Unicorn Tattoo Meaning, Design & Ideas

The magical horse from mythology with the horn coming directly out of its forehead is the unicorn. This mythical creature has been the topic of conversations, books and movies for many years.

Unicorns happen to be the subject of many tattoos enthusiast’s ink. You might ask yourself why someone might get a unicorn tattooed on their body be say more should be doing it.

The story of the unicorn is a pretty cool one and they represent something magical. Something that takes us back to being kids. It’s something that reminds us that there is more out there than what we see every day. Life is more than our jobs. There is more than our bills. There is still some magic out there and it shows in the form of the unicorn.

In this post we are going to talk about the unicorn and what it symbolizes. People get this tattoo for more than just its looks and we will talk about what it means to them. In addition, we will talk about the different variations of the unicorn tattoo and images that people get tattooed with the unicorn. By the end of this post, we hope you feel a bit more informed about why someone would get the unicorn tattoo. Maybe this will give you the push you need to get your own unicorn tattoo.

History of the Unicorn

Contrary to the beliefs of many, unicorns were not discussed in Greek mythology. However, there were accounts of unicorns in natural history by Greek writers. These writers were convinced that unicorns existed. They believed that unicorns lived in India which seemed like a million miles away to them. In a book by Ctesias called Indika, he spoke of these animals that he called wild asses. He described them as being fleet of foot, colored white, black and red and had a horn around 28 inches coming out from its head. Aristotle followed suit and wrote about the so called “Indian ass”.

In addition to those two, many other Greek writers and philosophers wrote about the unicorn. They described it as making lowing noises. All accounts of the unicorn from these times revolved around India and them having the single horn coming out of its forehead. The colors or sizes might have changed but they are all similar in that way.

In the Middle Ages, the information of the unicorn was taken from ancient and biblical sources. The unicorn was commonly referred to as a goat, horse or wild ass.

Unicorn Tattoo Meaning

This leads into the symbolism of the unicorn. In those medieval times, there was an allegory about the unicorn that said it had been trapped by the Virgin Mary and that the unicorn symbolized incarnation. When the unicorn sees Mary, it falls asleep in her lap. This fable is one that became the standard on how the unicorn was depicted. Other interpretations of the unicorn story rely on the stories of captivated lovers and some religious writers say the unicorn and its death symbolize the Passion of Christ. They would compare Jesus Christ’s relationship with Mary as only a virgin being able to tame the wild unicorn.

As far as other symbolism goes, the unicorn tattoo can represent innocence. Adding to this, the unicorn symbolizes the divine and chastity. This makes sense as religious writers said only a virgin could tame a unicorn.

The unicorn also represents femininity. In addition, they have been said to represent the moon which is full of feminine energy. The suggestion of the unicorn representing feminine yin energy also makes sense as they are known as magical, mysterious and intuitive creatures.

Now we can circle back to the magical symbolism of the unicorn tattoo. The unicorn is up there as one of the most wondrous creatures of lore. They represent miracles, enchantment and magic. Some stories say the unicorn will only appear to a few lucky people and it has the power to bestow wisdom, miracles and magic to those that are pure of heart. With this, you can probably see the theme of much of the symbolism of the unicorn.

Unicorn Tattoo Variations

When most people think of unicorns, they imagine a white horse, but it isn’t that uncommon to see unicorns in different colors and sizes. Images like these go back to the times of Greek mythology. You might also see other magical figures tattooed with the unicorn. These might include dragons, fairies or gnomes. Below are few examples of unicorn tattoos to check out.

Rearing Unicorn Tattoo

The rearing unicorn tattoo is a way to add more mystery to the unicorn. A rearing horse symbolizes excitement, fright or aggression. These aren’t generally traits that you would think go with a unicorn, but many people will get the unicorn tattooed in this way. However, unless you are pure of heart, you might catch the aggression from the unicorn as it is said to be pure in itself.

Rainbow Unicorn Tattoo

Rainbows and unicorns seem to go hand in hand. When thinking of ways to add a magical feeling to your unicorn tattoo, the rainbow is a great option. You will also see this a lot in movies but the theme to remember is a magic and wonder. Rainbows are fascinating by themselves. Adding a unicorn to the mix will really enhance your magically themed tattoo.

New School Unicorn Tattoo

Because unicorns are so prevalent in cartoons and kids’ movies, the new school or cartoony looking unicorn tattoo is a popular choice as well. Movies like The Last Unicorn and Images from My Little Pony are some depictions that seem to be popular. These tattoos can bring the person back to their childhood or remind us of times of innocence. The whimsical image reminds us that we were once pure souls and had carefree lives. The new school unicorn tattoo is an ode to your childhood.

There are many ways to get the unicorn tattoo and we hope you can use some of this information or the pictures below to get your own ideas for your next tattoo. If you need help finding an artist to work on this for you,

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