10 Stunning Lion Tattoo Designs with Meaning

A lion’s face is the symbol of power, strength, resilience, royalty among many other meanings. Across many cultures in the world, the lion is a respected member of the cat family and it is no wonder that lion inspired tattoos make top searches on the web.

Why Lion Tattoos?

When a lion roars, everyone for a radius of 5 miles will stop and listen. It is the reason why many people who are in position of power want to associate themselves with the majestic creature that carries itself in a kingly manner at all times.

Zodiac signs also fuel the fire for Lion inspired tattoos for people whose sign is Leo. It is the deeper meaning and not just the beauty of the image that makes people so in love with the Lion inspired tattoo.

Of course society has had this bias for a long time that vigor, power and strength is reserved for male members only. Well, even though the Lion is a masculine figure women too can have a Lion tattoo whenever they want. It all depends on the message you want to send with your new ink and how you want to be received.

Lion Tattoos Placement

When people choose tattoos, they hardly ever take enough time to consider the placement. Placement of lion tattoos is almost as important as the choice of image itself. For instance, legs signify our foundation as they are what normally support our weight as we move forward. Even so, rarely will people place lion or any other tattoos on their legs and ankles.

What Does A Lion Tattoo Mean?

Lion tattoos have a lot of symbolism attached to them depending on the social context. Other than the traditional meanings of royalty and power, Lions can be had as tattoos for their beauty or as many other reasons as there are enthusiasts.

The following list is as diverse as we could find them with a different lion image for every taste, from simple pencil sketches to water color and geometric shape lion tattoos. We hope you find the right kind of inspiration for your next cool ink from here.

1. Geometric Lion Tattoo

This stunning lion tattoo is what you get when you combine math and the king of the jungle and a symbol of strength and power in the human mind. The Lion is a proud animal whose presence is always felt and respected just as much as laws of math and they govern all the physical phenomena. If your astrological sign is Leo or you just happen to have a serious liking for lion tattoos that go to the forearm, then this geometric lion design should allow you to spark.

2. Abstract Back Lion Tattoo

Next we serve up this abstract lion tattoo design that will simply leave a lot to be desired. It’s quite a feast for the eyes and the fact that it is intentionally incomplete is unsettling. This painting is realistic and the presence of the lion on you canvas will be felt in the room except the artist also added a unique twist by making quite a bunch misplaced lines. There is a whole explosion of blue hue around the mane of the lion just as watercolors would drip, it’s simply a spectacular imitation of a painting on human canvas. It will not be easy, cheap or pain free this Lion Tattoo is worth all the efforts.

3. Lion and Clocks Tattoo

This picture perfect lion tattoo looks like a renaissance artist decided to use human arm instead of their canvas. The level of skill is unbelievably good with a master level of technique and shading as well as rendering. It is a beautiful piece that chew up to 30 hours of an artist’s time and will inevitably by expensive. Lions alone mean royalty ad self-confidence but when combined with clocks it symbolizes unending powers or timelessness.

4. Ornate Lion Back Of Leg

Check out the unique placement and the balance between the two leg backs with this meaningful lion tattoo. It features an ornate lion’s head on one leg and a similarly sized and styled flower design on the other. This particular ornate lion piece would look good on both men and women and is easily concealable when you do not want to flaunt your ink.

5. Lion With Flowers

This piece depicts a rare scene where a lion is seen behind a bush with flowers. The lion manes look well gloomed like human hair with a fuller growth but the face is that of a lion. The long hairs easily blend into the vegetation and everything seem in harmony. The placement on the forearm like that I genius because the lion makes eye contact with the people in front and its hard not to notice the stare.

6. Little Pencil Sketch Lion King

There are only a handful tattoos that say “king” and certainly a lion’s head with crown stresses the same point twice. This lion’s head and crown is a simplistic one line sketch tattoo with a heavy overbearing message and symbolism. Placed on the wrist, this tattoo will draw necessary attention when desired but can also be easily concealed seeing as it is no larger than two thumbs. The Meaning of this piece needs no further explanation though you might want to get it for a slightly different reason.

7. Small Back of Arm Lion’s Head

Another interesting lion Tattoo to consider is this realistic small lion’s head tattoo placed at the back of hand just above the elbow. It is captivating with fluffy manes and keen eyes. With this tattoo and a short sleeved shirt on, you do not need to watch your six as it will do it for you. This placement is nice because many people like to secretly admire other people’s tattoos. The lion will make admirers a little uneasy looking straight at them like that.

8. Poetic Watercolor Lion Tattoo On Side

Then we have this mind blowing explosion of color in a water color lion tattoo that looks like colors exploded on his side and birthed a colorful lion. This is more than just a lion tattoo since it is poetic and a genuine feast for the eyes. In this tattoo the symbolic authoritative and chiefly presence of the lion is somewhat diluted by the rainbow of fun and exciting colors. This could mean that you are powerful and royal yet also playful and a person with many personal traits.

9. Roaring Lion

Nothing reaffirms the power and might of the king of the jungle than his mighty roar. This Tattoo will get you some respect and authority as it is one of the most impactful lion tattoos you can choose to have inked. It brings out the ferocity of the cat animal and will literary send chills down people’s spines. Due to the amount of detail, this could easily fit into a larger canvas but the current placement against the shoulder is also superb.

10. Calf Lion Tattoo

This Calf Lion Tattoo is a black sketch of a lion’s head mounted on triangular pedestal. In the background is a black planet and star constellations. This is a fully detailed lion’s head and every though it appears sketchy at first glance, a closer inspection reveals intricate detailing especially with the dotting patterns. The constellation are a thoughtful and meaningful added feature which also gives the lion an indulging and dreamy look. The placement on the calf is perfect for guys who want to showcase foundation and the masculine look. Lions also symbolize royalty, strength, pride and virility.