Tattoos

a tattooed mom holding her toddler outside in the sunshine
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These Sweet Tattoos With Kids' Names Are Perfect For Moms

Because you’re not a regular mom, you’re a cool mom.

by Ashley Ziegler
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Originally Published: 

We all know that tattoos are permanent, so the more thought you put into them the more likely you are to still love them decades later. Among some of the best ideas are tattoos with kids' names for moms, because who could regret having their child’s name forever written on their skin? It’s all a matter of where you put it and how you design it.

I have four tattoos on my body, one of which I loathe (mistakes were made when I was 18, okay?), and three I absolutely love. Of those three, two of them are my daughters’ names, one on each arm, and they make me smile every time they catch my eye. I sometimes wonder what tattoos with kids’ names will look like when I’m old, but even if they become warped over the years I can confidently say that they will be just as beautiful and meaningful to me then as they are right now.

The major difference between the three tattoos I love and the one I regret is the time I spent thinking about their designs and placement. So my advice to moms looking to get their kids’ names tattooed is to think long and hard about what you want, where you want it, and what it will mean to you as your kids grow up. Maybe you want something timeless, or perhaps you want to remember them as babies. If you’re not sure quite yet, here are some ideas of tattoos with kids’ names to help you start dreaming up the design that’s right for you.

1Balloon Strings

There’s nothing more whimsical and childlike than balloons on a string, so turn the string into your child’s name. You can keep it simple with traditional balloons, or get creative by coloring them in or turning them into different shapes.

2Simple Script Inside A Heart

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If you prefer a more minimalist design, simply have the name written out in whatever style you like with a basic heart around the name. To achieve the right look, keep the heart simple with just a thin outline.

3Within A Family Tree

Turn the tree of life into a family tree so that instead of only your kids’ names, you can add in yours, your partner’s, or anyone else in your family as well. The names can be designed to swirl to create a leafy effect or keep them straight to resemble branches on the tree.

4A Part Of A Larger Design

Maybe you are going for something large, like a detailed design or a half or full sleeve. If you want your kids' names to be part of the design, but not the focal point, have the tattoo artist find a way to work the names in so that they flow with everything else and aren’t obviously sticking out.

5Script With Their Birthday

Another pretty minimalist design is to write their name out in flowy lettering and then write their birthday below it in a standard font (think typewriter). The birthday can be written out, put in numerical dates, or marked by roman numerals. This tattoo by Louiza Marie Designs is a perfect example

6Watercolor Footprint

Watercolor tattoos are always gorgeous, and you can work that look into your tattoo with a baby footprint design. Once the colorful footprint is complete, have your kid’s name written across it in a contrasting ink color so that it pops.

7Flower Stem Name

Turn your child’s name into a flower, like in this tattoo. If you’re not paying attention, the name is easy to miss which is great for anyone wanting something more subtle (but still absolutely stunning).

8Script With A Heart

Another beautiful minimalist design is to simply write your child’s name out in cursive and then add a little heart at the end of it, like in this photo. Since the writing is in cursive, the heart looks like it’s part of the name, but still adds a little something extra.

9Designed With All Of The Details

You don’t have to stop at your kid’s name, have your tattoo artist help you create a design out of all of their info: name, birthday, time of birth, height, and weight. This artist created a footprint out of all of the info, but if you want something different, your artist will surely help you design something meaningful to you.

10Something Symbolic

If you named your child after something, get that tattooed instead of their name. Busy Philipps named her daughters Birdie and Cricket and she rocks a tattoo of a hummingbird and another of a cricket to represent her girls.

11Arrows

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Arrows are great designs for anyone who wants something artistic but not too large or overwhelming. To turn this into a mama tattoo, replace the standard line in the middle of the arrow with your kid’s name.

12Infinity Symbol

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The infinity symbol is such a great option for a kid-name tattoo because it represents something that is neverending (like your love for your child). Since this symbol is pretty popular, work with your artist to come up with ways to personalize it a little bit so that you’ll love it long after the trend ends.

13A Favorite Animal

Does your kiddo have a favorite animal? Have your tattoo artist create a design of that animal with its tail spelling out your kid’s name. You can choose to have the animal look realistic, cartoonish, or with a minimalist design.

14Simple Minimalist Cursive

This is the design I chose to go with for my name tattoos because I think it’s pretty and discreet. Write out their full names or just their initials in one long line like Kristin Cavallari. Just be sure to work with an artist who is good at fine line tattoos so that you can get the look you’re aiming for.

So, will it be watercolors, something big and bold, or a minimalist design? Use your creativity to think up a tattoo that you know you’ll love forever, and don’t be afraid to ask your tattoo artist for some help getting the design just how you want it, that’s what they’re there for.

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