8 Most Popular Celtic Design Tattoos

Searching for top-rated Celtic design tattoos? Here's a list of the eight most popular Celtic tattoo designs for you to peruse and see if you can find one that best matches your style and personality.

Knots.

This is probably the most common style of Celtic tattoo. The entwined patterns of this design represent the continuous cycle of life and death-no beginning and no end. Sometimes the knot works form certain geometric shapes, such as triangles and circles. When these two shapes combine, it usually makes a trinity knot that symbolizes the mind, body and spirit-or alternately, the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.

Cross Designs

This pattern type is based on the Latin cross and usually has a ring at the intersection of the horizontal and vertical lines. The Celtic cross is a symbol of the union of earth and the heavens-the vertical bar represents the spiritual world, the horizontal bar stands for the earth, while the ring is a symbol for the Creator's eternal love for mankind. Inside the cross, you can also find continuous spiral patterns that symbolize the never-ending existence of love and spirit. The Celtic cross is a great representation of the Celts' faith and love for their Creator.

Tree of Life

The Celtic tree of life is similar to the cross in the sense that they both build a connection between heaven and earth. A common image of this style is one where the tree's roots are grasping the earth and its branches are reaching out to the sky. The trunk of the tree of life serves as the meeting point of these two worlds.

Hearts

The Celtic heart is often referred to as the love knot tattoo. It basically represents the unity of souls, and its design starts out with a line that eventually turns into a heart-shaped knot. If you're looking for a more romantic pattern, then Celtic design tattoos that are based on heart patterns are the ones for you.

Celtic Claddagh

Another style that also includes a heart in its design is that of a Celtic Claddagh. The heart is usually depicted wearing a crown and being held by two hands. Naturally, the heart represents love; the hands typify friendship, while the crown stands for loyalty.

Spiral Designs

As mentioned before, spirals make up the continuous lines that form into more complicated patterns. They generally symbolize the immortality of love. If you prefer a simpler tattoo but with a special meaning, go with Celtic design tattoos with spiral patterns.

Maze Designs

Also known as key and step patterns, the maze is the representation of one's journey throughout the joys and challenges of life. The open and blocked paths stand for the opportunities and obstacles that are normally encountered in one's lifetime.

Animal Celtic Design Tattoos

The Celts have always believed that animals have a great role and participation in the harmony of nature. Below are some examples of animal Celtic patterns and their respective meanings:

• Bull - strength

• Butterfly - transformation and rebirth

• Crow - death

• Dog - loyalty and luck

• Dragon - magic and power

• Horse - beauty, rejuvenation, speed and vitality

• Lion - nobility and strength

• Peacock - purity

• Snake - fertility, healing and rebirth

Hopefully after reading the top seven Celtic design tattoos, you should be able to find the most suitable style that fits your image. Just be sure to give it a lot of thought before going to a tattoo shop.  Richard Galli

Popular Celtic Tattoo Designs

If you are looking for an attractive Celtic tattoo design, this information is for you. Here is a description of the most popular and recommended Celtic tattoo designs being used today.

Cross designs are a very popular Celtic symbol and frequently used in Celtic body art. The design is based on the Latin cross, and the vertical and horizontal lines symbolize the union of the heavens and the earth. There a ring in the middle, at the intersection of the horizontal and vertical lines that symbolizes the Creator's never-ending love for mankind, while the horizontal line represents the earth and the vertical line represents the spiritual world. Spiral patterns are often found inside the cross and stand for the eternal existence of love and spirit.

For a more romantic design, you might consider the Celtic heart. These tattoo designs start as a line and end as a heart-shaped knot, representing the unity of souls. Celtic hearts are often known as the "love knot tattoo."

Spiral designs are made up of continuous lines and form complicated patterns. They symbolize the immortality of love. These designs are a very popular choice, and are seen in many variations. They can be quite simple or extravagantly complicated and intricate.

According to Celtic tradition, animals play a major role in the harmony of nature. Certain animal tattoos stand for certain things. The dog symbolizes loyalty and luck, the butterfly symbolizes transformation and rebirth, the crow indicates death, the bull indicates strength, the snake stands for fertility and healing, the lion stands for nobility and strength, the dragon symbolizes magic and power and the horse indicates beauty, rejuvenation, speed and vitality.

Celtic knots are the most popular Celtic tattoo design. With no beginning and no end, the intertwined lines represent the continuous cycle of life and death. Sometimes a trinity type design is used to symbolize the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, or the mind, body and spirit.

The Celtic tree of life design also symbolizes a connection between heaven and earth, like the Celtic cross. Often, this is depicted by the branches of the tree reaching for the heavens while the roots grasp the earth. The trunk stands for the meeting point between these two worlds.

The Celtic maze design represents one's journey throughout life. Just like life, the maze has a myriad of open and blocked roads. It is an excellent representation of the ups and downs and joys and sorrows of life.

If you are planning on getting a Celtic tattoo, hopefully this information has been helpful in making your decision on which type and style to go with!  Adrienne Farrell

Celtic Butterfly Tattoos

Where do Celtic Butterfly Tattoos come from?

Celtic culture revolved around its strong links with nature, from the humble rock to the beautiful butterfly the Celts featured everything in their rich tradition. Celts were especially drawn to winged animals, believing these magical creatures contained souls, flying on an important journey searching for a new mother.

This was the case of the butterfly, when an ideal female host was found the butterfly would conceal itself in her food/drink and wait to be consumed. Thus the butterfly would impregnate their soul, enabling it to be reborn within a child.

To the Celts a butterfly was a strong symbol of reincarnation and evolution. A butterfly escaping from its cocoon, evolving from its previous grub form and by the injection of its soul into a woman its rebirth human infant. Peace, elegance and beauty all positive elements held highly in Celtic society were epitomized by the butterfly. These pagan foundations have carried through into modern society with Celtic Butterfly Tattoos.

Butterfly's which came in the night were not good omens. Moths are a distant relative of the butterfly, but lack the grace and elegance of their cousins. Butterfly's are the complete opposite of this, renowned for bringing happiness and good fortune, a tradition which has carried on to present day.

What goes into the design of Celtic Butterfly Tattoos?

Knots were an integral part of Celts culture, the designs would take the form of a never-ending rope representing the cycle of life and reincarnation. Knot designs were evolved into butterfly shapes, this pagan tradition is used to this day in Celtic Butterfly Tattoos. Celtic knot-work patterns were developed by the Celts originally, later monks carried on the work inherited from their ancestors. To assist with the concentration required for prayer, pages of holy text would be continually decorated with knot-work patterns. The monks believed their increased concentration would bring them closer to their god.

Using the method of knotting and applying it to a butterfly enable artists to create Celtic Butterfly Tattoos. A never-ending flow of rope forms the body and wings, twining inside and out to form the detail. A strong outline gives artists a excellent base to work from, additional detail and designs can be applied. Popular objects include other Celtic charms such as four leaf clovers, these charms build up a story behind the tattoo.

Where can I find Celtic Butterfly Tattoos?

It can be a struggle finding the perfect design for a tattoo especially when you want a unique design. In recent years people have turned towards online design galleries which offer a diverse and large selection in comparison to catalogues found in tattoo parlours. Experienced tattoo artists will have no problem replicating a design they are presented with. A good method is to take time to research Celtic Butterfly Tattoos, to ensure a unique and appropriate design is found.  Suzanne Bryan

Celtic Butterfly Tattoo Design Picture

Butterflies found a significant place in various cultures. The transformation from an ugly caterpillar to a butterfly is beautiful wonder what the ancient people. Between the Celtics, they find meaning in the form of the legend of Etain, a beautiful fairy girl. Etain famous beauty. It was so compelling that the king of Fairy Midir really mad by her charms. When the Fairy Queen came to know this, he was very jealous. She uses magic to change Etain into a butterfly and made a storm to blow her away from Midir. After seven years of flying from one flower to another, Etain fell into a glass of wine a mortal queen attended the banquet. Nine months later, Etain was born as a beautiful princess queen. Though, his identity has changed, the princess Etain maintain beauty. When the princess grew up, he married the High King of Ireland. Midir recognized as soon as he saw the princess. By defeating King of Ireland in the game of chess, Midir kissed Midir daughter immediately recognized. Midir use magic to disguise them as a goose and fled back to the kingdom.

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Celtic Tattoos

Celtic tattoos represent the heritage of historic and diverse groups of tribal societies in Europe dating back to ancient times. And more modernly Celtic tattoos pay tribute to Ireland and Irish heritage in general.

Celtic tattoos come in a variety of different designs, some of the most popular designs include the shamrock, the Claddagh Ring which is also known as the Irish wedding band, the triple spiral or triskelion and of course the sacred and mysteriously beautiful knots which come in many different patterns.

Celtic tattoos look great on almost any area of the body, such as the back and behind the ear.

Black, green and red are perhaps the most common colors used within a Celtic tattoo.

Other less common Celtic tattoos include the harp, leprechauns, the ancient book of kells and various animals.

Shamrock And Clover Tattoos

The shamrock is a wildly popular and trademarked symbol of Ireland, along with the Celtic harp, these designs are the counties two primary symbols.

However not only the Irish enjoy this pleasant work of nature, in fact various cultures all around the world embrace the beauty and good fortune that is associates with the shamrock, also refereed to as the clover.

Shamrock/clover tattoos a extremely popular among both men and women of all ethnicities and cultural backgrounds. Just have a look through this nice picture gallery of great tattoo ideas.

Beautiful small knot and heart inspired design.

Grove of lovely little clovers on lower back.

Representing both America and Ireland with matching artwork on chest.

Large ink on back of each calf.

Highly detailed idea with saying.

Body art on left side of mans chest.

Cute and highly visible tat behind left ear.