For a truly classic approach to ink, nothing can compare to the simplified symbolism of name tattoos. These personally compelling text-based icons are the absolute definition of smooth.
Name tattoos are today’s most important declarations of a personal connection with another person, especially a loved one.
Modern romance has been redefined by the inception of these innovative emblems.
These noble masterpieces are extraordinarily courageous and breathtakingly divine, and are part of the list of the 50+ best tattoo ideas. show the zenith of dedication with minimal space requirements.
Of course, the font is an integral element of any name tattoo design, so the typeface must be carefully deliberated. Cursive calligraphy is often considered the most romantic, but some men just prefer to keep it simple. remember, you should choose a format that appeals to the person being honored without compromising your own personal sense of style.
Commitment is especially important with name tattoos, so make sure your relationship is strong before you immortalize it in ink. wives and girlfriends are the most common subjects of this type of body art, so keep this in mind: if there is ever a fight between you and your lady, the ink may inadvertently serve as an impediment to future partnerships.
despite the little disclaimer, these creations are still number one. Behold the power of name tattoos with our wide range of exciting options below!
name tattoo ideas
Name tattoos on the chest or over the heart are reserved for the most special people in your life and are an extremely popular tattoo idea. this is a beautiful example of a child’s name written in large, flowing font. this work would have been implemented using a single needle to get the crisp and clear effect of the letters.
This tattoo uses an almost graffiti-style font to honor the man’s three daughters. It’s unique, as far as name tattoos go, because of the interesting “c” to start multiple names Chasidy, Chloe, and Chayla.
The beautifully crafted “a” in alexandra gives this tattoo a degree of classic style that’s hard to pull off. the tattoo artist did a brilliant job of keeping this piece clean and sleek – it flows effortlessly down the inside of the forearm.
This blake tattoo mixes graffiti found in the chicano style with a measure of polynesian tribal. it’s big and bold, and uses the letters of the name for shading rather than the flourishes around the name as you’d normally expect.
The inner upper arm tends to be a good spot for people looking to get words inked into their skin, as it’s a good spot to get a well-represented, balanced set of words. this example again uses a nice, flowing script to pay homage to this man’s three sons.
This is a beautifully executed calligraphic style tattoo with a Chinese font. the letters appear realistic creating the impression that the word has been painted with a horsehair brush instead of a needle.
This is a modern take on the Polynesian style, done with a gun and needle instead of a point and chisel. this piece travels effortlessly across the skin, with the color gradients creating a consistent pattern throughout the artwork.
This name tattoo is unique and refreshing. Here, the rope motif spells out the name Payton boldly along the man’s inner forearm.
this nicholas tattoo uses an unusual font to good effect. there is symmetry to the piece that the sharp edges at the bottom employ well to form a balance in the name.
This family name tattoo should be a source of great pride. in the first place, being touched in the ribs would have hurt a lot and for a long time. second, the cursive font is handled exquisitely, especially the flow from silver gray at the top to dark gray at the bottom.
This memorial tattoo combines some crisp lettering with the child’s handprint to create the entire image honoring his son Lorenzo. this type of work is a mainstay in name tattoos as society has become much more receptive to ink.
this version of alex is beautifully crafted. it is a testament to the tattoo artist that the flowing cursive font blends well instead of becoming overdone and difficult to understand. the small amount of dots in the tattoo is a nice and unique touch.
Bold graffiti-style tattoos are great when done with a little flair. this version of kristy goes like this: she creates the name of the part of the piece that is not tattooed and translates on the skin effectively in the rose work that comprises the rest of the body art.
what a beautifully drawn image – the use of the names jack and alice to form an extraordinary image of a fish is quite unique. the use of a single gauge needle to create a crisp, concise shade of black ink adds to the structure of this tattoo design, which may have been lost with the more traditional use of shadow.
This is a sublime use of font design to create a name tattoo on the inner forearm. the crisp black lines work perfectly to represent the names as if they were lazily drawn with a calligraphy pen.
A chest piece that uses great elements of traditional tattoos is always stylish. This tattoo uses the old school font with the classic heart in black to make a beautiful and balanced honorable piece of art.
Tattoos that incorporate things like heartbeat readings, EKGs, decibels, amps, and things that end in “gram” are generally great. Doing this tattoo idea with your child’s name and date of birth is great, especially with the ming jing font that seems to come straight from a top fashion brand and placed on daddy’s skin.
Unusually, a different way of doing the black heart tattoo with a negative space that forms a name is offered. this piece looks simple but is difficult to execute due to its overall solidity and the need for minute precision in word formation.
This is a bold inner forearm piece. the heavy black of the lettering would have needed a heavy gauge needle to create, but when finished it looks clean yet scary. the incisive and flowing cursive handwriting is reminiscent of the Turkish written word (see chest tattoo), especially that deftly flourished “l”.
This is a bold inner forearm piece. the heavy black of the lettering would have needed a heavy gauge needle to create, but when finished it looks clean but scary. the incisive and flowing cursive handwriting is reminiscent of the Turkish written word (see chest tattoo), especially that deftly flourished “l”.
Asian calligraphy lends itself to tattoo art due to its inherent beauty and fluidity. one thing to keep in mind though is to make sure the script is 100% correct in translation before you burn it on your skin – there have been many cases where the translation has been inaccurate or poorly selected which ruins the concept in full and instead gives you a piece of the local Cantonese menu to take away.
Carrying your family name on your back in traditional script is a common rite of passage for Polynesian men. this tattoo exemplifies that tradition-rich writing in large letters that flow across her broad back, with shadows and other flourishes adding flair and depth to the overall image.
This small inner forearm tattoo is a modern take on the popular cursive style. the twin “n” to end the name lynn is unique and well drawn. flowing highlights both above and below the name add balance and depth to the total image.
This is a unique take on the negative space tattoo. The piece features a unique style of shading to create a tinted gray to carve the words Robert Daniel. the tattoo is reminiscent of writing names in the sand and waiting for the tide to catch the letters.
charlie here is a big and bold outer forearm tattoo. the artist cleverly uses white ink to create reflections within the words. the first “c” is a cool and interesting character.
Taking a traditional band tattoo using a solid color and then creating a name tattoo from it using negative space makes for a vivid piece of art. By using the untattooed skin here amongst the solidity of blue/black, the names take on a rather emphatic tone.
This tattoo features a cursive style similar to what you would find in school textbooks when you were a child. you would need to be able to replicate fluent, well-organized handwriting to pass the test required to obtain your pen license.
inner bicep text for this brilliant piece that looks like a cross between using a fat marker and graffiti. the thick black text is a great effect enhanced by the highlights in the middle giving it a slightly shiny look and breaking up the one-dimensional coloration.
This piece features the Chicano-style cursive text popularly used in Hollywood gangster wardrobes.
another excellent execution of the tattoo of the newborn boy. the artist has created a clean and crisp text in juliana camilia, with the little lady’s handprint inked nicely just above the words.
This name tattoo uses some minimalist principles of full arrows in addition to the flowing cursive writing of each child’s name. it is a discreet and unique tattoo that features a sharp use of clean lines to create the finished product.
the position of these tattoos just below the clavicle bones is the highlight of this man’s commemoration of his sons miguel and liam. while he is inked in an awkward position, the well-drawn hollow writing creates an excellent effect on the rest of his untattooed skin.
This inner forearm tattoo uses a heavy shading technique to give the piece a graffiti effect, while the dark shading helps the artwork blend in with the other written tattoos next to it.
Instead of having the words in a heavy flat shade of grey, this tattoo uses clean, negative space to form the words and then inks them around. the highlights are done in almost a graffiti line width.
this is cute the name zahra is simply tattooed along the edge of the hand between the palm and the top. this area can be a tricky place to ink, but it has been done effectively this time by the artist, who hasn’t attempted to do so and instead used a relatively simple cursive.
This wrist tattoo is extremely cool with great attention to detail to create the forest theme along with the negative space that makes the name stand out.
Another tattoo using Polynesian methods, this work opts for a slightly narrower script and limits the shading to create a nice piece of art.
This tattoo is a nice, minimalist take on the increasingly popular genre of wedding bands. is a very small piece of cursive text that has been precisely inked in ink where a wedding ring would traditionally go.
This is a bold, large chest tattoo that uses the entire chest to make a strong, archaic script of letters. the shading work uses a lot of detail within the letters to help them stand out, while some simple highlights are provided to help connect the roman numerals to the rest of the work.
name tattoo frequently asked questions
how much does a name tattoo cost?
Like other tattoos, name tattoos depend on the size of the work, as well as the skill and renown of the artist making the piece you have chosen to permanently engrave on your skin.
A small name in simple Times New Roman font can be made quickly and cost as little as $100, while a full, commemorative family name done on the back in Polynesian tribal style can cost anywhere from $1,500 to $2,000 and take ten hours. to complete.
Most charges come by the hour: Less experienced artists charge between $75 and $100 per hour, while prices in the best studios reach $500 for an hour of work. Having a clear understanding of your artist’s hourly rate and expected time to complete your written piece is the best way to gauge potential cost.
Do name tattoos bring bad luck?
Name tattoos are some of the most popular and sentimental pieces of ink any man can opt for. they are not inherently unlucky, quite the opposite. When you think of your children, loved ones, or even the deceased special to you, written tattoos are immensely important and well worth the permanent commitment.
where men tend to have problems with luck and the written word tattoo falls under the relationship umbrella. Statistically, the tattoos that generate the most regret in their subjects are found within relationships that have ended.
Laser tattoo removal is gaining ground, but it can be very expensive. most requests start with the need to remove the lovers’ names. This is also the case for many cover-up tattoos, which can be tricky to execute and often require the services of expert tattoo artists to complete successfully.
It is highly recommended to take a cautious approach and stick only to the absolutes (kids, parents, family and football team) when choosing to get a name tattoo.
