Tattoos have been around for centuries. Fast forward to today, and tattoo parlors are practically on every other block of any big city. Having permanent ink on our bodies has become part of popular culture, and it's not hard to see why; after all, it's a beautiful way of expressing our identities. And while some parents might try talking us out of marking our skin permanently, that's not the case here. We've collected some of the sweetest examples of mothers and children who decided to show their love and friendship by getting matching body ink. Keep scrolling to see more - and maybe get ideas for your own tat!
This Mom Got Matching Ink With Two of Her Kids
Most of these images show matching tattoos between a mom and one daughter. But here we have something a little more unique: a mom and two daughters, each with the moon, sun, and a star tattoo on their forearms. However, the tattoos differ slightly from one another, with a different symbol infilled on each arm. Each symbol of the universe is a lovely way for the trio to show togetherness.
Tattoos are always open to interpretation. Here, the sun, moon, and stars can’t exist without each other, showing the deep familial bond shared by this mom and her two daughters.
You Are My Sunshine, My Only Sunshine, You Make Me Happy When Skies Are Gray
Sunflower tattoos are a popular choice; there are a few of them on our list! In this instance, there are two halves of a sunflower with bright yellow petals and an orange center. It is a striking design, finished with lettering tattooed on each foot. While each set of words is complete in its own right, they make a whole when brought together. The words are from a familiar and old song.
Originally sung by the Pine Ridge Boys, the lyrics are a lovely way for a mother and daughter to show each other and everyone else how much they love one another.
This Mom Sprinkled Some of Her Stardust Onto Her Daughter
These two finely-inked tattoos complement each other nicely. First, let’s take a look at the tattoo on the left. This belongs to Mom, and it’s of a hand gently sprinkling some blue and gold colored stardust. As we turn to the tattoo on the right, we can see the hand is upturned as it catches the stardust that mom has sprinkled down into the hand tattooed on her daughter’s forearm.
In other words, the mom here is sprinkling some stardust down for her daughter in the hope of giving her something special and magical to take away on her life’s journey. Sweet, right?
A Unique Way to Tell Everyone That You Share DNA
This duo must have been in the tattoo shop for hours! Here’s an eye-catching example of matching tattoos on each person's lower leg. While some moms and their children go for something tiny and discreet, this duo has gone all out with a floral and double helix design. The double helix, of course, is an image of DNA, looking somewhat like a twisted ladder with two separate strands winding around each other to represent how these two are forever linked.
The flowers seem to grow from each strand of the helix. Perhaps they represent love, beauty, and life? Whatever they symbolize, they offer an added twist to this dramatic and striking design.
Dandelion Tattoos That Hold so Much Meaning
Who doesn’t remember blowing dandelion seeds and making a wish they hoped would come true? Looking here, we have mom and daughter tattoos that tell the story of what happens when mom blows the seeds from her dandelion and makes a wish. Her daughter’s tattoo shows a smaller flower blossoming from that wish. It’s a lovely way of showing that when you make a wish, it really can come true.
Some people also believe that when you blow all the dandelion seeds off with a single breath, they can carry your dreams and thoughts to those you love. Sweet, right?
They'll Always Have a Hand to Hold
So it’s pretty simple to see what’s going on here with these tattoos. Identically inked on mom and daughter’s respective forearms, each tattoo shows two holding hands. The fingers are closely entwined in a sign of love, care, and affection. We can see flowers blooming at the tip of each tattoo, where the forearm ends. This minimally embellished design doesn’t need any words or further symbols to describe its meaning.
In each instance, both mom and daughter's tattoos appear to say they are there for each other and will hold each other’s hand whatever challenges they face throughout their lives.
Hearts and Flowers
Here’s a well-drawn design of some beautiful sunflowers inked into a heart shape. As you can see, this mother and her child have chosen to get this pattern tattooed onto their forearms. We can only imagine this took the tattoo artist hours to complete. Just look at the intricate detail, right down to the individually shaded petals of each sunflower. But, having seen the gorgeous end result, we'd say it was time well spent!
Perhaps the pair chose this design because sunflowers represent good fortune, hope, positivity, and happiness, and they hope their tattoos will bring them all this for years to come? Perhaps they always had sunflowers in their home? Who knows?
Yin and Yang Tattoos to Show Their Two Halves Make a Whole
The Chinese Yin and Yang symbol is well-renown, and although its origins are unknown, they're said to represent all aspects of life, including forces that are opposites. It’s meant to show that everything in life has an opposite and that we need both to have a sense of balance. So maybe here, we’ve got two people who might be different from each other but are celebrating that difference. Or maybe we're reading too much into the symbolism?
Who knows? But whatever their reasons for this gorgeously minimalistic permanent ink on their wrists, the people in this image aren't hiding their link with one another - and we love that!
Mama Bear and Baby Bear
The majority of tattoos on this listicle are black-and-white designs, so we welcome this shot of color. Mom and daughter’s tattoos aren't 100% matching but share some similarities, in particular, the constellation on the polar bear’s body. This constellation is seen as female in many cultures, so it is a fitting addition to this pair’s forearms. The blast of blue and purple perhaps represents the beauty of the night sky.
Apparently, mom and daughter are lovers of the great outdoors and share sweet memories of star gazing. We think these matchy-matchy prints are the perfect tribute to these special childhood memories.
A Pinky Promise Tattoo Binds This Mother and Her Child
This simple line drawing has to tell us a story. We’re guessing that it probably means that both mother and daughter promise to have each other's backs. The pinky promise or pinky swear is an age-old way kids interlock their little fingers to show a promise has been made. Perhaps this was something this Mom and daughter did a lot while she was growing up? Maybe evokes happy childhood memories?
We love that one of the hands has its fingernails painted. We wonder whether this represents the Mom or the daughter? Either way, it's a sweet personal touch to the design.
Finishing Each Other’s Sentences, Tattoo Style
Here’s what’s known as an Unalome tattoo. It’s a Hindu and Buddhist symbol that represents the path to freedom or your life’s path. In this instance, we’re guessing it's referencing the life path that the mother and daughter share. The spiral is said to represent the direction your life is going in, with the swirl being when your life begins to straighten out and become clearer. The straight line is where you finally reach enlightenment.
In adding the words, the mother and daughter are saying they're part of each other no matter what, no matter where. Whatever happens on their respective life paths, they are there for each other.
These Apples Definitely Didn’t Fall Far From the Tree
This cute picture of two daughters on each side of their mom is all smiles and happiness. As you can see, they're proudly displaying their new tattoos. When people say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, it sometimes has a negative connotation. However, here, this is definitely a positive, with the daughter's apple tattoos demonstrating how they both feel they've inherited their mom’s beautiful character traits. You can certainly see the physical similarities in the picture too!
Mom’s tree tattoo is more intricately drawn, but in all three cases, the tattoos are a simple yet effective way of symbolizing the closeness and love they share for each other. This is certainly one to save in your bank of tattoo ideas!
For the Moms and Kids Who Love Nature
Here’s a matching pair of green fern tattoos on mom and daughter’s ankles. On the one hand, these delicate drawings represent nature and the great outdoors. However, plenty of other symbolic meanings exist behind this mom and daughter’s choice. The fern is said to show a person’s determination and resilience, especially in the face of adversity. It can also be a sign of someone's growth on their life’s journey.
Perhaps this mom and daughter are just keen nature lovers, or maybe it is more than that. Whatever their backstory is, we think this delicate and unusual tattoo is beautiful.
Fingerprint Tattoos That Come Together to Make a Heart
This pair may share DNA, but since no two fingerprints are exactly the same, these matching tattoos aren't entirely alike. We love this unique way for a mom and her child to share something special. The tattoo artist has taken each of their fingerprints and taken half of each one to make a whole. We can see that each half-fingerprint has been shaped so that they form a lovely heart shape when they come together.
So when these two join hands, they and everyone around them can see the love they share for each other. It’s an individual and personal way to express something special.
For the Lion King Fans
Fans of the movie, The Lion King will know that we’re looking at Nala and Kiara here. For everyone else, Nala is the queen consort of Pride Rock, and Klara is her daughter and princess heir to Pride Rock. This mother and daughter have chosen to show their love for one another by taking inspiration from the hit Disney film. The date underneath one of the tattoos is November 16, 2002.
Maybe that is the date of the daughter’s birth? Maybe the Mom got the tattoo done first, and her daughter has chosen to have a matching tattoo done to honor her mom? We don't know the whole story - but we do know that this is great tattoo inspiration for Disney fans.
We Guess This Mom and Her Child Really Love Tiny, Cute Tomatoes
When you want to depict the unbreakable bond with your child, a tomato tattoo may not spring immediately to mind. But this is what we have here. In many cultures, the tomato symbolizes love. These tiny tomato tattoos on this mother and daughter’s forearms look almost 3D in appearance. The vivid colors of the red tomato and green stem really stand out, despite these tattoos only being the size of a pinky fingernail - we wonder how long it took the tattoo artist to do this tiny tatt?
If you're after tattoo ideas, but you’re looking for a bit more, you could always customize it by adding some tomato vines and a favorite quote or even your names.
"She Gave Me Life" "She Gave Me Purpose"
Here’s one of a few examples on this list of a mother and daughter using flowers to symbolize their love and loyalty to one another. Both have half a sunflower inked onto their foot so that when they stand together, it makes a whole. However, the words around each flower give additional power to these matching tattoos, with the daughter acknowledging the gift of life her mother gave, while her mom owns how her daughter gave her purpose.
It’s a beautiful and lasting way for a mom and daughter to show each other and the world the closeness and love they share. This tattoo is definitely a tear-jerker!
Nothing Like a Sweet Winnie the Pooh Quote
Who doesn’t love Winnie the Pooh, especially Pooh and Piglet? There are tons of Winnie the Pooh quotes out there that hold meaning for us, but we love this one. With one half inked on the left alongside Pooh, holding a balloon, and the other on the right, next to Piglet, also holding a balloon. It’s a sweet way for a mom to show her daughter that she’ll always be there for her.
Not everyone likes a lot of color in their tattoos, but those that do will love these. For anyone who is a fan of Winnie the Pooh, these designs are excellent tattoo inspiration.
Families That Kayak Together, Stay Together
There are no prizes for guessing this mom and her child are outdoor lovers. These super-precise line drawings are of a pair of kayaks floating along a river set against a backdrop of dramatic-looking mountains, pretty pine trees, and clouds. The design may be simplistic when compared to others in this listicle, but it’s clear that this outdoor activity is something that bonds this mom and her son or daughter.
There is nothing like breathing in the crisp mountain air as you paddle down the river together. We can only imagine these tattoos are a lovely reminder of those times.
A Bouquet of Tattoos for a Mom and Her Daughters
This trio has gone all out with their almost matching tattoos. Placed together like this, they present a pretty floral bouquet, with the stem of each flower identifying who is who in this family. These gorgeous tatts will certainly outlast any traditional floral bouquets they receive throughout their lives! Each flower is inked in a different color, with the mom’s in red while the daughters boast different shades of purple.
We think these flowers are probably lilacs, which represent the joys of youth and love. Whatever their symbolism, these tattoos are a unique way for a mother and her children to show the bond they share.
Their Connection Is Written in the Stars
Here we are looking at a tattoo of the Big Dipper on the forearm on the left-hand side of this image and the Little Dipper on the right. In the UK, they are known as the Plough and Little Bear. So, we’re guessing it must be mom’s arm on the left and her offspring’s arm on the right. How cute is that? Perhaps this pair share a love of stargazing?
Or maybe they look to the stars to get a sense of perspective, and that's what they give each other? In any case, we like how they've turned to the stars to describe and show the world in simple terms what their connection is.
Keeping Each Other Alive
It’s hard to know which is which here, but we think the permanent ink on the right (the one showing a brain and floral design) is mom, while the other illustrating a heart and floral design is her daughter. In each case, the heart and head are split in half, suggesting that the two together make a whole and complete each other. It’s an intricate and visually arresting design that expresses many feelings.
The flowers added to these tattoos are a nice touch. The rose often symbolizes love and passion, while the sunflowers are happy and sunny flowers that can represent loyalty and adoration.
It's All About Girl Power Here
These are definitely statement tattoos! This mother and her daughter have gone all out with their girl power tattoos, shown here on their upper arms. In each instance, the design consists of two hands. One is facing downwards and sprinkling stardust and 'girl power' as the other hand catches it. Perhaps this is supposed to represent the mom and daughter giving and receiving 'girl power' from each other? If so, we love it!
We also love the incredibly feminine nails inked onto the hands. Perhaps getting their nails done together is something this duo enjoys doing. Or maybe we are reading into things a little too much.
Everybody Knows Penguins Love Their Babies
Here is a super cute pair of tattoos that certainly tell a story. As you can see, the mother penguin is looking down at her baby. Clearly, the mommy penguin recognizes her chick. Her bill or beak also points downwards towards the chick’s upward-pointing beak. Perhaps she's feeding her child? A simple yet beautiful act of nurturing. Or maybe she is just reassuring her baby? We are not entirely sure.
In either instance, one thing's for certain, the tattoo artist has done an excellent job! These penguins look so safe together, making it the ideal scene for a matching tattoo for a close mother and child.
There's Only Pride in This House
If you're looking for tattoo ideas with meaning, these matching tattoos are a beautiful way for a mom and daughter to show their love and support for one another. These tattoos display six of the rainbow’s colors and those typically seen in many pride flag designs. We love the simplicity of this design, with six parallel lines in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple inked on mom and daughter’s forearms, with each color having a particular meaning.
While these and other colors used in pride flags have evolved over the years, it’s clear this tattoo is this mom’s special way of showing her pride and solidarity with her daughter.
This Is More Than Just a Pretty Bird
Did you know there are around 360+ species of hummingbirds? They are native to the Americas, with none found in the wild in Europe! For anyone interested in symbolism, this bird is said to be a messenger of joy, renewal, beauty, love, and devotion. They are also said to represent good luck. This pair’s design is beautifully drawn with pretty flowers sketched onto the hummingbird’s breast for even more added beauty.
Hummingbirds are also rumored to protect a person from evil spirits. With all that symbolism to say, we think this mother-daughter tattoo is more than just a pretty drawing; rather, it represents something much more profound for the pair.
Wearing Their Hearts on Their Sleeves
Nothing says "I love you" quite like a heart. Love hearts aren't just for special occasions like Valentine’s Day. Instead, they can be a reminder to ourselves and our families that we are loved. In this instance, this matching pair of hearts could represent the deep and everlasting unconditional love between a mom and her daughter. The added twist here is the figure of eight symbols seen on each heart.
Here they are shown on their side to signify eternity. In this context, we’re guessing that it’s an additional way for mom and daughter to say they’ll love each other forever.
From Mom to Daughter Before Her Wedding Day
This daughter wanted something lasting and loving as a gift from her mom before her wedding day. So what better present than to get the same tattoo drawn that her mom already has? As you can see, both women are sporting a tattoo of a red rose alongside pretty wildflowers. Red roses are popularly known to represent love and romance, so it’s a fitting design for a wedding and ongoing married life.
It’s an eye-catching floral arrangement that's sure to stand out on this bride’s special day and last for years to come. We love the different colors used to shade the wildflowers - gorgeous!
Guardian Angel Wings to Show Love and Protection
Guardian angel wing tattoos have always been a popular choice in tattoo parlors. They're typically found on a person’s wrists and shoulders. Some we’ve seen are bold and detailed, while others are simpler yet don't lose any of their meaning - just like the ones pictured here. Here we have a mom and her daughter with matching angel wings tattooed on their wrists. They might represent how the mother always looks over her daughter, ensuring she’s ok and taking the right path in life.
Or it’s possible that this particular mom and daughter love angels and all they represent. Whatever the case, we love the simple lines. We think it's a pretty way of symbolizing freedom, protection, and strength.
Flying High With Matching Kite Tattoos
This pair of matching watercolor tattoos could represent this mother and daughter's shared love of flying kites. Perhaps mom taught her offspring to fly their first kite, and happy memories were made? The blue and violet ink is blended to mimic the way watercolors dry on canvas. The tattoo artist that did this is certainly talented! To avoid confusion over who is who, you can see that in place of the kite string, our tattoo artist has inked the words 'mother' and 'daughter.'
Dare we say it, but we think this might be the prettiest pair of tattoos on this list. Everything about the design is delicate, and the pastel colors are beautiful!
Statement Body Art to Last a Lifetime
The tattoos may be identical, but this pair chose to have matching tattoos on different parts of their body. One on the leg and the other on the arm. These bold tattoos look like they’ve been drawn to withstand the test of time. Some finer-drawn tattoos can fade, so it’s possible they'll have less impact years down the line. But we don't think this will be the case with this floral design.
The petals are spaced apart but are thick and infilled with black ink. So whoever these tattoos belong to, they'll be admiring their artwork for a long time to come.
This Mom Already Had Her Tattoo for Years When Her Daughter Decided to Get the Same One
Apparently, this daughter grew up seeing her mom with this tattoo, and when she was older decided she’d go for the same thing. It’s another colorful botanical vibe design, this time with a red rose, fern, three blackberries, a few blackberry bush leaves, and a horn-shaped flower that we believe is hedge bindweed. It’s a rich and detailed design, and we think the artist who copied the original has done an incredible job!
The tattoos are so similar in appearance and color that they look like this mom and daughter had them done at the same time, not years apart. It's a real testament to the skill of the tattoo artist!
This Mom and Her Child Choose a Rose and Dagger Tattoo to Symbolize Their Lives
This feels like quite an old-school tattoo. There’s a sharp-looking dagger on each forearm with a rose stem and leaves winding around it. In both cases, there’s a hint of red shading on the rose petals and also some on the dagger towards the right. Typically, this type of design represents the duality of life. In other words, we all experience hardship and sacrifice as well as joy and beauty.
We’re wondering if because the dagger isn’t piercing the rose, this tattoo means this duo has overcome hardship, and that life is on its way to being a bed of roses?
Two Wild Spirits
This design may not be to everyone’s tastes, but this duo has clearly embraced it unselfconsciously - and good for them! The human skeleton wearing a crown of red roses may seem like an unusual choice but we think it’s actually likely inspired by the mother’s love of music. Specifically, we’re talking about the Grateful Dead, a hugely popular US band that dates back to 1965. The design was created by 60s artist Stanley “Mouse” Miller.
A skeleton and rose tattoo can also mean life, death, beauty, and the struggle between good and evil. It’s a perfect choice for anyone who wants to wear their inner rebel on the outside.
A Permanent Wishbone
Who needs an actual wishbone or fortune cookie to bring you good luck when you have your very own tattooed on your forearm? Do you think they went to the tattoo parlor around Thanksgiving? Here’s a mom and her daughter who have chosen to have identical wishbones inked on their arms. Typically, two people will pull the wishbone, and whoever wins the larger portion is said to be blessed with good luck. We can only assume a similar philosophy applies to wishbone tattoos.
We like the simplicity of this minimalist design. Let’s just hope these wishbones do their job and bring good fortune and hope for the future to mom and daughter alike.
Flying Free but Always Watching Over Each Other
We're betting that this was the first time someone asked for this design in the tattoo shop - it's incredibly unique! At first, you think oh hey, two pretty blue butterflies, but a closer look tells us there’s more to this pair of tattoos than meets the eye. Butterflies are said to represent growth, change, and new beginnings. They are also said to symbolize inner and outer beauty. Here, there’s the added twist of two eyes in the butterfly wings as well as one above each butterfly.
We’re guessing this shows the mom taking care of her daughter, or it could even be a higher power watching over the pair to keep them safe throughout their lives. Who knows?
A Hummingbird Design With a More Modern Twist
Here’s what looks like a simplistic tattoo of a hummingbird, but if you look at it again, you can see it’s super clever, and there’s some very precise inking done here. The tattooist has used shading on the bird’s wings to give the impression that the bird is in mid-flight. These tattoos are quite different from the other hummingbird tattoos on this list; the light and shade give them a real 3D feel.
We’re guessing that this mom and her child have chosen to have tattoos of this beautiful bird to represent good luck and happiness. Let’s hope their choice brings them both.
This Phoenix Tattoo Tells the World That This Duo Has Survived in the Face of Adversity
The phoenix has long represented rebirth - and in particular, overcoming hardships to emerge stronger than ever. So it's not surprising that the mythological creature symbolizes renewal and hope. There are tons of phoenix tattoo designs out there, but if you’re looking for inspiration, look no further. This pair of tattoos are as bold and dramatic as they are colorful, and while not entirely identical, we think there must be an interesting life story behind them.
With all of the symbolism in mind, perhaps these tattoos are a way of mother and daughter telling us that they’ve overcome a lot of difficulties in their respective lives.
These Mom and Daughter Tattoos Say It With Flowers
A fair few of our examples show that flowers are often the inspiration for mother-child tattoos, and here is no different. This pair of tattoos depict flowers in full bloom. They are simple ink designs with what looks like a blue and red watercolor infill within the petals. They're so pretty! We’re not sure what the inked words on the stem mean, but we like the sentiments behind these matching tattoos.
We're wondering whether the colors hold any significance for this duo. Are red and blue their favorite colors, or do the different shades represent something else? Alas, we'll never know.
Overlapping Heart Tattoos That Show Love
Here’s a minimalist design of two heart symbols overlapping and a series of dots above and below. The first heart is infilled, while the overlapping second heart is hollow. The tattoo on the right is on the shoulder, while the one on the left is on the ankle. It’s a pretty and discreet design. What’s clever, however, is that the darker heart is actually inked with hundreds of little dots or stipples.
This type of artwork adds texture and depth to the tattoo. The hollow heart could be filled in at a later date, although personally, we like it just as it is.