Semicolon Tattoos Are a Simple But Meaningful Choice

Selena Gomez with a fresh makeup look and semicolon tattoo on wrist — @selenagomez / Instagram

While a tattoo can be as thought-out or frivolous as you want, getting a meaningful piece is a great way to honor something important to you. A design with meaning adds another layer of personalization, making it a genuinely unique tattoo no matter how popular the symbol. And considering a tattoo will be with you forever (or until you remove it), a meaningful choice means you’ll enjoy the reminder of what it represents every time you look at it. One popular meaningful tattoo design is the semicolon, which has come to be a major symbol of mental health and resilience over the years. Ahead, we dive into the meaning of semicolon tattoos plus share 24 stunning examples to fit every aesthetic.

What Does a Semicolon Tattoo Mean?

In the context of grammar, a semicolon is used to combine two complete sentences that are related. In other words, a semicolon means that the thought is not quite over even though the sentence is—there’s still more to come. That sentiment is the ethos of Project Semicolon, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness about mental health, self-harm, suicide, and addiction.

While you don’t have to get a semicolon tattoo because of its meaning, many people do so to honor someone—whether that’s a friend, a relative, or themselves—or to raise general awareness. A semicolon tattoo is more than just a visual representation; it's often a conversation starter, so you can spread the word while rocking your cool tat.

The semicolon’s flexibility as a design has made the symbol a popular tattoo choice, and it's led to tons of beautifully customized pieces of ink. If you’re considering a semicolon tattoo, see 24 ways to personalize the design below.

The Best Semicolon Tattoo Inspiration

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Butterfly

This design uses a semicolon as the body of a butterfly, with wings attached. The symbolic message offers a lesson on beginnings, ends, and new life.

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Miniscule

Micro semicolon tattoo on wrist next to jeans and plant — @tinytattoos_feathertouch / Instagram

This dainty design offers the subtlest nod at the meaningful trend. Placement on the wrist is traditional for semicolon tattoos, making this one a classic.

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Heart

This style puts a sweet twist on the traditional semicolon, pairing a heart with a comma beneath. This offers extra symbolism for those who get the art in honor of a loved one.

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Classic

Placement on the wrist and black ink make this a classic take on semicolon tattoo art.

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Floral

This tattoo places the semicolon within a two-strand floral wreath. It's proof that you can pair semicolons with other designs for an extra twist.

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Sun

A subtle sun design takes the place of the traditional period in this semicolon design. The sun adds the extra symbolism of dawn and new beginnings.

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Brush Strokes

This bold style eschews the standard dot and comma for a wide, brush-stroke-like take on the trend. It looks great in black but could work with a wide variety of other hues, as well.

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Back of the Neck

Back of neck with semicolon and flowers tattoos — @royalrattattoo / esslingen-tattoo.de

The back of the neck is a prime spot for a tattoo like this one, where the symbolism is only noticeable when you choose to pull your hair up to show it off.

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Purple and Blue

The stunning, ombré shades of purple and blue here add a fun hint of personality to classic semicolon art.

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Flower Branch

Why settle for one design when you could have two you love? This style features both a striking floral brand and a semicolon—so you get the best of both worlds.

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Multicolored

Arm with blue and green watercolor tattoo featuring semicolon design — @minitattoo.ren / Instagram

This strip of color is bold and beautiful, with blues and deep greens throughout. The semicolon offers the juxtaposition of a bright white border to help the design (and its meaning) stand out.

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Rainbow

This series of rainbow dots is both striking and symbolic, with each grammatical nod offering a different point of view. The choice to make the final purple one into a semicolon helps communicate the message that your story is never truly over.

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Arrow

This design offers a double meaning: the semicolon to raise awareness for suicide prevention, and an arrow to represent that the wearer will continue on.

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Mermaid

A truly unique take on the semicolon, this style features a mermaid and flower moon comprising the symbol. The colors and bold design make this one a showstopper.

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Warrior

Here, the semicolon stands in for an "i" in the word "warrior." The message and the symbol signify remaining steadfast against opposition.

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Sunflower

At first glance, this simple design appears to be nothing more than a sunflower, but upon further inspection, you'll notice a semicolon takes residence within the flower's stem.

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Abstract Butterfly

Wrist with butterfly semicolon tattoo — @gods_ink_ / Instagram

Butterflies are a popular semicolon design, but we like how this one is done in simple black ink, with the added twist of an abstract shape.

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Beating Heart

An anatomical heart tops a semicolon here for a "heartfelt" take on the trend. You could pair nearly any clip art with a semicolon, though the heart makes it extra symbolic.

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Paint Splatter

This paint splatter design draws extra attention to the semicolon and allows the wearer to rock all their favorite hues of the rainbow.

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Earth and Asteroid

Earth, dinosaur, and asteroid colorful semicolon tattoo — @topaciotattoos / Instagram

This Big Bang-themed design sees a dinosaur-laden Earth colliding with an asteroid. Together, the shapes mimic a semicolon, but with a fun, cartoonish twist.

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Thin Line

Arm with thin red and black outline semicolon tattoo — @inkbymiti / Instagram

This simple and elegant take on the look utilizes just two thin lines, but the varying colors (red and black) offer a complementary and more impactful design.

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Flock of Birds

Here, the top of the semicolon tattoo breaks off into a flock of birds. The message is one of freedom and continuation.

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Cat

Here, a semicolon gets topped with a tiny cat head. This is perfect for cat lovers, but you can also adjust it to feature another shape, depending on your interests.

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Sentence Fragment

Back of neck with "My story isn't over" tattoo ending in semicolon — @leedsinkandbeauty / Instagram

Some of the more touching semicolon tattoo designs are those that feature the semicolon at the end of a sentence to signify—as this design does—that your story isn't over.

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