When you were a child, did you ever wish you could turn into a mermaid? A dip in the ocean with friends made it easy to imagine what life would be like with a tail instead of feet. While you can’t exactly make that fantastical siren wish come true in the way your childhood self would hope, you do have a fun, more mature alternative. Enter: mermaid tattoos. After all, getting permanent ink is a cool way to express yourself and your individuality.
Traditional mermaid tattoos date back to the early 1900s. They were a very popular symbol among sailors and the sailing community, commemorating belonging. Mermaid tattoos also signify independence, magic, freedom, the ocean, and sexuality. The colorful siren design holds a lot of meaning, and you can choose to incorporate a special message in your own tattoo. There is no shortage of mermaid tattoo designs on Instagram to look to for inspiration, from minimal, fine-line designs to bold, realistic tattoos. They also vary in size, from small pieces to large-scale works of art. It can be a lot of fun finding the right motif to fit your style.
Fuel your obsession, and make your love for mermaids permanent with a new tattoo. Whether you’re searching for the perfect Little Mermaid tattoo or you’ve got your eye set on a simple mermaid design, we’ve rounded up 31 of the best options to get you started ahead.