Reviewed & updated: January 11, 2023 by Jamie Wilson BA
If you, too, are struggling to find the perfect female lion tattoos for yourself, do check out these top meaningful lioness and cub tattoo ideas.

The undefeatable power of a lion, considered the king of the jungle, makes it a great symbol of strength, powerfulness, and muscularity and hence is a popular tattoo choice.
Cub tattoo is the other name for a baby lion tattoo. Like any other animal, a cub, i.e., a baby lion, stays with his/her mother for up to two to three years from birth.
A lioness, along with her cub tattoo, represents in front of the world the unbreakable bond between a mother and her child and that a mother can go to any extent for the sake of her child’s safety. As mentioned earlier, a full-grown lion tattoo is a symbolic representation of survival, strength, and even honor. There are wide variations of cub tattoos along with the lion or even the lioness. These tattoos are also commonly seen to be done in the characters of Mufasa and Simba from the Disney movie ‘The Lion King’.
Lioness And Cub Forearm Tattoo

Animal tattoos have been a common tattoo idea worldwide since the very beginning of the tattoo culture. Returning to the lioness and cub tattoos, a lioness typically gives birth to one and four cubs at a time.
A lioness and a cub tattoo are the strongest among all other variations of lion tattoos. Their offspring are believed to carry forward their gene. A female lion is also known to kill the off-springs of any other lion as it can cause harm to their cubs. Lions have been long used as a symbol in various kinds of beliefs, like mythological beliefs, guardians, etc., and thus a lion tattoo or a lioness and cub tattoo are worn with pride by tattoo enthusiasts all over the world.
The forearm is also a common place to get tattoos done as it provides a vast space for all the minute details of the tattoos. Thus, if you, too, are a tattoo enthusiast planning to get animal tattoos that are today’s skin ink favorite, you can try out this lioness and cub tattoo design for your forearm tattoo.
Small Lioness And Cub Tattoo Design For Leg

Getting a lion or a lioness hunting tattooed with its cubs tattooed into your body symbolizes that your parents have taught you how to fight and survive through every life problem and that you are planning to pass the same to your off-springs. Similarly, a male lion or female lion must teach his/her young ones to hunt so that they can survive when they grow up to be full-grown adult lions or lionesses, similar to that human beings. It also symbolizes that everyone must teach their offspring other skills, but in a way that remains the same as their previous generation.
Small tattoos are an example that, despite being small, a tattoo can still be equally elegant, beautiful, as well as meaningful. Thus, if you want to get a lion tattoo for the first time in your life and also do not want it to be too large, you can try out this small lioness and cub tattoo design for your leg.
Queen Lioness And Cub Tattoo

Women’s lioness tattoos are a great symbol of feminine grace, strength, and motherhood. If a lion is a king, then the lioness is the queen of the jungle. A female lion is an encapsulation i.e., a combination of both minding and fierceness. A lioness is protective or minding when she is nursing her little one and fierce while getting her prey. The lioness’s tattoos are as powerful and tattoos as the beast herself.
Thus if you, too, are planning to get young cubs and their mother tattooed on any part of your body, you can try out this tattoo design.
Lioness And Cub Tattoo Design For Upper Arm

The lioness and cub tattoo is the most popular tattoo choice among most tattoo enthusiasts because it represents the strong bond and even the strong relationship that a mother and her child share, which is probably one of the strongest bonds ones will ever see. These kinds of lion tattoos also stand for protection and parental instincts. It symbolizes that a cub will always look out for either their father or their mother whenever in need.
The two Disney characters, Simba and Mufasa, represent the strong bond between a father and his child. It is a symbolic representation that even a big, strong, and tough lion is soft and gentle when it comes to dealing with its young one. A baby is one of the most innocent creatures in the entire world, be it a baby of an animal or the baby of a human being. Thus, you, too, can try out this lioness and cub tattoo idea for your upper arms.
Lioness And Cub Sleeve Tattoo

As we all know that a mother lion i.e., a lioness, will keep fighting till her last breath to protect her child, in the same way a lion will fight for the safety of his territory. A lioness tattoo is a symbol of powerfulness, wisdom, strength, and even elegance and beauty at the same time. She is the queen of her kingdom, a great mother, and a protector. On the other hand, a lion symbolizes power and might. In a competition between animal tattoos, a lion tattoo wins the prize of the most fearless fighter tattoo in the race of life.
Sleeve tattoo designs are mainly chosen by people to cover up their old unwanted tattoos. Thus, if you too want to cover up an old tattoo on your hands or legs, you can try out this lioness and cub sleeve tattoo design.
Lioness And Cub Tattoo Design For Men

Other than the lioness and cub tattoo, a lion and cub tattoo idea is also a popular tattoo choice among people. A lion and cub tattoo meaning symbolizes the relationship of a person with his/her father. It also symbolizes that their father taught them how to survive in life and stood by their side as they grew up. It can also be a memorial tattoo for someone’s father who has passed away.
Lion tattoos in men are generally used to bring out their masculinity. Thus, if you are such men who want to dedicate a tattoo to his mother, you can try out this tattoo design.
Realistic Lioness And Cub Tattoo

Wearing a male lion tattoo or even a lioness tattoo symbolizes that you are ready to fight any and every challenge in your life instead of running away from it. Various lion tattoos have various symbolic representations like that of a cub hunting tattoo that symbolizes that your parents have taught you to face life for existence.
Realistic tattoos are generally used to bring out the beauty of the tattoo prominently. Hence, you, too, can try out this realistic lioness tattoo along with her cub.
Simple Lioness And Cub Tattoo Design For Rib Tattoo

Like most things, the lion cubs can make a person weak, it can make his/her strong side go down and bring out the soft corner. A lion is the incorporation of both the son of God as well as the force of evilness, cruelty, and brutality. A lion is powerful in protecting its territory, as well as fierce in attacking its prey. Similarly, a lioness is the one who acts as a provider to its entire family, mainly in catching prey and feeding her little cubs, as well as fighting for them to keep them safe and protected. A lioness tattoo symbolizes the same. According to the beliefs of some people, the females are not the only ones that hunt, and thus all the cubs must learn this crucial skill as their lives depend on it.
Ribs are the best place to get a tattoo done for someone who is planning to get their first tattoo done and in a place where it will not be much visible. If you are planning to get your first tattoo done, do try out this animal tattoo design for your ribs.
Lioness And Cub Tattoo Design For Women

Tattoos are used by people to convey a message beyond words and actions. Wild animals are one of the most popular themes for tattooing. Lion tattoos can also symbolize kinship i.e., family ties. To symbolize the relationship between a mother and her child, other than the elephant and her child tattoo, a lioness tattoo along with her cub is the strongest one you will ever see. A lion or a lion tattoo is an epitome of royalty and strength at the same time.
Thus, being a woman with elegance, you can also try out this tattoo design.
Lioness And Cub Tattoo Design For Thigh Tattoo

Lion tattoos also have certain spiritual meanings. A lion tattoo is a symbol of virtues, power, and spirituality. For the Rastafarian belief, i.e., a religious belief that developed in Jamaica, love for everyone, tolerance towards each other and even acceptance play an important part, all of which a lion symbolizes. In many cultures, a lion is even considered ta symbol of god in the Persian culture, the Romanian culture, and Islam culture.
Whenever a lioness tattoo along with her cub, or a lion tattoo with his cub tattoo is noticed on someone’s skin, it can mean different things and can also be portrayed in different ways.
Here are some more lioness and cub tattoo variations for you.
- Lioness and cub hunting tattoo.
- Black-work lioness and cub tattoo.
- Lioness and cub tattoo design for wrist tattoo.
- Outline lioness and cub tattoo.
- 3D lioness and cub tattoo.
Feature Image from Pinterest
What is the meaning behind a lioness and cub tattoo?
A lioness and cub tattoo can represent a variety of different things, but some of the most common meanings include strength, courage, family, and protection. Lioness tattoos are often chosen by women as a way to show their strength and power, while cub tattoos can represent innocence and vulnerability. Whether you choose a lioness or cub tattoo, or both, these tattoos can be powerful symbols of who you are and what you stand for.
How much will a lioness and cub tattoo cost?
The cost of a lioness and cub tattoo will vary depending on the size, complexity, and location of the tattoo. Smaller tattoos may start at around $50, while larger, more detailed tattoos can cost several hundred dollars. The best way to get an accurate estimate for your tattoo is to consult with a few different artists to get quotes.
How big should a lioness and cub tattoo be?
The size of your tattoo is completely up to you, but it’s important to keep in mind that larger tattoos may take longer to heal and may require more touch-ups than smaller tattoos. If you’re not sure how big you want your tattoo to be, it’s a good idea to start with a small design and then go from there.
Where is the best place to get a lioness and cub tattoo?
The best place to get a lioness and cub tattoo is on an area of your body that you’re comfortable with. Remember, this is a tattoo that you’ll have to live with for the rest of your life, so it’s important to choose a location that won’t be problematic in the future. Common placement options for lioness and cub tattoos include the upper back, shoulders, chest, and thighs.
How long does it take to get a lioness and cub tattoo?
The time it takes to get a lioness and cub tattoo will vary depending on the size and complexity of the design. Smaller tattoos may only take an hour or two to complete, while larger ones could take several sessions. It’s important to be patient during the tattooing process and to trust your artist to do their best work.