...
Home Tattoos 101 Best Traditional Mermaid Tattoo Ideas You Have To See To Believe!

101 Best Traditional Mermaid Tattoo Ideas You Have To See To Believe!

by Jamie Wilson
Traditional Mermaid Tattoo

Are you looking to ink yourself with an awesome traditional mermaid tattoo? Check out the best traditional mermaid tattoos below!

Traditional Mermaid Tattoo
@isabellmira.tattoo via Instagram – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo

Mermaid is a strong female character that is associated with freedom, independence, and self-reliance.

Often, in stories, you will find a beautiful mermaid luring out innocent sailors of the oceans.

Mermaids have a solid connection to the element of water in general. They have been featured in many folktales around the world. Mermaids have the upper body of a human being and the tail of a fish is something unique to these majestical creatures. Mermaids can never be contained, and they are constantly moving, hence representing their characteristics of freedom and independence. Cute little mermaids are also seen as a symbol of awareness and insight, unlike other water creatures. In stories, they are known to control the weather, see the events of the future, and even grant wishes. No wonder why everyone in today’s world of tattoos is rushing to get themselves inked with a beautiful mermaid tattoo!

The mermaid silhouette is versatile, and the right tattoo artist would be able to take it to its full potential of beauty. Check out these best mermaid tattoos and find a cute traditional mermaid tattoo design to ink yourself with.

The Beauty Of The Mermaid Tattoo

The Beauty Of The Mermaid Tattoo
@kargapolovtattoo via Instagram – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo

With the right tattoo artist, you can get an incredible traditional mermaid tattoo like the one shown here. This American traditional mermaid tattoo has been inked beautifully by the tattoo artist will the details of the mermaid being carefully inked with precision. Inked entirely in black, the mermaid in this mermaid tattoo design seems to be holding a skull representing an evil mermaid. In folklore, mermaids are known to lure in sailors from pirate ships and other ships, and these sea creatures proceed to wreak havoc on them once the beautiful mermaid has trapped them. A mermaid tattoo design like this is not that common, and you are safe to get this if you want a uniquely cute little mermaid tattoo. The best place to get these kinds of mermaid tattoos tattooed would be on your back or chest.

Colorful Mermaid Tattoo Ideas

Colorful Mermaid Tattoo Ideas
@usatradtional via Instagram – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo

Colorful mermaid tattoos like these are pretty common to see. These great tattoo designs are done in bright colors making sure to pop out the flowing hair and the lower body part of the mermaids. In this mermaid tattoo design, the artist has colored the mermaid’s bottom with shades of green, yellow, and red. The flowing hair has been done in a combination of black and white—a masterpiece by the tattoo artist. You might wonder, what is the best place on your body to get mermaid tattoo designs like these? This type of mermaid tattoo design can go well on your wrist, arms, or legs due to its sheer size. You can opt to go for other colors or lighter colors when going for a color mermaid tattoo. Pin up some mermaid tattoo ideas that you find online to inspire motifs for your next mermaid tattoo.

Floral Little Mermaid Tattoos

Floral Little Mermaid Tattoos
@micatattoos via Instagram – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo

These types of little mermaid tattoos look incredible when done correctly. Here, the tattoo artist has inked a little mermaid with an astonishing number of details. There are flowers around the mermaid, and the little mermaid’s tail has been inked with beautiful and unique patterns. A little mermaid is seen as a sign of youth and love. Whether they are playing tricks on ocean sailors or hiding in coves, they are always seen to be enjoying themselves. The flowers in these mermaid tattoo designs represent love and connection. The traditional mermaid tattoo meaning changes from folklore to folklore. They mean different things in every story. You can get this tiny mermaid tattoo on your arm, leg, wrist, and chest, and its size allows it to be tattooed basically on any body part.

Mermaid Tattoo With Trident

Mermaid Tattoo With Trident
@billy.meira via Instagram – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo

This traditional mermaid tattoo is quite different from other mermaid tattoo designs. In this mermaid tattoo design, the mermaid can be seen holding the trident. The trident is a magical weapon that belongs to the god Poseidon. Poseidon forged the trident during the time of the First Titanomachy. You may find the mermaid in this mermaid tattoo design cute, but she’s aggressive! If you are looking to integrate other elements from the ocean, you can add rocks, seagrass, and fishes in this traditional mermaid tattoo design. The beauty of this mermaid tattoo stands out placed on the forearm.

Short Hair Mermaid Tattoo Ideas

Short Hair Mermaid Tattoo Ideas
@sarahcarrtattoos via Instagram – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo

The cute little short-haired mermaid here is seen to be wearing a hat and holding a rope inked in black and white. The tattoo artist has done a great job with this mermaid tattoo. While the lower half of the mermaid tattoo is inked in olive green, the rest of the design is in greyscale.

Mermaids represent a sign of good luck in many cultures around the world. A pirate ship or any other kind of ship is often seen with a mermaid’s head at the front of the sailing boat. If you are looking to get your twist on these mermaid tattoo designs, you can mix them with other kinds of mermaid tattoos that feature other sea creatures to make a complete mermaid tattoo.

Neo-Traditional Mermaid Tattoo

Neo-Traditional Mermaid Tattoo
@jamiesantosart via Instagram – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo

This is a neo-traditional mermaid tattoo design. The mermaid is holding a golden trident that matches the colour of her fins. Her white, hollow eyes make this design stand out. In today’s world, neo-traditional tattoo designs are gaining popularity. Both guys and girls like to get themselves with these kinds of tattoo designs. The neo-traditional tattoo designs feature an element of realism and include vibrant colors, making them stand out compared to other kinds of tattoos. Combining a neo-traditional tattoo technique with a traditional mermaid maid tattoo will give you an eye-catching mermaid tattoo. How can this combination be wrong with a neo-traditional tattoo, a mermaid with colors, and a trident? It would help if you got this mermaid tattoo on your arm, leg, or chest.

The Sea Queen, Mermaid Tattoo

The Sea Queen, Mermaid Tattoo
@traditionalkings via Instagram – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo

The next tattoo on this list is this beautiful mermaid tattoo. The bottom half of the mermaid has been inked by the tattoo artist in a shade of red, yellow, and green. Unlike the other traditional mermaid black and white tattoos, this one has been colored well by the tattoo artist. This mermaid tattoo is truly a piece of art, and if you are looking to get yourself inked with this mermaid tattoo, you can get it inked on your wrist, leg, or back. You can also add rocks, fish, and other things around the mermaid tattoo design. You can also change the hair color of the mermaid to something which would make the tattoo more unique.

The Mermaid’s Dog Tattoo

The Mermaid's Dog Tattoo
@inker_land via Instagram – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo

This mermaid tattoo looks incredible, and you can see how the patterns on the mermaid’s body and bottom half have been made. The whole mermaid is themed in black and red. This is quite different from your usual mermaid traditional tattoo. The mermaid in this mermaid tattoo design is holding a dog, and the dog tattoo is used to represent loyalty and devotion. Dogs are one of the most loyal animals on this planet, and combining the elements of a dog tattoo with an already meaningful mermaid tattoo gives the whole tattoo design more depth. Another striking aspect of this mermaid tattoo is that the mermaid has some tattoos on her arms and body. This is a unique element not found in common mermaid tattoos. You can get this incredible mermaid tattoo inked parts of your body, such as legs or chest.

Siren Mermaid Tattoo Ideas

Siren Mermaid Tattoo Ideas
@erikcschmidt via Instagram – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo

This is a themed tattoo design, and mermaid tattoos with this type of design look nice. In this tattoo design, an evil mermaid is watching the sunset. Often siren mermaids are represented in folklore as mermaids who lure sailors to murder them. Siren mermaids or evil mermaids are creatures of the sea known to eat humans. They only take lives, and unlike a real mermaid, they do not stand for anything positive. In this mermaid tattoo design, a rope can be seen above the mermaid’s head as well. The little birds in the sky are a nice touch to this sunset mermaid tattoo. If you want a siren tattoo like this one, you can get it inked on your arm, leg, chest, or back.

The Redhead Mermaid Tattoo

The Redhead Mermaid Tattoo
@tarrantulah via Instagram – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo

This is another perfect mermaid tattoo. These types of mermaid tattoos are suitable for both a girl and guy. In this mermaid tattoo design, the tattoo artist has inked the mermaid’s hair with a shade of red, and the bottom half of the mermaid is done in a shade of green with touches of red and yellow at the top part. You can get these types of mermaid tattoos on your arm, leg, chest, or back. The choice is ultimately yours.

Mermaids are one of the most majestic creatures of the sea. Getting yourself a traditional mermaid tattoo can never be a bad idea. If you are looking for more mermaid tattoo ideas, you can look them up online or continue reading as we have prepared some more mermaid tattoo ideas –

  1. Mermaid sitting at a rock with the sea behind tattoo designs
  2. Neo-traditional tattoo mermaid ideas
  3. Ariel Themed tattoos with other mythical ocean creatures
  4. Fish and sea tattoo ideas
  5. Girl on a rock tattoo ideas
  6. Mermaid girl tail tattoo ideas

Feature image from Pinterest

What is a traditional mermaid tattoo?

A traditional mermaid tattoo typically features a beautiful woman with a fish tail, often depicted in colors like blue and green. They may also be adorned with objects such as shells, pearls or stars to represent the ocean and marine life. Traditional mermaid tattoos can symbolize many different things including femininity, free-spiritedness, fertility, and mysteriousness. The mermaid is often seen as a protector of sailors, who could use her power to guide them safely back home. Mermaid tattoos are also popular among those who love the ocean and sea life, as well as those who identify with a more whimsical side. Whatever you choose to represent, traditional mermaid tattoos are beautiful works of art that can be customized to fit your individual style.

What is the history of traditional mermaid tattoos?

The traditional mermaid tattoo has a long and varied history. Mermaids have been depicted in art, literature, and folklore since ancient times. For centuries, sailors believed that the sight of a mermaid was an omen of good luck and safe passage. The iconic image of a beautiful woman with a fish tail has become an icon throughout various cultures, often inspiring awe and admiration. Traditional mermaid tattoos have been used to represent many different things including femininity, free-spiritedness, fertility, and mysteriousness. Today, these beautiful tattoos continue to remain popular among people around the world.

You may also like