From simple to elaborate, these celeb parents have chosen to honour their kids in the most permanent way—by getting a tattoo.
By Emily Rivas
Nov 02, 2020Photo: @chrissyteigen via Instagram
Back in April 2019, Chrissy shared a post on Instagram showing off her and John's then-new tattoos, which consisted of each other’s names written next to their kids’ names—Luna and Miles—in a nice minimalist cursive script as a way to honour their family. In November 2020, Chrissy tweeted a picture of her and John on a date night revealing that she had added a new name in ink to her arm: Jack, the name she and John had given to the baby they had lost very publicly at the end of September. Chrissy gave no indication of when she got the tattoo of Jack's name, which is written in the same font as the other names of her family members but sits close by on a separate plane, or if John has a similar tribute on his arm. However, we're sure getting this tattoo in honour of Jack was a helpful part in her grieving and healing process, which she discussed in a heartbreaking personal essay where she affirmed that "Jack will always be loved, explained to our kids as existing in the wind and trees and the butterflies they see."
Photo: @chrissyteigen via InstagramThe Academy Award winner is known for her many tattoos, but one of her most significant ones is on her arm. It shows the coordinates of the exact location where each of her six kids were born. N 11º 33′ 0″ E 104º 51′ 00″ marks Phenom Penh, Cambodia, where her eldest adopted son Maddox was born. N 9º 2′ 0″ E 38º 45′ 0″ pinpoints Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where adopted daughter Zahara was born. S 22º 40′ 26″ E 14º 31′ 40″ is Swakopmund, Namibia, where she gave birth to Shiloh. N 10° 46′ 0″ E 106º 41′ 40″ is the birthplace of adopted son Pax Thien, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. And most recently, N 43º 41′ 21″ E 07º 14′ 28″ marks Nice, France, where twins Knox Léon and Vivienne Marcheline were born in 2008.
Thinking of getting a tattoo? Check out these modern designs that will honour your kids.
Photo: CP ImagesDrew Barrymore added a new tattoo last year that serves as a sweet reminder of the two little joys in her life—daughters Olive, 6, and Frankie, 4. She reportedly got this done after she and ex-husband Will Kopelman split. The simple font almost looks like it could be on the cover of a book. This tattoo joins somes of Drew’s older body art, including the word “Breathe” on her left arm, a bouquet of flowers on her hip, and a butterfly on her stomach.
Photo: Courtesy of @drewbarrymore via InstagramIn 2016, a week before Macklemore’s daughter Sloane turned one, the hip-hop artist and dad-of-one honoured his tot in the most special way possible: by getting her name tattooed on his chest. His wife Tricia Davis took to Instagram to share this special, cuddly moment between father and daughter and unveil the new ink.
Photo: Courtesy of @baba_g via InstagramSinging superstar Adele has not just one, but two tattoos that represent her six-year-old son, Angelo. The first, Angelo’s name, can be found on the outer part of her right hand. The second, the letter A in an elegant font, can be found just behind her right ear. This mom clearly loves her kid!
Photo: Courtesy of @adele via InstagramIs there anything sweeter than a tattoo in kid’s writing? Broadway star Taye Diggs got this awesome tattoo in his son Walker’s handwriting back in 2015. Walker was just five when he wrote it, and now his dad calls this his “Walker” arm. Aww!
Photo: Courtesy of @tayediggsinsta via InstagramAlmost five months after Michael Bublé’s oldest son, Noah, was born, the singer got a simple script tattoo of his first-born’s name to honour him. He revealed the ink in an Instagram photo that showed five-month-old Noah’s hand in his. We can’t even handle how cute it is. Now five years old, little Noah has been through a lot in his life, but this tattoo is a perfect reminder to his dad about how strong he can really be.
Photo: Courtesy of @michaelbuble via InstagramRocker Lenny Kravitz and his daughter Zoe’s relationship is seriously #goals. To show his love, Lenny got a minimalist tattoo of the letter Z on his finger. The dynamic duo also have matching tattoos that say “Free at last,” quoting the famous Martin Luther King speech.
Photo: Courtesy of @bangbangnyc via InstagramActress Jaime King’s tattoo doesn’t only look cool, but it also has a deep meaning behind it. The mom of two got it in 2014 to honour her first-born son, James Knight Newman, who’s now five. The sword itself represents the sword of truth, a symbol of living with authenticity. The blade says “Knight” and the heart at its helm represents her, her husband Kyle Newman, and little James. Jaime struggled with infertility for years, so the praying hands represent how she and Kyle wished for a baby. And the stars around the hands represent the blessings that they feel came to them from the heavens.
Photo: Courtesy of @jaime_king via InstagramSupermodel and America’s Got Talent judge Heidi Klum’s tattoo might look like four little stars, but each one actually represents one of her kids. So cute! These star tattoos were previously part of a larger image that included ex-husband Seal’s name, but it has since been removed. The result? A minimalist tattoo that’s trendy right now for parents who want to honour their kids, but who have a more understated style.
Photo: CP ImagesWe all know Yeezy is a fan of tattoos, but the roman numerals on his wrists hold a special significance. On one side is his late mother’s birthdate and on the other is daughter North’s birthday, who was just one when he got it done. Maybe he’ll be adding to below it for Saint and Chicago?
Photo: Courtesy of @kimkardashian via InstagramHilary Duff has roses on her bicep, a heart on her wrist, a wishbone on her right forearm and a ghost tattoo that says “Ride or die” that she got with her bestie—and of course she also has one for her son Luca: his name is in ink just above her right wrist.
Photo: Courtesy of @Hilaryduff via InstagramBasketball star LeBron James is a fan of dedicating tattoos to his kids. The Lakers player got a portrait of his eldest son LeBron “Prince” James Jr. (now 14) on his forearm in honour of Prince’s first birthday. He also has his second son Bryce Maximus’ name inked on his left forearm, and the words “family” on his torso. Clearly a family man!
Photo: Courtesy of @kingjames via InstagramYou might never see this elaborate arm piece in the movies (it’s often covered up for his film roles), but actor Ewan McGregor’s tattoo is basically a family crest. The heart-and-dagger design includes banners with the name of his ex-wife Eva, and the names of his daughters, Clara Mathilde, Esther Rose, Jamiyan and Anouk. The tattoo was done by artist extraordinare Kat Von D, who included Ewan in her book Go Big or Go Home: Taking Risks in Life, Love and Tattooing.
Photo: Courtesy of @mcgregor_ewan via InstagramDid you know that actor Dax Shepard doesn’t wear a wedding ring? Instead, he got a tattoo of a bell done to represent wife Kristen Bell, who, conveniently, has a surname that’s easily illustrated. Inside the bell are the initials K, L, and D, for Kristen and daughters Lincoln and Delta. So sweet!
Photo: The Ellen Show via YouTubeSoccer star David Beckham has over 40 tattoos—and many of them are for his kids. Each of his children’s names (Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper) are inked on his body. His latest tattoo is a drawing that Harper, 5, doodled on his hand. He posted a photo of the tattoo to Instagram with the caption, “Apparently Harper is allowed to scribble on daddy.” Too cute!
Photo: Courtesy of @davidbeckham via InstagramBet you didn’t know Julia Roberts has a tattoo! In fact, she has more than one—but only one of them honours her kids. Each of her kids’ names (Phinnaeus, Hazel and Henry), along with her husband’s initials, are tattooed on her lower back. The Oscar winner revealed the fact that she had the tattoo on Ellen, but she didn’t go into details or share a pic.
Photo: The Ellen Show via YouTubeRead more:
10 modern tattoos for moms and dads who want to honour their kids
Would you get a tattoo of your kids’ names?
Tell Me a Tattoo Story: a heartwarming story for modern parents
Keep up with your baby's development, get the latest parenting content and receive special offers from our partners