The phoenix is a mythical creature that is said to be immortal. It is depicted with great plumage that is typically set ablaze. Even without any special meaning, the phoenix tattoo usually looks fantastic on the skin because it is a unique looking (mythical animal). However, these tattoos are often much better when you do use one of the great meanings. On this page we will go over the origins of the phoenix and plenty of excellent phoenix tattoo meanings.
It is legend that the bird set itself aflame to die and then was born again three days later from the ashes. In tattoo form, you can easily depict this by placing the phoenix over flames. You can also show the phoenix coming out of the ashes if that image works better for the meaning you want to use. Either way, it creates a striking image that will turn some heads.
This fiery bird is known in a variety of cultures, each with their own meaning and symbolism of the phoenix. This is important because you might find that your ancestors looked at the animal differently than others did. This could help you to narrow down your phoenix tattoo meaning options. In most cases, though, people decide to use more modern phoenix tattoo meanings since they are usually more obvious to outside observers.
Possibly the most popular phoenix tattoo meanings is life. Obviously this is a very wide-reaching meaning that just about anyone can use. The reason why the phoenix represents life is because it is known for wanting to live so badly that it would continue to die in order to come back to life. If you are the type of person who either loves every part of life or doesn’t want to miss a chance to do something great with your life, the phoenix tattoo might just be the one for you.
The phoenix, like many immortal creatures, can also symbolize time. The “time” meaning can mean different things to different people. It can mean that you don’t want to watch the days go by without doing something in your life. It can also mean that you recognize that you only have so much time to make the most of your life. In both cases, these are very powerful phoenix tattoo meanings that could work for most people who are interested in getting the phoenix tattoo.
Another favorite phoenix tattoo meaning that people life to use is clarity. Because this bird does not have to fear dying, it is able to think clearly all of the time, which is something that most of us would life to be able to do. This is yet another fantastic motivational tattoo meaning that can help people get past those dark days when they feel like they don’t have control. It is also a great phoenix tattoo meaning for those who want to get to the bottom of things quicker so they can move on to the next thing. It’s a very cool tattoo meaning that you can get from most other animal tattoo images.
Magicians and people who love the thought of magic might find the phoenix tattoo to be the perfect image to share their love for magic. Obviously the phoenix is a pretty magical creature considering its ability to come back from the dead when it chooses. It is also usually drawn in purple ink, which is the most common color in magic.
Two more phoenix tattoo meanings that people like to use are purity and rebirth. When used together, they show that the owner wants to lead a good, pure life. They find that by doing this they will be rewarded with a happier life. That’s a pretty cool combo of phoenix tattoo meanings that a lot of people will be enticed by.
Even though there aren’t too many people out there who truly believe in immortality, there are a lot of people who love the idea of it. Well, there simply aren’t too many better tattoo designs to represent immortality than the phoenix. This is a phoenix tattoo meaning that is meant to inspire the owners to live without fear of mortality.
One phoenix tattoo meaning that a lot of people will want to use is creativity. If you work in a creative field, the phoenix tattoo could be perfect for you. If you pride yourself in being a creative person, again, this phoenix tattoo meaning could be perfect for you. It also works for people who want to be more creative; in this case the phoenix tattoo works brilliantly as an inspirational tattoo.
Another interesting phoenix tattoo meaning is resurrection. This makes sense since the mythical phoenix that is able to rise from its own ashes and live again. This could mean that the owner of the phoenix tattoo has brought something back to life that they have lost or they are looking to get their lives back on track. Either way, this is yet another very cool phoenix tattoo meaning that works for plenty of people.
Similarly, the phoenix also symbolizes transformation. While it is not the only popular tattoo symbol that represents transforming, it’s one of the only images that doesn’t need to be explained. If you want to work towards turning your life around and “transforming” into a better version of you, this phoenix tattoo meaning might just be the one that you were looking for. It’s a powerful meaning that comes through a very powerful image.
In Greek history they believed the phoenix was born of Ethiopia and that it could outlive 9 generations of ravens, which according to Greek poet Hesiod, was about 90,000 years. You could tell this story in a tattoo by having the phoenix be the central figure of the design and then have ravens flying above or around it. Even if people don’t understand it at first glance, it will still be a beautiful tattoo to look at.
In Rome they saw the phoenix as a symbol of the continuation of the Roman Empire. They featured the bird on currency to stand as a reminder of their indomitable strength. If you happen to be proud of your Roman heritage or you simply think that this type of image would look good on your skin, well hey, you have another phoenix tattoo option to choose from!
In Egyptian culture the phoenix was connected to the sun and the Nile. Their version of this bird was known as a Bennu, which was part falcon and part heron. They believed it controlled the cycle of the sun each day and flew with it in its beak. The Egyptians also believed that the Bennu was the cause of the annual flooding of the Nile which was necessary to sustain agriculture. In this respect, the phoenix was seen as a symbol and life and death and was often used in alchemical rituals.
The Chinese typically depict the phoenix in pairs of male and female. They used this to represent yin and yang. The yin, or female, representing passiveness, intuitiveness, the moon and winter and the yang, or male, representing assertion, action, the sun and summer. They saw the phoenix duo as symbolizing an immortal, divine partnership.
The phoenix was also used in Western culture and Christianity to depict Christ. This was due to the phoenix having a similar power of resurrection and returning in three days much like Jesus Christ. Some people get the phoenix with a halo around its head, while others will get a larger tattoo that shows both Jesus and a phoenix.
As you can see, there is a huge list of fantastic phoenix tattoo meanings that you can choose from. And that really is the toughest part about getting a phoenix tattoo since it’s not too hard to make the image look great. All you have to do is come up with one or more phoenix tattoo meanings that you like, get a rough design, and then figure out where you want to place it. From there your tattoo artist should have no problem giving you a phoenix tattoo that you can be proud of.
Here are some of our favorite phoenix tattoo designs:
