35 Mother-Daughter Tattoo Ideas to Solidify Your Bond

It's a lucky thing to have your mom as one of your best friends in life. Sure, you might have gotten into little squabbles over significant others and eye makeup when you were 13, but nothing compares to the bond you have with the person who brought you into this world. And what better way to celebrate that relationship than with mother-daughter tattoos? Getting a tattoo is one of the easiest ways to commemorate a special moment, date, or loved one, and in this case, sentimental mother-daughter tattoos are a permanent message to all that will listen, exactly how much you love your mom.

If you've been on the hunt for ideas to inspire your own design, the beauty in body art is that you're in charge. This means that whether you want a hyperrealistic tattoo or a more obscure quote design — you get the final say on what goes onto your (and your mom's) body. Symbols that represented something important in your relationship are a popular option, such as a type of flower, matching hearts, or butterflies. Alternatively, popular mother daughter quotes for tattoos can come from song lyrics (throwback to "You Are My Sunshine," anyone?) or a personal phrase from your childhood — perhaps a nickname or a book you read together growing up. It's always nice to put a little extra thought behind the design to give the tattoo an extra meaningful touch.

Ready to jump in? Keep reading for mother daughter tattoo ideas, from hidden ink to small tattoo designs and beyond.

Colorful Mother-Daughter Tattoos

Don't be afraid to go abstract with your sentimental mother daughter tattoo, like seen here. This one reads "Donde Estés, Estaré Contigo" with colorful details.

Matching Script Quote Tattoos

This mother-daughter tattoo is inspired by Roger Knapp's famous book Love You Forever and reads, "my mommy you'll be" and "my baby you'll be."

Origami Mother-Daughter Tattoos

This elephant origami is the perfect symbol for mother-daughter love. The larger elephant, which symbolizes the mom, is leading the way for the baby to follow.

Sunflower Mother Daughter Tattoos

At this point, flower tattoos should be the symbol for mother-daughter love. This flower represents joy and playfulness, the perfect way to describe that special bond that you share with your mom.

Matching Pink Daisy Designs

Hyperrealistic flowers and mother-daughter tattoos will always go hand in hand. If you and your mom share a favorite color, get the plant in that shade.

Mother-Daughter Floral Ankle Tattoos

Mother-daughter tattoos don't have to be tiny. Take this floral tattoo that goes up a third of the leg for example. Despite its size, it's super easy to hide.

Matching Chain of Hearts Tattoos

If you need simple mother daughter tattoo ideas, these linked hearts are worth considering. They look good alone, but even better when your mom adds a matching piece beside it.

"There's No Better Friend Than a Daughter . . . " Quote Tattoo

Yes, mothers and daughters may fight but let this mother-daughter tattoo remind you: there's no better friend than your mom.

"You Are Enough" Mother-Daughter Tattoos

This sentimental mother daughter tattoo acts as a reminder that you are enough. It also makes for a gorgeous shared design.

Forearm Quote Mother-Daughter Tattoos

Mother-daughter quote tattoos can be simple but impactful. Take this design for example, which takes up space but is on full display thanks to its location on the forearm.

Music Notes Tattoos

Love music? Infuse your passion into the design of your mother-daughter tattoo and get something like the music notes seen here. Even more special? Get the notes of your favorite song.

"She Taught Me to Fly . . . I Gave Her Wings" Quote Tattoos

Another case for hyperrealistic mother-daughter tattoos? These stunning butterfly portraits. Split your favorite quote between you and your mom, so that you have one half of the saying and she has the other.

Abstract Mother-Daughter Knot Tattoo Design

Another eccentric mother-daughter tattoo idea? This intricate knot design. It's abstract enought to start a conversation but the larger figure hugging the smaller one makes comeplete sense once you explain.

Family Portrait Tattoo

There is nothing better than coming across your favorite picture, so why not make your mother-daughter tattoo a hyperrealistic design of yourself and your mom as seen here?

"I Love You, I Love You More" Quote Tattoo

Use your mother-daughter tattoo to send a message to your mom. A simple "Mom, I love you," as seen here is sure to tug at your mom's heartstrings.

Heart Thumbprint Fine-Line Tattoo

Nothing says "you complete me" like a single design shared between two people and this mother-daughter tattoo featuring a heart made of thumb prints is proof.

Abstract Flower Tattoo Idea

Should you be a lover of flowers and greenery when it comes to you designs, try this floral mother-daughter tattoo in an interesting place like the side of the leg. It's an abstract interpretation of a flower, so feel free to add other elements like birth dates, zodiac signs, and more.

Sentimental Mother Holding Daughter Tattoo

If you want you mother-daughter tattoo to be a conversation starter get something that draws the eye. This silhouette of a mother holding a daughter is abstract but gets the message of how much a mother loves her daughter across beautifully.

Tiny Matching Hearts

If you prefer a mother-daughter tattoo that is easy to hide, you can't go wrong with this heart design. The tiny tattoo will serve as constant reminder of your mother's love.

Simple Star Tattoo Design

Another classic mother-daughter tattoo design? Simple stars. If you want to take the design up a notch, opt for spashes of color, a special date, or even you and your mom's nick names for each other below the design.

Stars and Moon Matching Tattoo

If you or you mother prefer a more subtle approach to your designs, this minimal "stars and moon" design is the ultimate mother-daughter tattoo. The best part? Depending on who's tattoo it is, either the stars or the moon is filled in, to emphasize how important you, your siblings, and your mom, are to each of you.

Think Positive Wrist Tattoo

There's nothing like a quote tattoo to serve as a daily reminder but this mother-daughter tattoo takes it up a notch by making this "think positive" design stand out even more, thanks to the red "t" in the word positive.

"Love You Forever" Mother-Daughter Tattoo Idea

Sentimental mother-daughter tattoos can capture everything from your favorite song lyric or a sweet saying. They also make for a great first design that can be worked into a larger piece with hyperrealistic pictures later on.

Colorful Butterfly Matching Tattoo

This is another butterfly-themed mother-daughter tattoo but this time with diferrent coloring, proving how versatile the design is. Whether you and your mom want to stick to a traditional shade or you prefer bolder colors, butterly wings will always prove to be a versatile canvas.

Palm Tree Mother Daughter Tattoos

If you and your mom can always be found by the beach, make your mother-daughter tattoo design palm trees or another tropical motif like coconuts.

Minimal Lotus Flower Tattoo Designs

Lotus flowers are a classic design that will always look good for a mother-daughter tattoo. Incorporate them into a larger piece or have them as a standalone. Whichever you choose, you can trust that it will look incredible.

Mother-Daughter Black Silhouette Tattoos

This silhouette mother-daughter tattoo portrays a love between a mother and their child. If you like tattoos that almost look like a tiny piece of art, this one's for you.

"She Gave Me Life; She Gave Me Purpose" Mother-Daughter Tattoo Idea

Another stunning quote design, this mother-daughter tattoo incorporates an intricate floral theme. This time, you can break up both the quite and the line-work portion of the tattoo to create two halves of one whole tattoo every time you see your mom.

Dainty Compass Tattoo Design

No matter where you go, this compass mother-daughter tattoo will always remind you that you can go home to your mom. If that's not enough to make you want to call your mom on a regular basis, we don't know what is.

Matching Unalome Design for Mothers and Daughters

This unalome mother daughter tattoo will be sure to catch attention. It's simple, yet intricate, plus it'd be a great segue into talking about the reason you got the design in the first place.

Individual Mother-Daughter Portrait Tattoos

Are you and your mom the more artsy type? If so, opt for your mother-daughter tattoo to be abstract portraits of each other that you both can design for the other person.

Matching "We Are Sailing" Quote Tattoos

Have a favorite activity you do with your mom? Make it the theme of your matching mother-daughter tattoo to remind you of all the great times you've had together.

Simple Beating Hearts Mother-Daughter Tattoo

This "beating heart" mother-daughter tattoo looks like love personified. If you and your mom are the sentimental type, this design will be perfect for the two of you.

Dragonfly Palm Tattoos

Another way to amp up your animal-themed mother-daughter tattoo is to get it in an unexpected location, like your palm.

Tea Cup and Kettle Mother-Daughter Tattoos

This mother-daughter tattoo looks as delicate as the fine china it's modeled after. Whether your tea lovers of just the kettle to your mom's tea cup, this design manages to feel dainty and elegant, despite being larger designs.

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— Additional reporting by Ariel Baker


Haley Lyndes was an assistant editor for POPSUGAR Shopping where she found and tested the best home, beauty, and fashion products. She is a graduate of Northern Vermont University and has nearly five years of experience in both written and broadcast journalism.



Ariel Baker is the assistant editor for POPSUGAR Beauty. Her areas of expertise include celebrity news, beauty trends, and product reviews. She has additional bylines with Essence and Forbes Vetted.