence of the Yeti, using anecdotal visual sightings, disputed video recordings, photographs, and plaster casts of large footprints.

Cute Mythological Tattoo

Not everything has to be so serious when it comes to your Mythological Tattoo. If you love the symbolism associated with any of the designs we’ve already brought you then why not go for something cute like this adorable Cthulu and Baphemot Design?

Chest Mythological Tattoo

The Chest is a great place if you to take pride in your chosen Mythological Tattoo. This great design is of a Phoenix Tattoo. 

The Phoenix is a bird renowned for its ability to be reborn from its own ashes after its death.

Upon nearing the end of its life, the Phoenix ignites itself into a magnificent fire, only to emerge anew from the ashes, representing an eternal cycle of rebirth and transformation.

Mythological Tattoo On The Back

The back is the quintessential place to get your Mythological Tattoo if you want to go wild with your design. The Baphomet is a deity that the Knights Templar were accused of worshipping that subsequently became incorporated into various occult and Western esoteric traditions.

Mahakala Arm Tattoo

If you want to show off your new Mythological Tattoo as often as possible, go for one on the arm. Mahakala is a deity in both Hinduism and Buddhism who is often depicted as a protector and is associated with time, creation, destruction, and power. 

Japanese Mythological Tattoo On The Leg

The leg is another great place to show off your Mythological Tattoo often particularly if you live in hotter climates. Oni are supernatural, ogre-like creatures that are often giant, strong, and fearsome. This cool Tattoo Design has an Oni Japanese Mask Tattoo along with a Pagoda. 

Basilisk Mythological Hand Tattoo

Lastly, the hand is a great place to show off your new Mythological Tattoo all the time. While it is an easy place to show off, it is also a small place leading to a smaller design. The Basilisk is a legendary reptile reputed to be a serpent king, who causes death to those who look into its eyes. This Basilisk Tattoo comes from the Harry Potter series of films.