Carnation Tattoo Meanings
Carnations aren’t just popular with florists– they make for great tattoos, with special meanings for each design.
Not to mention, they are the official flower of February.
Something a lot of people don’t realize is that the rose tattoo isn’t the only flower tattoo that symbolizes love– a tattoo of a carnation flower represents love just as strongly.
The carnation tattoo represents love especially when it is in the colors of pink or red.
However, the carnation tattoo does not have to be pink or red to symbolize love.
All carnations can be given as a romantic gesture, and therefore each one symbolizes romance and love in its own right.
In fact, since carnations are common at weddings, it is common for bunches of carnations in a tattoo to be received in honor of a wedding anniversary for your wife or husband.
Carnation tattoos can also be religious, especially the white carnation tattoo.
One more interesting meaning of the carnation flower tattoo is that of fascination and enthrallment.
In other words, this tattoo represents a captivation for learning new things or making new discoveries.
If you are captivated by something specific, you may want to add it along with your carnation in a tattoo.
This is not a common tattoo meaning and is one you can only use the carnation for to get this kind of result.
Another meaning of carnation flower tattoos is hope.
If you are hopeful for the future and often have a strong feeling like something good is going to happen to you, then this may be the right tattoo for you.
Carnation tattoos also symbolize vitality and a love of life.
As you can see, carnation tattoos have an important and unique set of meanings.
However, we can point to a specific meaning when we look at a certain carnation tattoo design.
Let’s take a look at some interesting designs and styles of carnation tattoos and their meanings:
- White Carnation Tattoo Meaning
White carnation tattoos are a symbol of faith and belief in God.
They are symbols of Christianity and have to do with the fact that carnations were placed around Jesus as he lay dying on the cross.
The white carnation may be a way in which you can promise your faith to God permanently in the form of a tattoo.
This tattoo signifies your love for God and more specifically for Jesus.
- Pink Carnation Tattoo Meaning
Pink carnation tattoos represent love because pink carnations are often given out on valentines day and other holidays to a loved one.
Pink carnation tattoos can be received in honor of a loved one as a way of showing your undying devotion to them in a rather permanent way.
This type of carnation tattoo could even be used as a matching tattoo with someone you love to promise to each other that you will love them and be dedicated to them.
- Red Carnation Tattoo Meaning
Red carnation tattoos represent both love and passion, which go hand and hand, and are symbols of beauty as well.
Red carnation tattoos represent extreme desire and are for people who are romantics who live with their hearts on their sleeves.
This tattoo could be received for a loved one in honor of your undying love and unquenchable desire for them.
This tattoo is all about love!
- Blue Carnation Tattoo Meaning
Blue carnation tattoos represent hope.
This tattoo is for someone who wants to express their hope for world peace, a better future for themselves, or anything else you might want for the future.
Hope is a beautiful thing– it carries us and guides us through life especially when things seem dim.
That’s why this is a great tattoo for someone who needs something to go right in their life for once.
- Purple Carnation Tattoo Meaning
Purple carnation flower tattoos are much like red carnation tattoos in that they represent unrelenting desire and passion.
Purple carnation tattoos represent passion in love, life, and beyond.
They also can symbolize passion for other things– not just love.
This tattoo can mean a passion for the arts, for learning, or for any other natural interest.
- Yellow Carnation Tattoo Meaning
Yellow carnation tattoos mean that you are fascinated with just about every new thing you encounter.
They mean that you have a fascination not just with learning but with life, also.
Yellow carnation tattoos are highly positive tattoos for people why are typically happy and are adverse to negativity.
These tattoos mean that you are captivated by your interests so deeply that you could be reading about them and be startled by someone sitting beside you.
If this sounds like you, then a yellow carnation tattoo may be a good fit!
- Carnation Bouquet Tattoo Meaning
A tattoo of a bouquet of carnations is reminiscent of a wedding where the bride is given a bouquet of flowers.
Not only that, but a bouquet of carnations could be given to someone during any joyous occasion, or, on the other hand, because of a horrible tragedy.
Bouquets of carnations tattoo could mean, “congratulations,” or, “I’m sorry for your loss.”
Therefore, a carnation bouquet tattoo’s meaning is twofold.
It can mean be received to mark the celebration of something special, or it can be received to help lessen the pain of a loss or tragic event.
- Snake and Carnation Tattoo Meaning
Just as carnations are given to us at different times in our lives, the snake tattoo represents cycles of life.
Therefore, this tattoo symbolizes the circle of life and rebirth.
This tattoo also represents opposites, such as heaven and hell, and good and bad.
This is because carnations are beautiful and wonderful flowers, while one of the symbolisms of snakes is sin.
These two opposites represent the yin and yang in humanity and the world beyond.
- Carnation and Butterfly Tattoo Meaning
Carnations and butterfly tattoos are both beautiful and symbolize how we are able to find beauty in all things.
It symbolizes how beauty comes from the inside and how everyone is beautiful in their own way.
A carnation and butterfly tattoo also represents transformation, just as a butterfly’s life is full of cycles.
This tattoo means that you are someone who is transforming into a new stage of life, just like any other human does.
- Rose Tattoo and Carnation Tattoo Meaning
Rose and carnation tattoos symbolize passion and love.
Rose tattoos are known to represent love and passion, and so are carnations.
Therefore, the two together mean that you are in for a whirlwind of love and compassion.
This tattoo signifies the need for love and to reciprocate love.
This tattoo is often received in honor of someone you are in love with.
- Tulip and Carnation Tattoo Meaning
Tulip and carnation tattoos mean that you are searching for a characteristic that you wish to attain.
This tattoo means that you hope to become a better person in some fashion and that you will try your best in order to do so.
People with this tattoo get it because they want to become better people.
- Daisy and Carnation Tattoo Meaning
Daisy and carnation tattoos represent friendship, trust, joy, and a fascination for learning.
These tattoos symbolize a love of life and a fascination with it.
A carnation flower with a daisy tattoo is for someone who finds joy in becoming wiser.
- Daffodil and Carnation Tattoo Meaning
Daffodil and carnations tattoos signify new beginnings and hope.
This tattoo is designed to bring a sense of peace to whoever receives it.
With hope comes peace, because if you are sure that you have a bright future then you can rest easy at night.
Daffodil and carnation tattoos also represent new beginnings, or in other words, the beginning of a new life that will be full of happiness and laughter.
- Larkspur and Carnation Tattoo Meaning
Larkspur is the flower of the month of July and the name comes from the Greek word for Dolphin, named after its unusual shape.
The larskpur tattoo commonly symbolizes love, affection, and a light and pure heart.
When the larkspur flower is combined with one or multiple carnations, the tattoo represents love, affection, and romantic gestures.
This tattoo can be received with the thought of your lover in mind.
Or, perhaps you want to get a carnation and larkspur tattoo because you feel that you have a lot of love to share with the world.
- Chrysanthemum and Carnation Tattoo Meaning
The word chrysanthemum comes from the Greek word for golden flower, meaning that the flower is highly valuable.
When combined with the carnation, this tattoo can be received out of respect for the dead, or as a way of honoring a loved one who has passed.
This meaning comes from how chrysanthemum tattoos represent immortality and death, and carnations are often given to people when they are in the hospital or when they have lost a loved one.
Therefore, this tattoo is related to someone passing and is a great way to honor the dead.
- Sunflower and Carnation Tattoo Meaning
Sunflower tattoos with carnations represent happiness, hope, and a fascination with your interests.
A sunflower and carnation tattoo represent happiness because both the sunflower and the carnation are very happy flowers.
Carnations are often associated with celebration.
As for hope, both flower tattoos symbolize a happy outlook on life and hope for a bright future.
Last, the combination of these flower tattoos represents a fascination with learning and an extreme love for pursuing your passions and dreams.
- Snowdrop and Carnation Tattoo Meaning
You may not be aware that for those who have January birthdays, the month’s flower is a snowdrop.
This silly little flower is white and literally looks like snow dropping off of a stem.
A snowdrop and carnation tattoo symbolizes hope, purity, innocence, and can be a Christian tattoo.
If you have this tattoo, there’s a good chance you have a strong hope for the future.
You can get this tattoo to prove your love of God and dedication to the Christian religion, however, you don’t need to be religious to get this tattoo.
This tattoo could be interpreted as your heart being pure in a secular way.
- Gladiolus and Carnation Tattoo Meaning
A gladiolus and carnation tattoo represent love, such as the love for your family, friends, or a significant other.
You can get this tattoo for someone else, or even get it as a matching tattoo with a loved one.
This tattoo signifies your intense romantic affection for your significant other.
Also, it can represent the strong bond you have with your family members and friends.
This is an excellent and honorable tattoo.
- Marigold and Carnation Tattoo Meaning
Marigold and carnation tattoos have many meanings, including hope, love, happiness, and optimism.
This tattoo can also be received in honor of a loved one who has passed.
A marigold tattoo with a carnation tattoo could be received to symbolize a strong hope for the future and and it can serve as a motivation to succeed in life.
You may also want to get this tattoo simply to express your great optimism about life in general.
Carnation and marigold tattoos signify positive connotations and mean that you are someone who is happy and loving.
This tattoo represents how being a good person pays off, and how positivity pays off, too.
Carnation and marigold tattoos are all about good vibes.
- Hummingbird and Carnation Tattoo Meaning
Hummingbird and carnation tattoos symbolize love.
Anyone who gets a hummingbird tattoo with a carnation flower has high amounts of energy, just like a hummingbird, and uses that energy to express their love to their significant other.
The kind of love that you can express through this tattoo is that of undying love and a promise to your partner that you will love them unconditionally.
- Sparrow with Carnation Tattoo Meaning
A sparrow with a carnation in a tattoo means that you have a lot of love to share, and or that you can persevere during intensely tough situations.
Both sparrows and carnation tattoos symbolize love.
If you have a sparrow tattoo, you are known to be fun-loving and a strong protector of your family.
This kind of love is quite powerful, and so is the love symbolized by a carnation tattoo.
Not to mention, the two symbols together in a tattoo mean that you can undergo a lot of stress and still come out on top.
This tattoo means that you are able to stay strong for those who you love.
- Dagger and Carnation Tattoo Meaning
Dagger tattoos quite obviously symbolize death and also symbolize overcoming obstacles.
Carnations are sometimes given to people who have lost someone.
The overlap here is that the two tattoo motifs together represent overcoming one of the greatest obstacles: they mean that you excel at dealing with loss.
If you have recently lost someone that you love, this tattoo can be a symbol of protection from the pain and will help to carry you through the time you need to spend grieving.
- Carnation Tattoos with Lace Tattoo Meaning
Carnation tattoos with lace represent a dark kind of love.
They often incorporate black lace, which looks dark and beautiful.
This almost sinister kind of love is sultry and not for the weak of heart.
If you are this type of person, you know exactly what is meant by this.
A carnation tattoo with lace can also refer more generally to a love for your partner, and even to marriage.
- Dandelion and Carnation Tattoo Meaning
Both the dandelion and carnation are flowers that can represent hope for a better future for yourself, for your loved ones, or even for your country and the world.
If you have a big wish that you’d like to make, then this flower tattoo can stand as a permanent gesture for a better future for whoever you see fit.
- Watercolor Carnation Tattoo Meaning
Watercolor carnation tattoos sometimes are a black and green outline of a carnation with watercolor splashing outside the lines.
In other cases, the carnation simply is colored in by watercolor-looking ink.
A carnation designed in a watercolor tattoo style is highly artistic and means that you have a passion for the arts.
Since carnation tattoos symbolize a fascination for your passions, and since watercolor is an artistic style, this tattoo combines the two and means that you have a desire to learn more about art.
- Realistic Carnation Tattoo Meaning
A realistic carnation tattoo has many meanings, including love, faith, passion, and hope.
Realistic carnations mean that you have a strong love for your family, friends, and your partner.
This tattoo also can mean that you have strong faith in Christianity and want to permanently remind yourself that Jesus is your Lord and savior.
This tattoo can also mean that you have many passions and love to learn.
Or, a realistic carnation tattoo can mean that you have a positive outlook on your future.
- Black and Grey Carnation Tattoo Meaning
Black and grey carnation tattoos refer to honoring your loved ones who have passed.
This tattoo is a great one to get if one of your loved ones has recently passed in order to remember them and to honor their memory.
This tattoo is also very beautiful and elegant., therefore, it symbolizes beauty and love.
If you want to show that you are a passionate person who has a lot of love to share, then a black and grey carnation tattoo may be just perfect for you.
- Japanese Carnation Tattoo Meaning
Japanese carnation tattoos mean that you are a loving person with a passion for romance.
If you are single, a carnation flower designed in a Japanese tattoo style means that you will never stop your search for the perfect partner for you.
If you have a partner, then this tattoo represents your unrelenting love for them.
- Neo-traditional Carnation Tattoo Meaning
Neo-traditional carnation tattoos can be very creative.
Using different colors and designs, Neo-traditional tattoos are creative and ambitious tattoos.
They represent love and a passion for learning.
These tattoos signify that you have a lot of need for romance in your life.
Also, neo-traditional carnation tattoos mean that you may have a passion for the arts and for learning.
This tattoo means that you have a desire to become wiser.
- Minimalist Carnation Tattoo Meaning
Minimalist carnation tattoos are elegant and beautiful tattoos.
They symbolize love and a passion for learning.
Again, if you are a highly romantic person in search of a partner or with a loved one already, this tattoo can symbolize that need for romance.
These simple tattoos also mean that you love to learn and you are a notorious bookworm.
These are often small tattoos, but not necessarily.
- American Traditional Carnation Tattoo Meaning
Traditional carnation tattoos can have any of the meanings associated with carnations.
One of these meanings is celebration since carnations are often worn during weddings or fancy parties.
You may want to receive a traditional carnation tattoo in honor of a special event in your life.
You can get a carnation designed in a traditional tattoo style because you are a romantic person because you love God and Jesus, or because you are hopeful for the future.
- Carnation Tattoo with Name or Lettering Tattoos
Carnation tattoos with your name attached to them mean that you love yourself.
This kind of tattoo is an act of kindness pointed inwards– it says that you are worthy of loving and being loved.
There are many other word tattoos or phrase tattoos that can be associated with carnations.
Whatever word or phrase you choose, remember the basic meaning of the carnation and let them guide your choice.
Conclusion
Carnation tattoos, as we have mentioned, are for celebration or as a “sorry for your loss.”
Carnations have a lot of meaning in them, and that meaning definitely changes depending on the tattoo design.
Carnations are fun and loving, including in their meaning hope for the future.
The flowers make excellent tattoos and are recommended for anyone who wants a beautiful and meaningful flower tattoo.
Related posts:
- Tree Tattoo Meaning
- Lavender Tattoos
- Sunset Tattoos
- Lotus Flower Tattoo Meaning
- What Do Poppy Flower Tattoos Mean
Alyssa Kucinski is a writer, curator, and photographer who publishes articles on the topics of the arts, culture, and social justice. She graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology with a degree in fashion business and art history and museum professions. Her experience working with a variety of art institutions, her world travel, and her inquisitive nature provides her with a unique insight. Check out her about page, she would love to connect with you!