The Coolest Small Tattoos Spotted on Celebrities
Small tattoos might be discreet and dainty, but these miniature works of art prove that size doesn’t matter when it comes to ink. Tiny tattoos have big meaning—and huge influence on your style. Take models Kendall Jenner and Hailey Baldwin, for example, who got matching designs as a symbol of their friendship. Or Kylie Jenner, who has proved her affinity for minimalist tattoos with multiple (and counting) on her body already. Mandy Moore, meanwhile, got one in dedication of her mountain climb, and the Pretty Little Liars cast got group ink. So whether you’re debating getting ink of your own or just want to go down a rabbit hole of ideas for small tattoos, click on through for our favorite celebrity examples.
@bangbangnyc1/58Selena Gomez’s Cross Tattoo
Celebrity tattoo artist Keith Scott “Bang Bang” McCurdy debuted Selena Gomez's new cross tattoo on April 15, 2021. “We 🤍 @selenagomez,” he wrote on Instagram alongside a video of her simple new ink, perfectly placed along the singer's collarbone.
Instagram/@mr.k_tattoo2/58Hailey Bieber’s ‘J’ Tattoo
Celebrity tattoo artist Mr. K. revealed he recently gave Hailey Bieber some new ink, including a “J” on her left ring finger in honor of her husband, Justin. “It was PLEASURE [sic] for your trust on this meaningful piece,” he wrote on Instagram.
Instagram/@KaiaGerber3/58Kaia Gerber and Cara Delevingne’s Matching Foot Tattoos
In a birthday post to Cara Delevingne, fellow model Kaia Gerber revealed the two friends have matching tattoos on their feet that say “solemate.” We see what you did there, ladies.
Instagram / @winterstone4/58Miley Cyrus’s Sibling Tattoo
Miley Cyrus shared a new tattoo on her Instagram story that closely resembles a compass. However, instead of pointing north, south, east, and west, each point is marked with the first initial of one of her siblings: Brandi, Braison, Trace, and Noah Cyrus.
Instagram/@vanessahudgens5/58Vanessa Hudgens’s Sunflower Tattoo
New decade, new tat. Vanessa Hudgens took to Instagram to unveil pics and videos of her newest tattoo: a small yellow flower on the side of her breast. The sunny ink—courtesy of tattoo artist Dragon of Bang Bang Ink in New York City—comes amid some major personal changes for the actor, who reportedly recently split with longtime boyfriend Austin Butler.
Instagram/@DemiLovato6/58Demi Lovato’s ‘Me’ Tattoo
Demi Lovato revealed her newest ink on Instagram, and it’s all about self-love: a tiny me on her finger. “Me first thank you @winterstone for my new forever reminder,” she wrote in the caption.
Instagram / @mandymooremm7/58Mandy Moore’s Mt. Kilimanjaro Tattoo
Little-known fact: According to her Instagram, Mandy Moore dreamt of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro since she was 18. In 2019 she made it happen—and commemorated her trip to the summit with a tattoo on her right foot from tattoo artist Daniel Winter.
Instagram / @shaymitchell8/58Shay Mitchell’s ‘Honey’ Tattoo
Mitchell is no stranger to the tiny tattoo lifestyle (see the rest of this slideshow), and she added another one to the family at Coachella in 2019. Jon Boy’s latest work for her is this all-caps honey declaration. No explanation given.
Instagram / @jonboytattoo9/58Halsey’s Neck Tattoo
You say “loser,” we say “Halsey.” Not of our own accord, but hers: courtesy of Jon Boy, the singer’s fine script etching reads, “I’m a loser baby.”
10/58Hilary Duff's Bette Davis Tattoo
Tattoo artist Dr. Woo revealed this elegant design he created for Duff, which reads “Take Fountain.” The reference nods to Old Hollywood icon Bette Davis, who once famously told Johnny Carson that was the best way an actress could break into the biz.
Instagram / @winter_stone; Instagram / @bellathorne11/58Bella Thorne’s Arm Tattoos
A few weeks after L.A. tattoo artist Daniel Winter gave the star treatment to Thorne’s tricep, she posted another shot (at right) to her Instagram. She hasn’t clued fans in to the meaning behind her new elbow tattoo, but see the penlike, hand-done lines? That’s par for the course with Winter’s minimalist work; he’s a stick-and-poke tattoo master. We can’t blame her for going back for more.
Instagram / @jonboytattoo12/58Shay Mitchell’s Roman Numerals
Shay Mitchell posed on Instagram with fresh ink courtesy of Jon Boy. The tiny tattoo is made up of the Roman numerals for one, four, and three—which typically stands for “I love you” (because of the number of letters in each word)—but she hasn’t revealed their meaning yet.
Instagram / @chuckielovehair13/58Solange Knowles’s Delicate Constellation Tattoo
Solange got a delicate constellation tattoo on the inside of her arm, thanks to the artistry of New York City’s Bang Bang Tattoos.
Instagram / @dr_woo14/58Dakota Johnson’s Flower Forearm Tattoo
According to Dr. Woo’s caption, Dakota Johnson got this semi-crumpled flower—a tribute to the artist Egon Schiele—with the reasoning that, “‘It’s a lil f-cked up, but it’s still a flower, like me’ ✨.’
Instagram / Sasha Pieterse15/58Sasha Pieterse’s Floral Forearm Tattoo
It takes some real fine needlework to get lines as crisp and detailed the Pretty Little Liars star’s. But as you can tell, that’s what artist Daniel Winter specializes in. So dainty, so adorable.
@dr_woo / Instagram16/58Lucy Hale’s Lightbulb Tattoo
A bright idea: Anything sketched by L.A.’s most famous tattoo artist, Dr. Woo.
17/58Ashley Benson’s Biceps Tattoo
Ashley Benson went in on a tiny script adornment on her biceps courtesy of Jon Boy. Per his caption, it reads “Muggsy”—as for what that means, your guess is as good as ours.
18/58Ashley Benson’s Inner Wrist Tattoo
Also via Jon Boy, Benson paired her “Muggsy” tat with a straightforward, clean-lined star on her inner wrist.
Instagram Stories / @selenagomez19/58Selena Gomez’s Tiny 13 Reasons Why Tattoo
As an executive producer of 13 Reasons Why, Selena Gomez has been outspoken about her love for the cast and crew and recently took that love to the next level. Her tiny tat is a sign of lifelong friendship with her crew and solidarity with people struggling with thoughts of self-harm.
Snapchat / @bellathornedab20/58Bella Thorne’s Tiny Emoji Tattoo
The year 2017 was a tattoo-centric year for Bella Thorne, who added a delicate stick-and-poke emoji to her collection of tiny tats that May.
Instagram/@WinterStone21/58Miley Cyrus’s ‘Freedom’ Tattoo
Tattoo artist to the stars Daniel Winter (aka Winter Stone) shared the singer’s newest ink on his Instagram: the word freedom across the back of her hand. Since Cyrus split from her ex-husband Liam Hemsworth in 2019, people have started to read a lot into her word choice.
Instagram / @adwoaaboah22/58Adwoa Aboah’s Tiny Wrist Tattoos
Adwoa Aboah’s tiny wrist tattoos are just as meaningful as they are delicate. According to the model-activist’s Instagram account, her latest ink, “All the women. In me. Are tired,” is a sign of solidarity for women and girls who feel isolated. We’re here for tiny script and solidarity, and the internet agrees.
Courtesy of Instagram/@dr_woo23/58Cara Delevigne’s Meaningful Snake Tattoo
It seems Cara Delevigne has new ink to show off every other day, but the thin, super-subtle snake she got at the beginning of November 2016 is delicate and edgy. The snake slithers down her hand, from the edge of her palm to her middle finger, with the word feral appearing at the end of the snake’s tail. The creation, by celeb favorite Doctor Woo, also has quite a special meaning. Delevigne told The Sun that “it’s about reinvention, shedding of old skin, new beginnings, new life.” Awesssssssome.
Courtesy of Instagram/@ddlovato24/58Demi Lovato’s Tiny Pinkie Tattoo
Demi Lovato is no stranger to body ink—the pop star has about 30 tattoos! But this adorable smiley strategically placed on the tip of her pinkie is definitely one of the most delicate. Lovato has said in the past that her tattoos range from being serious symbols to fun designs, but perhaps she sums up this one best in her August Instagram that revealed the new tiny ink: “Cause life’s too short not to tattoo your pinky 😂,” she wrote.
Courtesy of Snapchat/moonlightbae25/58Ariana Grande’s Tiny Finger Tattoos
This “Dangerous Woman” unveiled two new delicate finger tattoos at the end of August 2016, each created by the celebrity tattoo artist Doctor Woo, who has left his intricate mark on tons of other high-profile clients. First up, the singer got the symbol for female on her left middle finger. She also got the letter A inked on her thumb. “I got [the A] for my best friend slash for myself,” Grande said on Snapchat as she revealed the new ink. Cute and meaningful.
Courtesy of Instagram/@lucyhale26/58The Pretty Little Liars Matching Finger Tattoos
When the final season of Pretty Little Liars was on the horizon, we weren’t the only ones feeling the need to pay tribute to this TV magic. To commemorate their time on the series, the six main cast members—Lucy Hale (Aria), Shay Mitchell (Emily), Ashley Benson (Hanna), Troian Bellisario (Spencer), Sasha Pieterse (Ali), and Janel Parrish (Mona)—got some delicate matching tattoos.Each “Liar” inked the first initial of their characters’ name on their finger. Hale unveiled the designs on Instagram and drew our attention to the best detail: The teeny tattoos are on each girl’s “shh” finger.
Courtesy of Facebook/Miss Kat Paine27/58Maisie Williams’s and Sophie Turner’s Matching Date Tattoos
And speaking of matching costar tattoos, the two Stark sisters, Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner, got inked in September of 2016. The Game of Thrones actresses got teeny tattoos of the date August 7, 2009, on their arms to commemorate the day they found out they were cast on the series. (Remember that, in the U.K., dates are written day/month/year, so theirs actually read 07.08.09.) The show was on hiatus at the time, so the TV sisters decided to get their tattoos before, uh, anything bad happened to their characters in the upcoming season. “We don’t know if we’re going to make it, so Maisie and I were like, ‘Let’s get these ones before anyone kills us,’” Sophie joked on the Emmys red carpet.
Instagram / @keke28/58KeKe Palmer’s Tiny Arm Tattoo
KeKe Palmer moves on, she moves on strong. Her latest tattoo, “nobody gets it right on the first try,” is a quote from an ex-boyfriend, and KeKe isn't shy about giving him cred for inspiring—and living up to— her tiny tattoo.
29/58Ariel Winter’s Tiger and Tiny Elbow Crook Tattoo
The Modern Family actress sported a wide variety of fake tattoos for her film Dog Years (this spider tat, we mean!), but these delicate designs are 100% real. How do we know? She visited celebrity artist Dr. Woo at the Shamrock Social Club in L.A. We still haven’t seen a close-up of that elbow-crook ink, but we think we can all agree it’s the next spot we want to consider adding art to. Right? Right.
Instagram / @kyliejenner30/58Kylie Jenner’s Tiny Red Tattoo
Kylie debuted her first of four minuscule red tattoos at her 18th birthday party in August 2015.
Instagram / @jonboytattoo31/58Bella Thorne’s Tiny ‘93’ Tattoo
We’re still not entirely sure why Bella Thorne got a delicate 93 tattooed on her arm back in January of 2017, but we know we love it. We’re guessing that her sister Dani, born in 1993, probably loves it too.
Instagram / @bellathorne32/58Bella Thorne’s Tiny Shoulder Tattoo
Thorne called this sweet little heart tattoo her “baby tat” because of its size. We particularly loved the unique placement on the front of her shoulder.
Instagram / @simonebiles33/58Simone Biles’s Tiny Olympics Tattoo
Simone Biles was all smiles as she revealed her first-ever tattoo: a simple black-and-white depiction of the Olympic rings. Considering how many medals Biles brought home from the 2016 Summer Olympics, we think it’s an excellent first ink choice!
Instagram / @dr_woo34/58Miley Cyrus’s New Dog Tattoo
It’s no secret that Miley loves animals, and her latest tiny tattoo pays tribute to one of her pups. Emu the Sheltie already has a fanbase, and Miley’s latest ink adds even more cuteness to the #emufanclub.
Instagram / @parisjackson35/58Paris Jackson’s Gender-Role-Defying Tattoo
Paris Jackson and her brother defied gender norms with their matching tiny tattoos. Instead of inking the traditionally masculine and feminine sides of the ancient yin and yang on their ankles according to their gender, the siblings switched it up.
Instagram / @kyliejenner36/58Kylie Jenner’s Tiny ‘M’ Tattoo
Kylie’s most recent ruby-red ink is a curvy letter M, which she got in May with her best friend Jordyn Woods at West 4 Tattoo in New York City. She also gave celeb tattoo artist JonBoy a K-with-a-crown tattoo on his forearm during the visit.
Instagram / @bellathorne37/58Bella Thorne’s Tiny Best Friend Tattoo
The actress also got an adorable “B-squared” tattoo with one of her best friends (and fellow Bellas), Bella Pendergast.
Instagram / @kyliejenner38/58Kylie Jenner’s Tiny ‘Mary Jo’ Tattoo
Kylie’s arm tattoo may be her sweetest. She has Mary Jo written in her grandmother’s handwriting to honor her maternal grandmother, Mary Jo Campbell.
Instagram / @haileybaldwin39/58Hailey Baldwin’s G Tattoo
Hailey Baldwin has an array of tiny tattoos, but this delicate lowercase G placed right behind her ear is particularly adorable.
Instagram / @haileybaldwin40/58Hailey Baldwin’s Tiny ‘Baldwin’ Tattoo
Hailey and her model cousin Ireland Baldwin share matching Baldwin tattoos on their middle fingers.
Courtesy of Instagram/@jonboytattoo41/58Hailey Baldwin’s Coordinating Finger Tattoos
These ultra-tiny finger tattoos, which spell out pray when Hailey’s hands are clasped together in prayer, are made even more special by the fact that they were designed by Hailey’s BFF Kendall Jenner. Baldwin picked this design up in May, but the girls also share broken-heart best friend tattoos on their fingers.
Instagram / @kellyosbourne42/58Kelly Osbourne’s Tiny Word Tattoo
Osbourne’s newest tattoo, inked on her scalp, has a powerful meaning. In light of the tragic 2016 shooting in Orlando, she posted the photo on her Instagram with the caption: “Solidarity: ‘Noun. Unity of feeling of individuals with a common interest or purpose.’ Individually, we have rights and unique gifts. Together, we have strength and powerful harmony. I have wanted to get this tattoo for a long time. The tragedy in Orlando devastated me and reminded me that every moment of our lives is precious. Every human is precious. Love hard. Live gracefully, authentically and with conviction, respect, purpose and compassion. Together we achieve what is impossible to those who stand alone. Those of us who embrace and respect freedom stand together, progress together, celebrate together and grieve together. You are not alone.” In addition to this tattoo, she has a twin version on the other side of her head that says “Stories.”
Courtesy of Instagram/@jonboytattoo43/58Kendall Jenner’s Lip Tattoo
Speaking of Kendall, the model has a few tattoos herself, including this text inside her lower lip that reads “meow.” Artist JonBoy posted this snap to his Instagram at the start of September, but we were left in the dark until a few months later, when Kendall opened up about the tattoo on her app. “I really didn’t ever plan to show my newest ‘meow’ tattoo!” she wrote. “I got it done back in July by JonBoy in New York, and I didn’t plan on telling anyone. There’s no real meaning behind it, I just wanted to be able to say that I have a tattoo ‘on my face!’”
Instagram / @caradelevingne44/58Cara Delevingne’s Tiny Diamond Tattoo
One of this supermodel’s many tattoos may be a nod to her friend Rihanna. Cara has a diamond inside of her right ear with three small stars surrounding it.
Instagram / @mileycyrus45/58Miley Cyrus’s Wave Tattoo
Cyrus’s latest tiny tattoo is a minimalistic wave design that she shares with Elsa Pataky (sister-in-law of ex-husband Liam Hemsworth), and Kalani Miller, surfer Kelly Slater’s girlfriend (Slater actually designed the wave for the ladies himself).
WireImage / Steve Granitz46/58Lea Michele’s Tiny Music-Note Tattoo
One of Lea’s 12 tattoos is a dainty pair of music notes on the back of her left shoulder.
Instagram / @msleamichele47/58Lea Michele’s Coffee-Cup Tattoo
The actress made her latest small tattoo a touching tribute to her late grandmother, who made Lea her first cup of coffee.
Instagram / @msleamichele48/58Lea Michele’s Tiny ‘5’ Tattoo
Lea also got a tat memorializing her late boyfriend Cory Monteith. The numeral 5 was his character’s jersey number on Glee.
Instagram / @arielwinter49/58Ariel Winter’s Initials Tattoo
Ariel Winter has a small collection of delicate designs, but this one has got to be our favorite. The letters are the initials of her nieces and nephews. Aw!
Instagram: @dr_woo50/58Ellie Goulding’s Delicate Rib Cage Tattoo
Ellie Goulding’s intricate rib-cage ink is courtesy of Dr. Woo, the celebrity-worshiped ink whisperer. Too bad we can’t just fly to California and hit up Woo for a copycat version—his wait list is reportedly six months long.
Instagram: @jonboytattoo51/58Rita Ora’s Tiny Sideboob Tattoo
Rita Ora debuted some brand-new ink by the hand of Bang Bang NYC’s JonBoy—and it’s the smallest, daintiest one she’s ever gotten.
Instagram: @drewbarrymore52/58Drew Barrymore’s Wrist Tattoo
Drew Barrymore got a tattoo in honor of her daughters, Olive and Frankie, and captioned it, “Getting a great little lifetime note on my arm.” Too cute.
Instagram: @officialjdunn53/58Jourdan Dunn’s Tiny Arm Tattoo
Model Jourdan Dunn’s lower-arm tattoo is a quote that reads, “Fear is not an option.” And because she’s all about female empowerment, it totally makes sense.
Instagram: @jonboytattoo54/58Hailey Baldwin’s Pinkie Tattoo
Hailey Baldwin loves tiny tattoos—so much that she got her 17th tattoo at Coachella, where her go-to tattoo artist, JonBoy, was inking festivalgoers at the Revolve party. She kept this one sweet and simple with two small arrows pointing out from the bottom of her pinkie finger.
Instagram/@mileycyrus55/58Miley Cyrus’s Biceps Tattoo
Miley’s no stranger to the tiny (and not tiny) tattoo game—in her words, there are “bumper stickers all over dis Bentley.” But that doesn’t make the sunflower on her inner arm any less meaningful. She said she requested the flower to represent her commitment to lifelong veganism, with the tattoo’s design building off the Vegan Society’s logo.
Instagram/@HilaryDuff56/58Hilary Duff’s Forearm Tattoo
“Had a little sit with @winterstone today♥️ thank you for my ☀️ she’s a bright addition 😉,, Hilary Duff wrote on Instagram about her latest ink. (You can also spot the name of her son, Luca, in the shot too. Though she’s had that tattoo for a while.)
Instagram/@JonBoyTattoo57/58Ashley Benson’s ‘Squish’ Tattoo
Ashley Benson’s latest ink, courtesy of tattoo artist Jon Boy, appears to be a tribute to a childhood nickname for her partner, Cara Delevingne: Squish. Back in April of 2019, the model posted a throwback photo and said in the caption, “Once a squish, always a squish.” Plus, Jon Boy tagged Delevingne in the photo and wrote, “I love love ❤️.”
Instagram/@dr_woo58/58Hailey Bieber’s Hand Tattoos
Celeb-favorite tattoo artist Dr. Woo showed off his work on the hand and fingers of Hailey Bieber. Page Six reports that the stars, moons, and “decorative dots” are also accompanied by the letter B on the back of her hand, below the third knuckle.
