Tattoos say a lot about the wearer. While matching tattoos are proof of commitment, quote tattoos serve more as a reminder. They either represent a motto, tell a story, or both.

Of course, you can make your point with a thousand words. But those who choose to ink only one word know what they want and what they are trying to tell. And that’s why precision is so powerful: it’s proof of self-awareness and an unshakable belief.

But that’s not the only reason why one-word tattoos are so loved. On the execution level, they cost less pain and money because most of them are fine line. Depending on the wearers’ preferences, they can be tiny or huge, on the foot, finger, or on almost any body part. That’s why their popularity never dies: everyone can find some one-word tattoos that resonate.

What are some good words for tattoos?

Tattoos are reminders, storytellers, and statements. And when it comes to picking a word for a tattoo, you need to dig deep into your life and core values.

However, it’s not always easy to find the right word. Common word choices for tattoos are hope, love, belief, strength, soul, etc. Combined with one’s experiences and stories, the possibility is endless.

To give you some ideas, here is an alphabet of meaningful words to tattoo:

• A: Adventure, Action, Angel, Abundance, Awaken, Always
• B: Beauty, Believe, Brave, Blessed, Bliss, Bold, Bloom
• C: Calm, Courage, Champion, Create, Carefree, Charm
• D: Delight, Divine, Delicate, Direction, Dream, Dare, Discovery, Desire
• E: Effort, Energy, Empathy, Elegance, Eager, Ease
• F: Family, Flourish, Fun, Flow, Faith, Focus, Fancy, Fearless, Freedom, Fabulous, Fresh
• G: Generous, Glow, Grace, Grin, Grit, Gratitude, Growth, God, Guidance, Good, Glam
• H: Happy, Harmony, Healing, Health, Heart, Human, Honesty, Hope, Holy
• I: Idea, Integrity, Invincible, Intention, Incredible, Inspire, Invention, Imagine, Independence
• J: Joy, Justice
• K: Kindness, Knowledge, Keen
• L: Legend, Live, Love, Lead, Loyalty
• M: More, Move, Mind, Magic, Miracle, Memory, Mindful
• N: Nourish, Nurture, Nature, Now, Nirvana, New
• O: One, Open, Optimist, Original
• P: Patience, Positive, Paradise, Polished, Power, Progress, Process, Proud, Passion, Perseverance, Prosper, Persist, Play, Purpose, Present, Possibility, Priceless, Protect, Perfect, Pure
• Q: Quiet, Queen
• R: Ready, Relax, Respect, Right, Resilience, Renew, Rainbow, Revived, Rest, Reset, Robust
• S: Simple, Simplicity, Soul, Smile, Sparkle, Spirit, Superb, Support, Self-love, Self-care, Serene, Space, Still, Shelter, Strive, Shine, Strength, Strong, Serendipity, Sense, Sympathy, Self
• T: Through, Tranquil, Transform, Trust, Truth, Tender, Thrive, Time, Tough, Talent, Top
• U: Unleashed, Untethered, Up, Unwavering, Unity, Unique
• V: Value, Victory, Vitality, Virtue, Venturous
• W: Well, Whole, Will, Wanderlust, Wonder, Worthy, Win
• Y: Yes, Young, Yay

Can’t make up your mind? Scroll on to check the best single-word tattoos on the Internet.

Disclaimer: This tattoo collection is for inspiration only. Please do not copy the artwork. If you love these tattoos, follow artists and show them some support.

Non-cliché One-word tattoos and meaning

Brave

@capinksa

Courage is contagious. This single word tattoo is the best reminder.

Invincible

@pavlenko.ink

If you are a badass, own your power.

Angel

@carpenter_tattoo

This small neck tattoo is like a birthmark of an angel. You may not be able to see her wings. But if you look close enough, you’ll find her soul glowing under the skin.

Still

@chloejanetattoos

In a world where most people are going with the flow, be the one who stands firm in your faith

Read also: 65 Creative small finger tattoos with meaning

Today

@pureum_tattoo

Every day is a blessing. This colored tattoo is a reminder to live in the moment.

Venus

@nikolett.kapor

In Roman mythology, Venus is the goddess of love and beauty. This one-word tattoo will inspire you to love yourself more, and to find beauty in yourself.

Essentials

@esco_zcc

An image gives a word new meanings, just like this deep and yet sarcastic tattoo that hits hard in this special time.

Pure

@fawn.ink

Simple

@cagridurmaz

Always

@aleksnorthstudio

One way to make a one-word tattoo or a quote tattoo personal is to use your own handwriting, like this one here. The word “always” may be a promise to stay consistent. And it can be a reminder always to choose yourself.

Lover

@jotzet.tattoo

Because you can’t lose when you have love.

Happy

Because happiness is contagious.

@broccoli_tattooer

Hope

@hktattoo_tina

Word tattoos come in different shapes and forms. With a unique font and color scheme, a one-word tattoo becomes a reflection of one’s aesthetic. And this piece is no exception.

Human

@zombietears

Tired

@katememphis

You are not a robot. It’s okay to feel tired. This neck tattoo is a reminder to take a break until you are you again.

Warrior

@kellyneedles

Your mind deserves freedom from what you have no control of. A good mindset helps solve half of the problems coming in your way.

Read also: 43 Relatable overthinker quotes to stop thinking too much

Run

@cs_vivieen

Vivien Csiszár, the owner of this tattoo is a mountain runner. The word “run” on her wrist is not just a statement of her passion but also a symbol of her determination.

Bipolar

@esco_zcc

Not everyone is comfortable wearing their struggles on the sleeve. That’s not the case for the wearer of this mental health tattoo. It sends a deep message in a light-hearted way: it is not the disease itself that is scary but the guilt and shame that come with it.

Breathe

@kyla_rose_tattoo

Positive

@lacuart

Cherish – one-word tattoo

@_haemee2

2020 has taught us that nothing is permanent. The roof over our heads, a regular 9 to 5, and the time we get to spend with our family can all vanish in one day. We should not take things for granted just because they are always there. And the word “cherish” is a perfect reminder.

Princess

@alex.cocinero

Be your own princess and say no to things that don’t deserve you.

Never

@arslonga_tattoo

Don’t stay at the same place where you get hurt.

Resilient – one-word tattoo on the wrist

@bethanypete

Resilience is the ability to bounce back from difficulties and heal from traumas. It is not shown in the glimmering light of success. Instead, it is in the scars, bruises, and tears. And that’s where beauty shines through.

Left and right

@bil_tattoo

Those who walk with you are companions. But if someone going in the opposite direction still connects with your soul, you have found a real friend. And this matching best friend tattoo will be a permanent token of the friendship.

Read also: 79 Hearty matching best friend tattoos to get with your ride-or-die

Infinity – a rose tattoo on the ribcage

@bil_tattoo

Patience

@dianatodic_tattoo

Trust the process. Trust your growth. Patience is the best gift you can give yourself.

A word tattoo for survivors

@doggstattoo

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

Neverland

@hktattoo_tina

Neverland or Never Land, this outline stencil is specifically for dreamers.

Nomade

@ink_details

Nomade is the French version of Nomad. Nomads are people who travel and live in different places. It has become the name of those who never settle and never stop to explore the possibilities of life.
If it sounds like you, consider it as your next ink.

Inspiring words

@senart.ink

Can’t pick a single word to represent yourself? This tattoo makes a great example of incorporating all meaningful words together in one ink.

Enough – an inspiring one-word tattoo

@ixtw.ink

Never forget about that.

Fearless

@junhan_tattoo

When your passion meets your determination, you fly.

Worthy

@lu_tattoos

You deserves love, care, prosperity, and all the good things in life. Stay away from those who try to convince you otherwise.

Read also: 45 Heartfelt quotes to love yourself unapologetically

Miracle

@marinezzo

Life is full of miracles. You just have to notice them.

Chaos

@math.lst

Untethered

@math.lst

Don’t be a caged bird when you can be an eagle in the sky. Break the chains because you are untamable.

Adventure

@mikaink

“If we were meant to stay in one place, we’d have roots instead of feet.” If you are a free spirit that shares the philosophy of Rachel Wolchin, then you’ve found the perfect word for your next tattoo.

Put yourself first

@axelhoney

Because you deserve the same love, if not more, you give others.

Focus

@capinksa

A great reminder to keep your eyes on the stars and feet on the ground.

Blessed

@hybridink.helsinki

Every day is a gift. What you are experiencing is preparing you for what you want. If you look closely, life has a lot for us to be grateful for.

Love

@kyla_rose_tattoo

Love is a broad word. It can be romantic love or love for our family, friends, nature, or ourselves. Whichever love it is, it heals traumas and warms our souls. True love is rare. And this small forearm tattoo makes sure we never forget that.

Grateful

@tatuagens_deliicadas

Gratitude turns pain into peace. Always be grateful for what you have.

Conscience

@louve.tattooist

Conscience is a moral compass of what’s right or wrong. As Leo Tolstoy said, “wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it.” Let your conscience be your guidance and let no one hijack your judgments.

Energy

@math.lst

Grace

@novemberoakbranch

Read also: 64 Beautiful shoulder tattoos for women

Follow the light

@miniwork_jo

Love and hate

@moninktattoosluxembourg

This unique wrist tattoo combines love and hate into one word and sheds light on the delicate relationship between the two emotions.

“Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.” Love can be the source of hate, yet it can also be the cure.

Perception

@naptinomeseleyi

You don’t know what you don’t know about. And the more you know, the more you can be unsure of what you know. If you are an explorer that constantly pushes your knowledge boundaries, the word perception may represent your life philosophy.

Mom

@nhi.ink

“Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.“

Sassy – an elegant script tattoo

@sacred_grove_tattoo

Karma

@sacrednoirtattoo

Everything you do, good or bad, comes back to you.

Faith – a beautiful sunflower back tattoo

@sarahandersondesigns

One-word tattoos, or word tattoos in general, are not always tiny and low-key. Twist the font, match with patterns and flowers, they can be bold and captivating like this one.

Self

@shi_lmnop24

Read also: 39 Tattoos that will inspire you to love yourself more

Sweet

@skattytattys

Life is short. Make it sweet.

Flawsome

@tattoo_artistd

Flawsome comes from the word “flaw” and “awesome”. It is not an actual word, but the message is relatable: your flaws don’t make you any less worthy. With them, you are unique and real, and real is awesome.

Mercy

@tattooist_axe

A twisted reality

@tattooist_doy

Hallelujah – a fun lettering tattoo on the forearm

@tattooist_doy

Never.the.less

@tattooist_zitae

Family

@traptattoo_officialshop

Sibling tattoos, mother-daughter tattoos, and father-son tattoos…They are all expressions of love. If you want to honor the irreplaceable people in your life, consider getting this simple script tattoo.

Courage

@vanessatatuagem

A sunflower script tattoo over scars

@witaminat

“There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”

Fleur

@xiso_ink

Fleur means “flower” in French. For those who admire the beauty of flowers but prefer something simple, this tattoo is a good fit.

Yes and no

@zuzaok

Self-care

@zuzaok

The way you take care of yourself sets an example of how others should treat you. Treat yourself with love and you’ll bloom.

Read also: 48 self-care quotes to nourish and flourish

Which of these one-word tattoos resonate with you?

Leave your thoughts in the comment section. If you have a tattoo to share, tag @_ourmindfullife on Instagram to get featured!