The Meaning of Iris Tattoos
One of the reasons people get iris tattoos is because of their meanings.
Let’s take a look at what exactly a tattoo of an iris flower represents:
Iris flowers represent the birth month of February, so they are common tattoos for those with February birthdays.
However, for the others, the iris flower is still a common and very popular tattoo– and for good reason.
The iris flower tattoo is s symbol of wisdom, innocence, determination, greatness, passion, hope, faith, royalty, and even cleanliness.
This flower tattoo not only symbolizes wisdom but the desire to gain more knowledge and to be constantly learning new things.
It represents the pursuit of wisdom and truth.
The iris tattoo also symbolizes innocence, or in other words to have an honest life as free from conflict, vanity, and sin as possible.
The flower’s meanings of determination and that of greatness go hand and hand.
If you have an iris tattoo, it means that you have the strength to move forward even when life is holding back, and to pursue your goals at all costs.
As for passion, there’s no doubt that an iris tattoo can suggest that you are someone who not only has a lot of strength but has the power to use emotions to their advantage and who is known for dramatic displays of affection towards loved ones.
Hope and faith are two traits that also often fall into the same category.
Iris tattoos can signify that you rely on your beliefs for support and for guidance in life.
Royalty is perhaps the most important of these iris tattoo meanings.
It encompasses many other traits, such as courage, grandeur, and magnificence.
If you are someone who is fit to be a king or queen, but simply is overlooked, then you may want to receive an iris tattoo to prove your nobility.
Last, and rather humorously, iris tattoos represent cleanliness.
Perhaps for all you germaphobes, this is the tattoo for you.
As you can see, iris tattoos not only are the birth flower for February but among that of royalty have many important meanings.
Each iris tattoo design has a unique meaning as well, so let’s take a closer look at the iris tattoo and see how its design variations allow us to better understand its meanings:
- White Iris Tattoo Meaning
White iris tattoos represent faith, innocence, and hope.
The color white tends to signify faith in general, but a white iris is special.
This tattoo is for someone who is extremely faithful to their religion with an unwavering spirit that is innocent and hopeful for the future (as well as the afterlife).
Those with white iris tattoos will not give up their faith even in the harshest of circumstances.
They will not indulge in sin and will remain innocent and faithful for the rest of their lives.
This dedication provides them with a strong hope for the world and themselves to become better each day.
- Orange Iris Tattoo Meaning
Orange iris tattoos symbolize determination and success and are for people who never give up on their dreams.
You may want to get inked with an orange iris tattoo as a sort of promise to yourself to never give up on those dreams and keep on going until you are successful in them.
These tattoos are for people who are strong-willed, eager to learn, and quick studies.
They are determined to succeed at all costs.
If this sounds like you or sounds like someone you’d like to become, then this tattoo is a great choice.
- Blue Iris Tattoo Meaning
People who have blue iris tattoos are truthful to their word and committed to their goals.
Their goal tends to be the pursuit of wisdom, though this tattoo can be attributed to those with other goals as well.
The blue iris tattoo is a symbol of truth and is for people who are honest and hard workers.
This tattoo is highly honorable and is worthy only of people with strong virtues.
- Purple Iris Tattoo Meaning
The purple iris tattoo is the epitome of the meaning of royalty.
This tattoo represents courage, nobility, and prestige.
Many women may find this tattoo intriguing since it means royalty.
It is a tattoo fit for a queen.
If you feel as though you have noble traits and perhaps wish to live in royalty, then you might find that a purple iris tattoo lives up to your expectations.
- Yellow Iris Tattoo Meaning
The meaning of a yellow iris tattoo is undoubtedly hope.
This tattoo is for those who are highly optimistic in their view of the future and hope for an even better one, too.
Yellow iris tattoos symbolize hope for a better tomorrow and hope for the sun when the skies are grey.
Perhaps you need a little more hope in your life and want to get this tattoo to bring some luck.
Or, perhaps you already have a lot of hope and this tattoo will be your proud declaration to the world that you know for certain that things will turn out for the best.
Either way, this is an amazing tattoo with a positive message.
- Van Gogh Iris Tattoo Meaning
Van Gogh’s irises in tattoo form are incredibly beautiful and make for an aesthetically pleasing and quite unique tattoo.
This tattoo refers to the meaning of greatness.
This tattoo represents the kind of greatness that you only see in movies, or from professional sports players.
It represents people who never give up, who are strong-minded and strong-willed, who are fierce competitors, and who would jump in front of a moving bullet to save anyone’s life.
If you haven’t realized already, this is a very special tattoo.
- Iris Bouquet Tattoo Meaning
An iris bouquet tattoo is a beautiful symbol of hope and of passion.
First, this tattoo is a symbol of hope because receiving flowers means either a good thing or a bad thing (celebration or grieving), but either way, we must retain our hope for the future.
As for passion, a bouquet of irises may be given to someone romantically special to us.
In this case, it is no doubt a passionate love affair.
This tattoo can symbolize either of these two meanings or simply be a really pretty way to wear the iris flower on your body.
- Snake and Iris Tattoo Meaning
Iris and snake tattoos are an interesting pair because they represent the contrast of innocence and sin.
Each of us has the knowledge of right and wrong, as well as the ability to lean more towards the former or the latter.
An iris with a snake tattoo may represent to you the battle between the two.
Since iris tattoos also represent faith, this tattoo can represent your personal beliefs related to heaven and hell and good and bad.
- Iris and Butterfly Tattoo Meaning
Iris and butterfly tattoos symbolize freedom as well as hope.
More specifically, this tattoo can represent freedom from sin due to a strong faith in God.
This tattoo also represents hope for peace of Earth, hope for new beginnings, and general hope for a positive future.
You don’t necessarily have to be religious in order to receive this tattoo.
In a secular sense, the meaning of freedom can represent freedom from tyranny or any sort of oppression you have experienced.
- Rose Tattoo and Iris Tattoo Meaning
Rose and iris tattoos tend to represent passion.
This representation of passion is one that is not only romantic but also a passion for the arts, for beauty, and a motivation for success.
Passionate people tend to be successful because they have a lot of motivation and wit.
People who have an iris with a rose tattoo have these motivations and are strong people who use their emotions wisely and in their favor.
- Sunflower and Iris Tattoo meaning
Sunflower and iris tattoos symbolize a long and healthy life full of faith, hope, and determination to succeed.
Some may interpret this tattoo as one that represents someone’s faith as guiding them through life and helping them succeed and be safe to have longevity.
An iris with a sunflower tattoo also has the meaning of someone who has a lot of hope and therefore who never gives up even as challenges arise.
As for determination, this tattoo means that you will be successful in your goals and it is even a bit of a good luck charm.
- Hummingbird and Iris Tattoo Meaning
A hummingbird and iris tattoo is all about overcoming obstacles and never giving up.
You may have a dream that you have had for a while, maybe even all your life, and you are not ready to give up on it.
An iris with a hummingbird tattoo could solidify your determination to succeed and mean that you permanently are confirming your desire to always pursue your passions.
- Lily and Iris Tattoo Meaning
A lily and iris tattoo represent faith in all aspects.
This tattoo is for someone who is very religious and wants to prove their faith to themselves and to others (and especially to God).
An iris with a lily tattoo can represent the faith of any religion, but especially of Christianity.
There’s perhaps no more permanent way to [rove your dedication to God than a tattoo!
- Watercolor Iris Tattoo Meaning
Watercolor iris tattoos represent passion and the spirit of an artist.
This tattoo is for someone who is passionate about life in general, but who might also be passionate about the arts.
Another take on this tattoo is that you are passionate about a specific person and want to prove your undying love to them through this tattoo.
Whatever the case is, an iris flower designed in a watercolor tattoo style means that you are passionate about something and that you want to express this to the world.
- Black and Grey Iris Tattoo Meaning
Black and grey iris tattoos represent many things, including wisdom.
A black and grey tattoo may be fitting for someone who is always reading and who is highly inquisitive when they meet new people.
This type of person is always pursuing more knowledge and wants to become wiser with each year they age.
A black and grey iris tattoo also represents determination towards a goal.
You could receive this tattoo in honor of that goal and make an oath with yourself to complete it.
- Neo-traditional Iris Tattoo Meaning
Neotraditional iris tattoos mean that you are passionate and beautiful.
Neo-traditional tattoos are more typically for women and mean that you are a beautiful person inside and out.
Neo-traditional iris tattoos also mean that you are passionate about learning, about music and the arts, and it means that no matter what your personal passions are you pursue them at the highest level.
This tattoo also means that you are not someone who easily gives up on things, rather, you stick with them until you completely master them.
- Minimalist Iris Tattoo Meaning
Minimalist iris tattoos are commonly small tattoos because they also tend to be simple tattoos as well.
Minimalist iris tattoos are interesting because they can be simple while still having a lot of detail and color.
Surprisingly, these tattoos are not small or simple in meaning.
They symbolize the desire for greater faith in your life and can represent a personal dedication to re-discover your beliefs.
A minimalist iris tattoo also inspires greatness and represents anyone’s desire to be successful.
- American Traditional Iris Tattoo Meaning
Traditional iris tattoos tend to be colorful and are often large tattoos.
An old-school iris tattoo symbolizes passion and royalty.
If you are someone with a lot of passion for your work, whatever that is, this tattoo means that you will excel in those passions.
When the iris is purple, which it usually is, this tattoo symbolizes royalty.
In other words, an iris designed in an Old school tattoo style means that you have greatness and courage that often exceeds the abilities of others around you.
- Iris Tattoo with Name or Lettering Tattoos
If you choose to get an iris tattoo with your name, it means that you consider yourself destined for greatness.
This kind of tattoo means that you believe you will achieve great things in life and that no one could possibly stop you.
Other kinds of lettering tattoos with the iris could mean many things such as a pursuit for being wiser or achieving a goal, or it could mean that you are a faithful person dedicated to your religion.
Conclusion
The iris tattoo is undoubtedly a beautiful tattoo, no matter the design, and can be fit for practically anyone depending on which meaning and design you choose.
Though there are many religious connotations with the iris tattoo, you do not necessarily have to be religious or spiritual in order to receive this tattoo.
You could fit in more with the meanings of wanting to be wiser or being a passionate person.
There’s something for everyone when it comes to the iris tattoo, it’s just a matter of picking a design and sitting down in the artist’s chair.
Prepare for an amazing tattoo!
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- What Does A Tree Tattoo Mean
- Lavender Tattoos
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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!