Typically when a person thinks of a heart tattoo they will think of the classic valentine looking heart with a banner flying across it that says, mom. That is the common image of heart tattoo designs that most people hold in their head. However, there are a ton of different ideas and designs that can work equally well for men and for women.
Realistic Heart
The realistic heart is kind of what it says. Typically a tattoo that is more attractive to men but these days women is getting realistic heart tattoos also. Symbolically these are really no different than any other heat tattoo design. They represent love or some form of love. However, they tend to be a little edgier since realism is there. They typically are the shape of a real heart and have veins running on them.
Flaming Heart And Sacred Hearts
The sacred heart typically has a flame burning above it in some form or another and it represents the ever-burning love for a person or if the person is religious it might be the burning love for God. The sacred heart as symbols came from Catholicism and from the image of the burning heart of Jesus. This has become popularized in many different tattoo designs and is a common symbol for undying love of someone or something. These are typically worn by men and women alike.
Pierced Heart
The pierced heart is usually a symbol for a lost loved or a person that has been hurt in love. The heart can be pierced with a variety of objects such as arrows, a dagger or any other sharp object. Sometimes people will choose a symbolic object to pierce the heart. It could even be wood stakes. This is also a design that is fairly balanced in its use by men and women. However, in some circles if the heart has been pierced with an arrow it can also be a symbol that the person has fallen in love and cupid has struck an arrow through their heart.
Tribal Heart
Tribal heart designs can take on a variety of forms. Again it is most often associated with a symbol of love but it has a tribal flare or accent. Sometimes you will even see the whole heart has been done as a tribal design meaning the black tribal lines form the heart. Whichever way you go tribal designs can add a lot of depth to the tattoo and make it look unique and original.
Lock And Key Heart
Another common heart tattoo is the lock and key heart. The heart typically has a small keyhole with it. The key might be tattooed with the same person getting the heart meaning they have not given their heart over to anyone yet. It can also be gotten by a significant other as a symbol that they hold the key to their lover’s heart. This is a much better design to get than having a boyfriend or girlfriend’s name written across the heart. The key can be added later if you choose to break up with the person whereas a name can often not be removed except through expensive laser surgery.
Broken Heart
The broken heart is typically a heart design that has a big split or crack down the middle and this signifies that the person has lost someone they loved due to death or just unrequited love. This is similar in fashion to the pierced heart design.
Heart with Wings
The heart with wings has a few different interpretations and can symbolize a few different things. It could be that the loved person has left them and “flown” away. Yet it can also be a symbol that someone is free-spirited and light-hearted in a sense.
Whatever heart design you might choose there are a lot of options out there. In some way, the heart tattoo is thought of to be a more girl tattoo design. However, it was also a very popular tattoo design in old school work and therefore many men looking to get some cool old school retro tattoos to get a heart design and the realistic heart has been one that many guys like.