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 P.

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

Panther tattoos - This is the largest and most ferocious cat of the Americas, pound for pound more fierce and dangerous than: the tiger, the lion or the leopard. The panther is at the pinnacle of the food chain in the Americas. The panther / jaguar is fiercely independent and cunning. It is the only large cat that routinely hunts in the water.

The Panther / Jaguar figures prominently in the mythology of most cultures in South and Central America. It occurs in the art and religion of all pre-Colombian American civilizations. The panther is an extraordinarily ancient and powerful... more

Parasol Tattoos - The word 'Parasol' literally means, ‘against the sun’. The purpose of the parasol, therefore, is to create shade that protects one against the heat of the sun, or alternatively a downpour of rain from the heavens (see, Umbrella). But the parasol originated in those areas of the world where the mid-day sun was a source of scorching heat and men and animals alike sought the shade of trees for relief from its burning rays. As one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism, the parasol implies protection from the heat of suffering, desire, obstacles and illness... more

Parrot Tattoos - “Polly wants a cracker.” The phrase is synonymous with ‘parrot’, particularly one that sits on a pirate’s shoulder, as was made famous in Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic story, Treasure Island (1883). Long John Silver, the one-legged pirate, had his parrot, ‘Capt. Flint’, who may not have been the first parrot to be associated with the name ‘Polly’, but he certainly popularized it. And Polly certainly ensured that the parrot would become an iconic symbol of the pirate tradition... more

Patriotic Tattoos - Few symbols are as powerful at identifying an individual as belonging to a particular tribe or group than a patriotic tattoo; and there is perhaps no greater symbol identifying a sovereign nation than its flag, so it should come as no surprise that flags are extraordinarily popular as patriotic tattoo designs.

Flag tattoo designs are a powerful way for an individual to symbolize their love, devotion, patriotism and sense of national pride for their country.... more

Peace Symbol Tattoos - Peace is a message we can’t get enough of – on flags, in art, or on your skin as a powerful tattoo message. Take your pick – the dove, the olive branch, the paper crane, the ‘V’ sign, or the most familiar peace sign of all – the inverted broken cross in a circle. (If there’s a name for it, we haven’t heard it.) It defined the peace movement in the 60s. Actually, it was created especially for Britain’s nuclear disarmament movement in the 1950’s. Since then, it’s become the international anti-war movement emblem... more

Peacock Tattoos - Peacocks, and the colourful and flamboyant feathers (see Feathers) prominently featured in the extravagant tail display of the male Peacock have often been featured in tattoos, particularly those with an Asian or Far Eastern theme. We have all heard the expression, “Proud as a Peacock.” The expression was first used by Chaucer in the 14th century and still works today. Pride, vanity and strutting arrogance, those are the qualities we immediately attribute to the handsome Peacock. But its astonishing beauty -- especially its... more

Pegasus Tattoos - While the horse remains one of the most popular animal tattoo designs, the winged horse Pegasus stands out as a particular favorite with equine tattoo enthusiasts.  Not enough for some people the beauty, grace and speed of the ordinary horse, they must add wings and magic and stories of Gods to the tattoo - we speak of course of Pegasus, the winged horse of Greek mythology.  The birth of this mythical winged steed went something like this... more

Pelican Tattoos - The pelican is a spirit guide that teaches us about self-sacrifice. Getting a pelican tattoo is a statement that one yearns to be charitable and less competitive. It says, ‘I am buoyant, able to rise above my troubles.’

For being big-boned, drably plumed, rather ungainly and awkward on land and not very glamorous, the pelican has made quite a respectable name for itself is the annals of symbolism. The ancient Egyptians... more

Penguin Tattoos - Penguins don’t have much experience with humans, so it’s not surprising that we don’t have much experience with them. The Antarctic, was after all, except for penguins, seals and a few other sea birds, a bitterly cold, utterly inhospitable environment for human habitation. But underneath the ice shelf of the Antarctic is an incredibly rich sea environment teaming with life and extraordinary bio-diversity and a magnet for whales and other marine creatures who are drawn to the rich feeding grounds for krill and other food sources. For this reason, penguins aren’t well established in folklore or in... more

Peony and Peonies Tattoos - In traditional Japanese tattooing, certain design elements are often paired together, dragons, lions and demons with various flowers - in effect a delicate balancing of power with beauty. Peonies, or "botan" are a flower symbol that is traditionally paired with a Japanese lion, or "Shishi". This pairing is called Karajishi, and the ferocity of the lion is tempered by the beauty of the peony. But rather than merely being a simple symbolic example of Yin and Yang at work (see also, Yin-Yang), the peony is a powerful tattoo design element in its own right.

The Peony is a flower with a history of cultivation and veneration that goes back thousands of years. In Japan and China, the peony is a... more

The Phoenix - the legendary mythological bird of fire, is probably the most popular of all the rebirth and resurrection symbols. There are stories and fables that touch on the Phoenix myth in the ancient Middle East, India, China and the Greek and Roman Empires.

In the myth the Phoenix is an extraordinarily long-lived bird of great beauty and luxuriant plumage (often described as golden or red-hued), living five hundred years or more, a fact attributed by one early Jewish legend that the Phoenix refused to eat the forbidden fruit of Paradise. At the end of it's life the Phoenix would build a nest of aromatic twigs, set fire to itself, and be consumed in the funeral pyre of it's own making. After three days the Phoenix would arise from... more

Pig / Boar Tattoos - Pigs or swine, were among the earliest animals domesticated by early humans in the transition from existence as highly mobile hunter-gatherers to more settled farmers practicing the first forms of agriculture. Alongside dogs, sheep and goats, pigs proved amenable to a life alongside humans that dates back at least ten thousand years. Prior to that wild pigs were a staple food item, and a large boar - male pig - with its razor sharp tusks, was a... more

Pig (or Boar Chinese Zodiac Symbol)
Born in 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019

You are a splendid companion, an intellectual with a very strong need to set difficult goals and carry them out. You are sincere, tolerant, and honest but by expecting the same from others, you are incredibly naive. Your quest for material goods could be your downfall. The Pig would be best in the arts as an entertainer, or possible a lawyer.

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

See all 12 animal signs of the Chinese Zodiac here

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

Pink Ribbon (Bow) Tattoo - All the research that I have done about "Pink Ribbon tattoo designs", has led me to the inescapable conclusion that women who are interested in getting a pink ribbon or bow tattoo are doing it as a sign of solidarity with women in the fight against breast cancer, or in support of breast cancer survivors they know, or perhaps they have survived breast... more

Pin-up Girl Tattoos - pretty girls and tattoos never go out of style. A pinup girl is a woman whose physical attractiveness would entice one to place a picture of her on a wall. The term was first attested to in English in 1941; however the practice is documented back at least to the 1890s. The “pin up” images could be cut out of magazines or newspapers, or be from postcard or chromo-lithographs, and so on. Such photos often appear on calendars, which are meant to be pinned up anyway. Later, posters of “pin-up girls” were... more

Pirate Tattoos - the word pirate comes from the Latin "pirata" meaning marine adventurer. Some other names for a pirate were buccaneer, freebooter and skimmer. Nautical tattoo designs like pirates, buccaneers and skulls are still a strong favorite with tattoo enthusiasts around the... more

Pisces Astrological Sign Tattoos - The Western astrological sign of Pisces is part of the tropical zodiac (February 19 – March 20) and the sidereal zodiac (March 15 – April 13). It is associated with the constellation Pisces and the classical element Water, making it a Water sign. Pisces is also one of the Mutable signs (along with Gemini, Virgo and Sagittarius) Its symbol is the fish. It is traditionally considered to be ruled by the planet Jupiter and now considered by astrologers to be ruled by Neptune. Pisces is the sign of... more

Playing Card Tattoos - Playing cards are often featured in a multitude of tattoo designs. And the tattoo designs make full use of many of the symbols to be found in a deck of cards, all the way from the Ace of Spades, to the Queen of Hearts, to the 'wild' Joker. The modern pack of playing cards can be traced back to Medieval Europe, when cards were a dalliance of the rich. Printing techniques eventually made mass production possible so that playing cards became popular with common folk as well. A deck of cards consisted of... more

Polynesian/Maori Tattoos - a very popular style of tattooing, Robbie Williams, Mike Tyson and Ben Harper are three celebrities with significant Maori inspired designs. Other than the distinctive Maori designs, a very popular Polynesian design school are the patterns from the Marquesas Islands. Exceedingly popular with celebrities like The Rock and Collin... more

Praying Hands or, Hands of the Apostle - If the 15th century German artist, Albrecht Dürer, was alive today, he would be a rich man. Copyright to his brush drawing of 'Hands in Prayer' would auction off for millions. It was originally commissioned as an altar-piece by the mayor of Frankfurt in 1508. A later version of these praying hands appeared in another Dürer work, only this time as the hands of an apostle standing at an empty grave looking heavenwards at the coronation of the Virgin Mary. The original was destroyed by fire in 1729, but a copy of the altar-piece, as well as some earlier... 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