What Do Rihanna's Tattoos Mean? Here's a Quick Guide

Updated on 2/18/2023 at 10:10 AM

Rihanna is well-known for her love of tattoos.

Rihanna's neck tattoo is often visible when her hair is up.

Many of Rihanna's tattoos have meanings.

If there's one thing we know about Rihanna, it's that she's a big fan of tattoos and body art. Her body art has been the topic of headlines more than once. Most recently, Rihanna's hand tattoo was front and center when she announced that she would be headlining the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show, and before that, the singer had the internet in a frenzy over one of her designs. In 2021, she was spotted out in New York City on a date with boyfriend A$AP Rocky when fans noticed that the crown tattoo on her left ankle was actually a cover-up for the camouflage shark she'd gotten with Drake.

According to E! News, Rihanna went to New York City's Bang Bang Tattoo in 2016 to get the shark in honor of one of her dates with the rapper, during which he took her to an aquarium in Toronto and bought her a toy shark. (He got the same design on his arm.) While the circumstances surrounding her new tattoo may be a bit awkward, she has over a dozen others that are pretty meaningful as well. Fans of the singer are consistently using Rihanna's tattoos to inspire their own ink.

If you've ever wondered what Rihanna's tattoos mean, keep reading as we take you through each one.

— Additional reporting by Ariel Baker

Rihanna's "Rebelle Fleur" Neck Tattoo

Rihanna's neck tattoo is from 2010. It reads "rebelle fleur," which translates to "rebel flower."

Rihanna's Henna and Maori Hand Tattoos

Rihanna's hand tattoos are some of her most recognizable. One of the most well-known — and the one that was featured in that Super Bowl poster — is the one on her right hand. It's a henna-inspired tattoo that she had incorporated into her existing Maori tattoo in 2013. The latter design was a traditional ta moko tattoo that was drawn using a chisel, though the henna design, according to E! News, was drawn by tattoo artists Keith Scott "Bang Bang" McCurdy and Cally-Jo over a period of 12 hours.

Rihanna's Constellation Neck Tattoo

Another famous tattoo of Rihanna's is the collection of stars that run down the back of her neck to her shoulder.

Rihanna's Finger Tattoos

Rihanna's collection of hand tattoos also includes the word "love" written in cursive on her left middle finger, and "shhh" on her pointer finger.

Rihanna's Collarbone Tattoos

The singer has a tiny cross on the left side of her collarbone. Opposite that, she has the phrase "Never failure, always a lesson." She once revealed in an interview that she had it written backward so she could read it back to herself in the mirror as motivation.

Rihanna's Falcon and Shark Ankle Tattoos

Rihanna's ankle tattoos are just as famous as the ones on her hands. On her right ankle, the singer has a falcon design, and on her left used to be a camouflage shark that she got with Drake back in 2016. The shark was a memento of a toy shark the rapper bought her while they were on a date at a Toronto aquarium. In the years following their relationship, Rihanna had the tattoo covered up.

Rihanna's Crown Ankle Tattoo

Rihanna's ankle tattoos don't stop at the aforementioned designs. It's not clear exactly when she made the decision to cover up the matching tattoo she got with Drake, but when she did, she opted for a crown that wraps halfway around her ankle.

Rihanna's Star Ear Tattoo

Rihanna has the outline of a star tattooed on the inside of her ear. It's slightly faded over time.

Rihanna's "1988" Ankle Tattoo

On her right ankle is another famous Rihanna tattoo. The ink is of her birth year: 1988.

Rihanna's Roman-Numeral Shoulder Tattoo

On her left shoulder, Rihanna has a tattoo of the roman numerals XI IV LXXXVI, which is for April 11, 1986 — the birthday of her best friend, Melissa Forde.

Rihanna's Sternum Tattoo

Another popular Rihanna tattoo is her sternum tattoo of the Egyptian goddess Isis, which she got back in 2012 in honor of her late grandmother, Gran Gran Dolly.

Rihanna's Skull Ankle Tattoo

One of Rihanna's hard-to-spot tattoos is on the back of her ankle. The design is of a skull with a bow on top that she hasn't revealed the meaning of.

Rihanna's Musical-Notes Foot Tattoo

Rihanna's tattoo collection includes musical notes placed on her right foot. The design is most likely an ode to her love of music.

Rihanna's Zodiac Ear Tattoo

In honor of her astrological sign, Rihanna has a tattoo behind her ear of the Pisces symbol.

Rihanna's Arabic and Nefertiti Ribcage Tattoos

On the left side of her ribcage, Rihanna has an Arabic phrase that translates to "Freedom in God," according to Body Art Guru. Above that is a portrait of Nefertiti, a queen of ancient Egypt.

Rihanna's Sanskrit Hip Tattoo

Rihanna's right hip tattoo is a Sanskrit prayer that reportedly translates to "forgiveness, honesty, suppression and control."

Rihanna's Gun Tattoo

Rihanna's tattoo on the right side of her ribcage is a gun. She explained to Elle UK back in 2013 that she got it as a "symbol of strength" after being abused in 2009 by ex-boyfriend Chris Brown.

"Everybody wanted to know what was happening in my life," she said. "Is she a drug addict? No. Is she an alcoholic? No. Is she a victim? No. That's why I got the gun. It was a symbol of strength. I'll never be a victim."