Matching tattoos are reminders of an unbreakable bond and can be a beautiful, permanent way to flaunt one of the strongest friendships there is. Matching mother-daughter tattoos can be just about any kind of design nowadays. Maybe you get your mom’s handwriting inked on you and she gets your handwriting inked on her; or maybe you both get the same song lyric, line of poetry, or saying, or a design that signifies the depth of your relationship. Some popular designs include flowers, animals, and other symbols of nature. Or maybe you and mom are more the minimalist type. Whether you both get a simple, line-drawing tat or matching arm sleeves, matching or complementary mother-daughter tattoos will never lose their meaning—no matter what life may bring. Keep reading for 40 of the best matching mother-daughter tattoos.
Best Matching Mother-Daughter Tattoos
1. Purple Butterflies
The color purple symbolizes royalty, while butterflies can signify change and rebirth.
2. Butterfly Tattoos
As a symbol of the soul and change, butterflies make a beautiful choice for matching tattoos with anyone for which your love is ever-evolving and eternal.
3. Roses
Historically, roses are associated with Venus, Roman goddess of love. And what deeper love is there than between parent and child?
4. Elephant Tattoos
Matching elephant tattoos are a great choice for a mother-daughter inking, since the elder elephant traditionally symbolizes motherhood, leadership, and wisdom and the younger elephant represents the meaning of family. Elephants are known as strong matriarchs, who teach their children necessary skills and lead the herds thanks to their amazing memories.
5. Floral Wrist Tattoos
If minimalist and dainty is your thing (and your mom’s, too) a tiny flower line drawing is all you need to be reminded of your mother’s love. And vice versa for mom.
6. Infinity Roses
For a love that lasts forever. For infinity.
7. Flamingos
Flamingos may only stand on one leg, but these animals symbolize beauty, balance, and grace—all things our mothers teach us.
8. Flowers
9. Everything Will Be Alright
Because it will.
10. Matching Bouquets
For the brave mom who isn’t afraid of getting inked. Like, really inked.
11. Wrist Roses
One rose for mom and one smaller rose growing off the same stem for daughter. Tattoo by @adrenalin_park_tattoos.
12. Giraffes
The giraffe is known as Africa’s gentle giant, but tends to symbolize something much deeper. Known to represent grace, peace, individuality, and protection, a mother-and-child giraffe duo tattoo could come to represent the protection a mother offers and the wisdom a mother teaches her young.
13. Gradient Rainbow Designs
No lines here—just beautiful, rainbow gradient in each matching design.
14. Purple Roses
Whether both you and your mother love the color purple, or it’s meant to signify royalty and admiration that’s often associated with lavender roses.
15. Mama Bear and Cub
You’ll always be your mama’s cub and she’ll always have the instinct to protect you.
16. Lotus Designs
Purity, enlightenment, self-regeneration, rebirth—the lotus design encompasses them all.
17. Micro Mother-Daughter Elephants
What is cuter than a mother-daughter elephant duo? Micro elephants with flowers on their skin and hearts for tusks.
18. Stick-and-Poke Rays of Sunshine
Every time the sun rises and falls, you’ll think of each other.
19. Sanskrit Symbol for ‘Breathe’
Tattoo artist Carolyne Mercedes (@mercedestattoo) inked this mother and daughter duo with a beautiful Sanskrit design that’s inspired by the Sanskrit word for ‘breathe’ at Cadê Amélia Studio Tattoo.
20. I Love You More Sunflowers
There’s no measure for love but mom will say she loves you more and daughters always will say it, too.
21. Roses for Mother and Daughters
We love this idea of a rose for each daughter.
22. Heart With a Semicolon
The semicolon tattoo can represent the continuation, not the end, of a sentence. Or more deeply, a life. Combined with a heart, this tattoo could signify a mother-daughter bond that never really ends.
23. Sun, Stars, and Moon
Because to a mother, her daughter is the sun, moon, and stars; and to a daughter, her mother is the sun, moon, and stars as well.
24. Matching Adventure Time Tattoos
For the mom and daughter who love spending time together watching Adventure Time.
25. Orange Tulips
Tulips can signify many different things—rebirth and charity, for example—and different colors even can be representative of different feelings. But most commonly, tulips are known for representing perfect, deep love. Our relationships with our mothers may not be perfect, but they are certainly deep.
Fun Complementary Mother-Daughter Tattoo Ideas
27. Dragonfly Design
Having matching tattoos doesn’t mean the placement has to be the same. So long as you both you know have it, it’s the memory of doing it together that really counts.
28. Matching Daisies
Just like those BFF necklaces from your youth, neither daisy can be complete without the other.
29. Poppies With ‘Mother’ and ‘Daughter’ Stems
Weaving “mother” and “daughter” into the stems of these poppies makes these matching tattoos all the more symbolic.
30. For My Girls I Risk It All
Well said!
31. Flowers With Handwritten Stems
For a personalized touch, incorporating your handwriting can really make a matching tattoo special.
32. Matching or Complementary Tarot Cards
In the ancient art of reading Tarot, it’s said that the sun symbolizes happiness, self-confidence, and success. All things we, if we’re lucky, inherent from our mamas.
33. You Are My Sunshine Lyrics
Done by Felipe Ramos at the Rue Morgue Tattoo Gallery, these “You Are My Sunshine” lyrics are so relevant to mother-daughter relationships. After all, this is one of the first lullabies most moms sing to us when we’re young.
34. She Gave Me Life, She Gave Me Purpose
Moms give us life. Children give us purpose.
35. Sun and Moon
If she’s the sun, then you’re the moon.
36. Pooh and Piglet Blowing Kisses
Pooh and Piglet are perhaps one of the best friendships of all time, so if these fictional characters remind you of your childhood, such a scene might be the perfect tattoo for you and your mom.
37. Hummingbird and Butterfly
The hummingbird is fast, and also perhaps very cunning. He may be shy, but he also can represent joy and playfulness. If that sounds like your relationship with your mom, a hummingbird-butterfly combo might just be the ticket.
38. Half Sunflowers
The sunflower is never whole unless you’re standing next to your mother.
39. Half-Heart, Half Stars
If your mother taught you to reach for the stars, chances are, you taught her that in some ways, too.
40. Forever My Daughter, Always My Mother
Butterflies seem to be a staple in mother-daughter tattoos. Maybe it’s because of the song “Butterfly kisses.” Either way, this beautiful saying sums it all up: You’ll always be mother and daughter. Next up, 100 of the best mom quotes.
