18 Quote Tattoos That We’re Absolutely Obsessed With

Choosing a tattoo can be a difficult process, for some people. You want something meaningful to you, but maybe you’re not ready to take plunge and get a full-color piece. Or maybe there’s just nothing that jumps out at you and that you’d be happy with forever. A lot of people choose to go with quote tattoos, when they’re looking for something personal and special to them. Quote tattoos are a great intro to the inked world for newbies, or the perfect addition to an established collection. If there’s a quote or word or phrase that means a lot to you, giving it a permanent place on your body may be the way to go.

There are so many places from which to draw inspiration for quote tattoos. Literature, pop culture, television and movies – all full of amazing quotable material! If you’ve decided on a quote tattoo, maybe you chose a line from your favorite book. Or maybe you went with a lyric from your favorite song, or the song your mom sang to you as a child. For quote tattoos, you can even take a simple phrase and turn it into something more meaningful. There really is no end to the possibilities, and we love every single piece (and quote!) in this gallery.

Quote tattoos can be simple and small, like this one.

quote tattoos
Image: Instagram/@quotetattoos

Sometimes we need to look down and see a little reminder. Quote tattoos are often song lyrics, because music means so much to so many of us. This song in particular, “Let It Be” by The Beatles, is one of the most beautiful songs, and one of their most popular! “When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me. Speaking words of wisdom, ‘Let it be’. And in my hour of darkness, She is standing right in front of me. Speaking words of wisdom ‘Let it be’. Definitely a simple message that we all need to hear from time to time.

Song lyrics are always a good bet.

Image: Instagram/@giuliatani

Another popular Beatles song makes the list of quote tattoos. Man, they have some seriously quotable songs! This line is from “Blackbird”, which is a gorgeous song. The full quote is, “Blackbird singing in the dead of night, Take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life, You were only waiting for this moment to arise”. Clearly, the Beatles knew how to inspire people through their music, and their songs and lyrics live on forever in plenty of quote tattoos around the world. You could easily cover your body in their body of work if you wanted. Come to think of it, some big Beatles fan somewhere probably already has!

Faith is important to so many people.

Image: Instagram/@panatattoo

Faith-based quote tattoos are incredibly popular. Some people choose direct quotes from passages in the Bible, while others choose to use quotes that incorporate their faith in some way. “She gives her battles to God and lives in peace” is a really lovely sentiment, and we can see why someone would want to be reminded of it! We carry our own battles and burdens, which can get so heavy. But for those who live in faith, the belief that their god can take some of the burden brings a great amount of comfort, we’re sure. And the script on this one is beautiful.

Sometimes it’s not a quote, but a single word.

Image: Instagram/@trooper_sope

We hope there’s room for a raven somewhere. Edgar Allen Poe was one of the most prolific poets in history, and his dark and slightly creepy poems are a favorite of lots of people. And “The Raven” is probably one of his most popular pieces of writing. There’s something so unsettling about that poem, and that word “nevermore” in particular. The entire poem is 18 stanzas, so unless you’re a tall person with a very long torso, you probably wouldn’t be able to fit the entire thing. However, that one word is what people remember most about the poem, and that one word speaks volumes. 

This Winston Churchill quote is powerful.

Image: Instagram/@lollytattoo

We love the simple typeface font, too. Let’s the words stand on their own. Winston Churchill was the Prime Minster of the United Kingdom, and was known as something of a complete bad-ass. The speech this line was taken from was given to the British people during World War II, at a time when it seemed like all hope was lost and the UK was about to fall to the Nazi regime. Churchill implored the British people to remain strong, to be defiant, and to continue the fight. We all know how it turned out, and it’s not hard to imagine Churchill’s words were just the boost the soldiers needed to trudge on. 

Words to live by.

Image: Instagram/@fliesbythelight

So many quotable quotes in classic literature. This one comes by way of Jane Austen, spoken (or written, rather) by Elizabeth in the great novel “Pride and Prejudice”. Elizabeth writes to her aunt after being questioned about her relationship with Mr. Darcy, “I would have thanked you before, my dear aunt, as I ought to have done, for your long, kind, satisfactory, detail of particulars; but to say the truth, I was too cross to write. You supposed more than really existed. But _now_ suppose as much as you choose; give a loose rein to your fancy, indulge your imagination in every possible flight which the subject will afford, and unless you believe me actually married, you cannot greatly err.” 

Food and quote tattoos, two of our favorite things!

Image: Instagram/@grannykellitattoos

When it comes to quote tattoos, you’d think there wouldn’t be many opportunities to represent your love of food through one. Well, you’d be wrong. Julia Child, aside from being one of the most prolific chefs of our time, was also incredibly witty and gifted us with some memorable quotes. “People who love to eat are always the best people” isn’t just a perfect Julie Child quote – it’s a way to live your life, really. Maybe you’re not a chef or a particularly good cook, even. This works if you are just a person who loves food, as Julia believed everyone should. 

Simple, yet so sweet.

Image: Instagram/@true.tattoos

A great idea for parents, since we’ve all sung this to our kids a hundred times. It wasn’t until we got older that we realized how sad that song really is, though. “Please don’t take my sunshine away”? “When I woke up, I was mistaken, so I hung my head and cried”? Those are some pretty heavy lyrics for what is arguably known as a children’s song! But no matter how you see the song now, there’s no denying that the opening lines are really, really sweet. We loved it paired with a sunflower! Such a sweet symbol for the song.

Vonnegut is a fount of wisdom.

Image: Instagram/@kieran.sandall

In “Slaughterhouse 5“, Birdsong sings out this gibberish following the Dresden firebombing. While it seems strange, the horrors of the war cannot be described with words, so it’s quite fitting. Sometimes there just are no words. Vonnegut’s satirical writing style was really one of a kind, and some of his novels and short stories are regarded as examples of exemplar literature, even years after they were published. His weren’t the books you picked up when you wanted some optimism. But Vonnegut spoke to a generation of cynical readers, and his words have clearly left a (permanent) mark on many. 

One of our favorite quotes.

Image: Instagram/@kenspraguetattoos

It just gets more and more true the older we get. Find the mad people, and hold tight to them! Normal is boring, right? This quote from “Alice in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll is such a fitting quote for adulthood. When we’re younger, we try to fit in as much as possible. But as we get older, we realize that fitting in is for the birds, and embracing your weirdness and uniqueness and “madness” is the way to go. This is a great quote for Alice fans, Disney fans, or people who just want to embrace their own madness.

Particularly fitting these days.

Image: Instagram/@tattooedlady111

Lately it feels like all we can hope is that the odds are in our favor. Out of the entire Hunger Games series (book and film), this is probably one of the most memorable quotes, and the one people use the most. Which is funny, since it wasn’t spoken by one of the main characters people associate with the series. “May the odds be ever in your favor” was the favorite catchphrase of Effie Trinket. People often misattribute it to Katniss Everdeen, but we know an Effie quote when we see one! Either way, it’s incredibly popular now, and makes for a great tattoo.

When your love for Disney needs a permanent home.

Image: Instagram/@lauritatattoo

Could really use some pixie dust right about now, tbh. There’s no reason you can’t marry your love of Disney with your love of quote tattoos! Disney movies and books are full of quotable material. This one comes from Peter Pan, one of our favorite books that was adapted into a Disney movie. Written by J.M. Barrie, the quote is just the dusting of inspiration we need from time to time! It’s really too bad we don’t have access to a supply of pixie dust. It would certainly make life a little more magical, and much easier to deal with when things get tough. 

Oh, this is a gut punch.

Image: Instagram/@brynneadair

The world lost an absolute gem of a person in 2014, when Robin Williams took his own life. He left behind a gaping hole in movies, comedy, and just life in general. By all accounts, Williams was as affable and lovely in person as he was on screen, but the majority of us only knew him from the roles he played for our entertainment. Night at the Museum 3 was one of his final films, and it was released after his death. In the movie, Williams played Teddy Roosevelt, and in the final installment of the series, the last line he spoke onscreen was, “Smile my boy, it’s sunrise”. Such a loss, but such a beautiful quote. 

An important reminder.

Image: Instagram/@pure_people_sa

Just 3 little words, but such a powerful reminder. We get so caught up in the day-to-day, always looking ahead, trying to plan our next move or just keep our heads above water. And yes, we have to do that! As adults, we don’t really have the luxury of just letting life happen around us. But we have to remember that taking the time to just be in the moment is also important. We miss so much happening now when we think about what’s already happened or what could happen next. This isn’t some well-known quote from a famous song or book, but it’s three of the most important words on this list of quote tattoos. 

The full quote is beautiful, but this line says it all.

Image: Instagram/@nains_tattoos

”I carry your heart with me. I carry it in my heart. I am never without it. Anywhere I go, you go, my dear. And whatever is done by only me…is your doing. I fear no fate…for you are my fate, I want no world cause you are my world. Here is the deepest secret no one knows. Here is the root of root and bud of bud & the sky of the sky of the tree of life. Which grows higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide. It’s the wonder that keeps the stars apart.”  -E.E. Cummings

They’re all around us.

Image: Instagram/@redsonjatattoos

We all need to be reminded of this from time to time. Or everyday. This quote from Mr. Fred Rogers has been making the rounds quite a bit the last few years, and we love it so much. Mr. Rogers said, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'” And it is true, there are helpers all around us, often in the most unlikely of places. It’s a great reminder to us all when we need help, and a reminder to us to be the helper for others.

Love, love, love this foodie-inspired one.

Image: Instagram/@sonjaelise_

If you work in a kitchen, mise en place is a part of your soul. Mise en place is a French culinary phrase that means “putting in place” or “everything in its place”. And it’s important during cooking, for sure. You want to have all your ingredients handy so you know what you need, what you’re using, and what comes next! But really, mise en place can totally refer to your life in general. Everything in its place makes life so much easier. Chaos in the kitchen can be disastrous, but chaos in life can have even more dire consequences.

This delicate little piece is just perfection.

Image: Instagram/@conlll

E.E. Cummings makes another appearance on the list, with even more beautiful words. “Yours is the light by which my spirit’s born; yours is the darkness of my soul’s returnyou are my sun, my moon, and all my stars”. It’s just one of the most beautiful poems, and we love the deep meaning behind the words. That last line makes for one of our favorite quote tattoos. They work for a romantic relationship, or for the relationship between mother or father and child. Such a poignant line.

Do you have a favorite quote you’d like to turn into a tattoo? Let us know in the comments!

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