Tattoo Design Ideas
170 Unique Heart Tattoo Design for Men and Women

What is Heart Tattoo?
This question is frequently asked. Though Heart tattoos are quite popular among people, who like to decorate their bodies with pictures.
Flower And Heart Tattoo Designs

How do you make an anatomical heart really pretty and girly? Add some realistic looking flowers.
Outline Of A Heart
This heart tattoo is really unique because it’s just the outline. It really stands out among the other designs as it is just one blank space in the shape of a heart.
Macabre Heart Tattoo
Nothing says “macabre” like ravens, guns, scissors, skulls, and a dark heart in the center.
Heart Of Many Loves
This heart has many pieces to it, clearly stating that this woman loves many things.
Sketched Heart Tattoo
This heart tattoo looks like it was sketched on, with an anatomical heart underneath a misshapen heart.
Dark Heart
This woman took the phrase “her heart was in her throat” and made it literal. The design is simple but the meaning is deep.
Heart As The Centerpiece
It almost looks like this heart was painted on, and you can see the brushstrokes. It is the boldest part of all these connected designs and acts as the centerpiece that draws your eyes.
Eat Your Heart Out Tattoo
These ravens are fiercely eating this heart, causing it to bleed. The design is wonderfully done, if dark.
Colorful Heart And Ravens
Ravens and hearts seem to go together really well. This version is very colorful and lets you see every different aorta and vein.
Winged Heart
This watercolor style tattoo makes the wings and heart look ethereal. It also makes it look as if the heart has splattered blood everywhere.
Misshapen Heart
This heart is barely recognizable as one. Perhaps it’s owner is saying his heart is also misshapen
Hidden Heart
In general, heart resembles human feelings, emotions and worries. More often it means love of course.
Heart And Photo-Realistic Faces
Placing a simple geometric design between very sophisticated designs like these faces makes the heart stand out.
The Heart And The Mind
This extremely well-done design wants you to think philosophically. “The heart is the first feature of working minds”.
Simple To Complex Heart

Heart is a never getting old symbol of love and romance, an embodiment of all alive and living humans strength.
Simple But Colorful Heart Tattoo Designs
Sometimes simple is better and this simple heart looks great with the pink splashed on. It also mirrors the eye on the other knee, creating a harmonious look.
Heart On Sleeve Tattoo
This guy is literally wearing his heart on his sleeve, for all of us to see. It is on the inner part of his arm though, so sometimes he can hide his emotions.
Leonardo Da Vinci Heart

The heart, along with the skull and the Vitruvian Man, are all sketches done by Leonardo Da Vinci.
Simple Heart, Complicated Design
Unless you’re looking for it, this heart may be hard to find. Just like hearts in real life.
Vintage Style Heart Tattoos On Wrist And Hand

Therefore, heart tattoos have always been popular with both men and women.
Realistic Heart
The design of this heart is so well done that it almost looks like it’s a photograph. The colors, shape, and veins look so real. It even looks like it’s still attached!
Heart Locket Tattoo
Bravery, friendship, love, the source of life, pain and suffering – all of these feelings are embodied in an old, ancient symbol of a heart.
Mandala Heart

This simple heart is made extravagant by the surrounding mandala designs.
What Exactly Heart Tattoos mean?
The meaning of this tattoo is different depending on who is wearing the tattoo, on color, shape and size as well. Heart tattoos belong to the Old School and of course the main meaning was and will be – love.
Family Love

When you love your family more than anything, you make sure everyone knows. Those flowers inside the heart look lovely, too. Heart tattoos with names are pretty common, and this is just a little spin on that style.
Hold On To My Heart

This vintage style heart has some good advice, to just keep holding on.
Nature In The Shape Of A Heart

This is just too cute! This person clearly loves plants and animals (specifically rabbits and bees).
A Heart With Good Advice

The old school followers have a saying – a beloved person may go away, but the tattoo will remain with you for centuries. If to step aside from a common perception of the heart, one can put all the possible meanings into such a tattoo.
Parental Love

A big influence on heart tattoo has a specific picture or composition in general.
Puppy Love

Additional elements or words can totally transform the meaning or make it more specific.
Decadent Heart Tattoo Designs

Everything about this tattoo screams extravagance and decadence, from the rich colors to the pearls and gold decorations.
Sweet Heart

This is definitely a different design and you won’t see it often. Well, at least she’s got a cute booty!
Molotov Cocktail Heart

This perfume bottle has been turned into a Molotov cocktail, as evidenced by the words “Molotov Inc” and the fire that is in the shape of a heart.
Eternal Love

This heart wants us to know that love is eternal, possible even after death.
Love For Tools

If you really love tools, this heart design might just be the one for you.
The most popular compositions are:

- broken

and

The Color Variety Carries Its Own Symbolism As Well
- Golden heart is a symbol of God, accepting him as the only source of life.


- Blackheart is on the contrary a symbol of grief and pain.





- White heart has officially become an international symbol of care for sick people.

Meaning Tattoo Heart In The Culture
The shape of the heart is well known in religion as well: every year Catholics celebrate the holiday of Jesus Christ holy heart.

Heart with crown horns became a symbol of sacrifice, lost love and disappointment.

Talking about Buddhism for example, heart is associated with Dharmacakra, which literally means “wheel of law” and resembles the perfectionism of our universe, as well as it can mean compassion and spiritual devotion.


As it was stated above, heart tats are welcomed by men and women as well, though they chose different spots on their body to place the ink.
Women prefer mostly small, accurate tattoos and place them usually close to the breasts.
In case the tattoo is quite big in size, then it is better to draw it at the lower back.

Men prefer big tattoos, containing the name of beloved woman or mother.



Such a tradition comes from sailors who left and still leave homes for long months.
Men choose hands or shoulders for such tattoos.

Heart Tattoos Designs
The design of heart tattoos varies in shape, size and colors.
If we talk about the style, we shouldn’t forget that heart is an integral attribute of American culture, which is usually accompanied by phrases or words. In most of the cases the names of beloved people prevail.

The most common designs are as follow:
- Winged heart tattoos.
They symbolize freedom of life, thoughts or ideas. They can also show the freedom from narrow- mindedness of its beholder.

- Broken heart.
It is obvious, that such design symbolizes the beloved or close person’s loss, and serves as a reminder, that this person is always with us, in our heart.

- Lock and heart tattoos holds a strong meaning for those who are in love.


It shows that their heart belongs to one person only, and the key to unlocking it is with that person.

- A stitched heart tattoo can carry both positive and negative meaning as well.
It can mean that the heart was finally healed, or on the contrary – reflect again loss and grief of its beholder.




- Flaming heart tattoo.
This kind of tattoo shows passionate and never-ending love, its flames show the strength of love and burning affection.


- Celtic tattoos are very beautiful in its design and usually consist of fours patterns:
- knots,
- step work,
- crosses and spirals,
- representing the strength of unity.



- Tribe heart tattoos.
This design is considered to be one of the most beautiful ones, thanks to it curves, shades and flexibility of the design. They don’t bear any particular meaning, so its holder can put the meaning of his own.
Two-tone tattoo of heart in tribal style for girls

Male and Female Tattoos Heart
When the moment comes to choose the tattoo design, the usual question arises: which of the following designs are considered to be male or female? Nowadays, the difference is not so essential, only the meaning is.


But there are some patterns followed by women.
They usually prefer winged heart tattoos

or small,





delicate designs




placed on the back of the neck,


behind the ear or


on the ankle.



Men can be more proactive and open-minded in this matter choosing tattoos with daggers,

or flaming heart tattoos.


The variety of colors and themes gives an opportunity to experiment and create ideas.

Even celebrities are carried away by the temptation to decorate their bodies with special tattoos, among which the heart tattoos occupy not the last places by level of popularity.
Tiny heart tattoos shine on the palms of such famous ladies as Keit Moss,


Kelly Osbourne


and Hilary Duff.


Not only female celebrities are carrying heart tattoos, but you can also find few on the body of famous Johnny Depp.

Having around 29 different designs of tattoos with different meaning, two of them are heart tattoos: heart with a name of his mother,


three hearts symbolizing his kids and a wife.

Tattoo is a personal mark and its choice should be done carefully and thoughtfully as a person will carry it till the rest of the life.
Certain events in life can influence our decisions, but don’t let them leave the mark on your body.
Let the tattoo carry your strength and emotions known only to you.
Love For Oil

Maybe this man works in an oil field. Or maybe he just really loves oil. Either way, the design of the heart looks really cool with the oil filling it up.
Colorful Heart Tattoos On Wrist

This crowned heart is an explosion of color. Wrist tattoos can often be small and hidden but this one demands attention.
Angel Or Devil Heart Tattoo

This girl wants you to know that she has a good side and a bad side. If you treat her right, she’ll be good. If you don’t… well that was your choice.
Floating Musical Hearts

These hearts look like musical notes, coming out of the gramophone. If you really love music, this is a great idea!
Religious Heart Tattoo

This heart on sleeve tattoo just screams Christianity, with the cross and crown of thorns.
Kitty Play Toy

This poor heart is a play and chew toy for this cute kitten. Well, hearts are often played with, though usually by humans.
Heart Of Service

“Consumed by service to others” is what the inscriptions mean and, indeed, it looks like the phrase is consuming the heart and gripping it tight.
Bleeding Heart

One thing that hasn’t been shown much with these heart tattoos is a lot of blood. But this poor heart is sitting in a pool of its own blood.
Set My Heart Free

This heart is aching to be set free. It looks as if it is breaking through this guy’s skin, to get away.
Heart, Diamond, And A Bleeding Hand

Some heart tattoo designs are hard to decipher, but at least they manage to look really cool.
Simple Heart Tattoos With Names

The design of a heart doesn’t have to be especially intricate, because the use of a name is what really tells the story of the tattoo.
Painted On Heart Tattoo

The colors of this heart tattoo look like physical paint. They give this heart an almost ghostly feel, like it’s only half there. But the pool of blood it’s sitting in is solid.
Closeup Of A Heart

The details of this heart are stunning, almost like a closeup of a photograph of a heart. It’s very in-your-face.
A Heart And A Rose

Heart tattoos with names are all the rage, but is this a name or is it someone saying they love “chesty” girls. We may never know. Nevertheless, this heart and rose combination is lovely.
Daggers, Leaves, And A Mandala

Another example of a heart on sleeve tattoo. This girl wears her heart on her sleeve and has decorated it with beautiful leaves, delicate-looking daggers, and a simple mandala.
Webbed Gun And Heart

This is an interesting idea for people who love guns and/or spider webs. It’s almost like she is shooting you with love, since the heart is part of the gun.
Detailed Skulls And Heart Tattoo

It looks like these very detailed skulls are chaining up the heart with barbed wire, not letting it love freely. Though the contents are macabre, the design is so intricate and well-designed that it can’t be called anything but “beautiful”.
A Harpy Has My Heart

This poor man’s heart is in the hands of a harpy and who knows what she’ll do with it. The stark black ink against the white skin makes this tattoo very striking, on top of the beautifully designed harpy and heart box.
A Heart And Butterflies

This is the epitome of a girly tattoo, great for so-called “girly girls”. Beautiful, delicate butterflies with a heart are perfect for delicate women.
My Heart Is Only As Big As My Bicep

Another heart on sleeve tattoo and this is a big one. It takes up the entirety of this man’s bicep. We can only hope his real heart is just as big.
Realistic Heart Tattoo

This tattoo shows us every vein and every aorta opening. Many heart tattoo designs don’t show all of that, to make the heart look cleaner, but this is more realistic.
Music Loving Heart

These birds look like they are friends with the heart, and are listening to the music the heart creates. This is a really cute idea for someone who loves both birds and music.
Devilish Hearts

These hearts may look cute, but they have a devilish side to them. They look perfectly positioned on the ankle.
Black Heart Tattoo
Another black heart tattoo. It may represent sadness, but it’s not completely black. Instead it seems like it represents sadness with hope.
Steampunk Heart

An almost entirely mechanical heart can’t get hurt or feel pain. The way the gears and gadgets fit this heart looks really interesting.
Galactic Heart

Maybe this guy loves space, or maybe he just loves the colors of space. Either way, this galactic heart is breathtaking.
Black Heart Tattoo On Foot

You don’t often see heart tattoos on a foot, but a sad black heart might want to be hidden away. This heart, stuck with nails, just exudes darkness and sadness.