Butterfly tattoos have always been extremely popular with women and girls for the simple reason that a butterfly is an embodiment of feminine beauty, grace and style besides, of course, being full of vibrant energy.

The wings of the butterfly symbolize life and can be inked on the body in a variety of colors and styles, to suit the personality of the tattoo wearer. Also, it looks as sexy and alluring in black and white as it does when created with radiant colors.

Any tattoo lover would love to wear one to make a style statement.

A tattoo artist, on the other hand, would love to etch butterflies because they are symmetrical and can be combined with lots of other styles for that stunning effect.

Butterfly Tattoo Meaning in Different Cultures

Butterflies mean different things to different people.

The Greeks: The Greek word for this lovely insect was ‘psyche’, meaning ‘mind’ or ‘soul’. They believed that every time a butterfly comes out of its cocoon, a soul is born. To a Greek, therefore, a butterfly tattoo means the birth of a soul.

The Irish: The people in Ireland, on the other hand, associate butterflies with the soul of the dead. To them, these insects represent the souls of the dead people.

The Germans: The people of Germany, like their Irish counterparts, believe that butterflies are reincarnations of dead people. They, however, thought of them as harbingers of good luck and fertility believing that when they flutter around childless couples, they bring them happiness and joy by blessing them. And that a couple thus blessed would soon beget a child.

The Japanese: To the Japanese, butterflies represent souls of dead and living people. In the medieval times, most powerful Japanese families would get a butterfly etched on their family crests. Known as ‘kamon’, they would adorn the family treasures of the rich and the mighty. Butterfly crests have, therefore, been popular in Japan for hundreds of years.

The samurai would also use the butterflies extensively in their flags, banners, armor and on their weapons to establish a distinct identity during battles.

Japanese butterfly tattoos were thought to represent feminine grace and the metamorphosis of a young girl into womanhood.

In the late 17^th century, however, the Edo shogunate banned tattoos altogether and they came to be looked down upon in the Japanese society. After the ban on getting oneself inked was lifted after the World War II, they again gained popularity though they were usually associated with geishas till a few years back.

The Chinese:  Though the Chinese have traditionally associated tattoos with criminal gangs and prisoners and looked down upon anyone who got his/herself inked, tattoos are gaining popularity among the present generation.

Women, in particular were scoffed at if they got themselves a tattoo and most women would hide their tattoos even if they did get choose to get them.

Butterfly tattoo meaning today

Though butterflies mean different things to people from various countries, there are five different symbolisms or meanings attached to butterfly tattoos today:

1. It is mainly considered to be a symbol of beauty and grace.
2. A butterfly tattoo is also considered to stand for freedom. Just like a butterfly can fly from one flower to another without any restrictions, a person with a butterfly tattoo is usually perceived as a free spirit who is unlikely to be tied down by any chains.
3. A person donning a butterfly tattoo is often seen as a highly ambitious person who wants to reach out for the skies.
4. A butterfly goes through a lot of changes during its life cycle. As it hatches out of the egg and metamorphoses from a rather ugly looking caterpillar into a fascinating creature, a butterfly tattoo is also seen as a symbol of change. A person who has been through radical changes in his/ her life might, therefore, might want to sport a butterfly tattoo.
5. Since a butterfly is extremely delicate, it is also considered to be a symbol of impermanence or fragility or instability in our world.

Whatever the reason for getting one, there is no denying that a butterfly tattoo can look extremely enchanting and captivating.

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10 Sexy Butterfly Tattoo Designs

Here are Top 10 sexy butterfly tattoo designs:

A sexy butterfly tattoo below the neck

 

An enchanting butterfly- place it anywhere you like!

 

Simple yet classy

A sexy tribal butterfly

 

A celtic butterfly tattoo

 

Strategically placed butterflies along the back

 

Bold yet feminine!

 

Butterfly surrounded by rosebuds

 

Brilliant use of colors

 

 

 Simply sexy!

Conclusion:

If you like the butterfly tattoo designs we have shared with you, do write to us!