Tattoo Designs & Symbols provides tattoo meanings, overviews and explanations of some of the most popular tattoo designs in the world today. Tattoo symbols & designs on this page all start with the letter H.

Tattoo Symbol Index - A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Haida Tattoo Designs - The Haida are renowned around the world for the beauty and complexity of their art and images. The bold lines of the Haida designs make them uniquely suited to be reproduced as tattoos. And for good reason - the art with which the Haida are synonymous today, the totems poles, carvings and prints - are largely derived from ancient tattoo designs that the Haida used to depict Clan Crests. The Haida were once one of the most heavily tattooed indigenous people in the world, and were one of very few groups in recorded history to tattoo in colour, using red as well as black.

Crests chronicled important mythological events in the family or clan history - usually when an ancestor encountered a spiritual being in a supernatural context. Oftentimes, stories related to these... more

Hannya Mask Tattoos - The most well-known demon mask in Japanese theatre, the Hannya mask has two sharp horns protruding from the temples, and bulging eyes staring from beneath a glowering forehead. The mouth is a gaping hole with grotesquely exaggerated canine teeth protruding from the mouth like the fangs of a wild animal. With its range of fierce emotions and expressions, the Hannya mask is a favourite tattoo image with enthusiasts of traditional Japanese tattooing... more 

Hanuman Monkey God Tattoos - Hanuman, known as the Monkey God, is the Indian deity with the biggest heart. Though his face and tail are that of a monkey, the body is human and covered with white hair. He is a symbol of devotion, not only of the heart, but to learning. His qualities of intelligence and inventiveness are said to be boundless, and no challenge in the world too difficult for him to handle. Employed as a symbol, Hanuman would inspire a person to use their power in the service of the greater good... more 

Harley Davidson - Biker Tattoos - When we think of tattoos, often times one of our first associations is with bikers and motorcycles, and the motorcycle that we think of first is usually the legendary Harley-Davidson. ‘Harley Davidson’ -- America’s symbol of the road. And for many a potent symbol of freedom. No less so than some peoples consideration of a tattoo as an expression of personal freedom. It's no accident that tattoos and bikers are... more

Harp Tattoos - The Harp has long been a symbol associated with Ireland and all things Irish and is a popular tattoo design, but many people are unfamiliar with the origins of the symbol. The ‘Emerald Isle’ flies a flag of green, representing the ancient Gaelic tradition. Against this background sits the gold Harp, a symbol with origins going back to Ireland's mythic past. This came to be known as the ‘Green Flag’.... more 

Hawk Tattoos - Birds of prey have long been symbols of war and military victory, and even today, ‘hawkish’ best describes the aggressor in a military or political context. In Hindu mythology, the hawk that precedes the warrior into battle is considered a good omen. In ancient Rome and Greece, the Gods of War, Ares and Mars, displayed both the eagle and the hawk as symbols of their power in battle... more 

Heart Tattoos - a tattoo design standard. The heart tattoo, shaped like an inverted triangle, and meant to symbolize the pubic triangle, is a universal symbol of the feminine, often used as an expression of romantic love.

Heart tattoos have been popular for well over a century. Heart tattoos with banners were very popular with Servicemen in WWII; tokens of their loved ones that accompanied them on perilous journeys to far-off theatres of conflict and a constant reminder of what they were fighting for.

Add "Mom" and you have a tattoo icon. The heart is the... more 

Heron Tattoos - The Heron is an avian tattoo design that is rich in symbolism, its graceful, elongated form featured in numerous myths, tales and legends around the world. We humans have long looked at the Heron and seen aspects of ourselves reflected in this statuesque bird and its patterns of behavior... more 

Hindu Tattoos - The word ‘Hindu’ originally meant ‘those who live on the other side of the Indus River’, which, in the Sanskrit language was the Sindhu. Of utmost importance to Hindus, then and now, are the world’s most ancient scriptures – the Vedas – the ‘knowledge of God’. In Hinduism, the one supreme Absolute and divine starting point of all reality is known as ‘Brahman’... more 

Homeward Bound Tattoo Design - A tattoo of a full-rigged sailing ship, with the words, "Homeward Bound" is one of the most recognizable of all maritime and nautical tattoos.

There is perhaps no tattoo design more associated with sailors and seamen that the tattoo of a full-rigged sailing ship under full sail, it's bow splitting the waves, clouds and seabirds in the background. Most of the sailing ships depicted in these tattoos were Clipper Ships. These tattoos were often very large and took place of pride on a sailor's back or chest, with smaller versions on upper arms and shoulders.

A rather macabre variation of the "Homeward Bound" and "Full-Rigged Ship" tattoos, were the "Sailor's Grave" tattoos... more 

Horse tattoos - As a tattoo design, the horse spans many millennia and most continents. It is one of the most familiar symbols of early man. The horse, before it was tamed, was one of the staple food items of early hunters. Pictures of horses adorn the cave walls of France and date back over 40,000 years. Even then, we revered the horse for its strength, speed and stamina, to say nothing of its beauty and grace. Horses were one of the first animals to be worshipped and... more 

Horse (Chinese Zodiac Symbol)
Born in 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954,1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014.

Your capacity for hard work is amazing. Your are your own person-very independent. While intelligent and friendly, you have a strong streak of selfishness and sharp cunning and should guard against being egotistical. Your sign suggests success as an adventurer, scientist, poet, or politician.

Check out different horse tattoo designs by some of the world's top tattoo artists and illustrators.

See all 12 animal signs of the Chinese Zodiac here

Year of the Horse Kanji designs on t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts, bags & more.

Horseshoe tattoos - One of the principal attributes of tattoos down through the ages has been the belief that they serve as amulets and talismans of protection, that they may ward off evil spirits and that they may act as charms or good luck for the wearer. The horseshoe is perhaps one of the world's most widely known symbols of good luck.

As a tattoo design the horseshoe may stand alone as a symbol of good luck, or be incorporated with other icons associated with good fortune, such as dice or playing cards displayed in winning combinations and four-leaf clovers, among others... more 

Hummingbird Symbols  - "HUMMINGBIRD: A minor character in American Indian folktale and mythology. The northern Paiute Indians [U.S. Great Basin area] say that Hummingbird once filled his pants full of seeds and started on a journey to see what was beyond the sun. He ate only one seed a day, but had to turn back because his food gave out. He didn't see anything. In eastern Brazil, Hummingbird is the character who hoarded water so that the people had none at all until the... more  

Tattoo Symbol Index - A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z