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The topic of Harry Styles’ tattoos have fueled endless conversations. And he’s not the only one: Ariana Grande, Millie Bobby Brown, Cardi B, and Demi Lovato are a few other celebs with storied ink. Back to Harry: In January 2021, Page Six reported that the musician had more than 50 tattoos. J-14 shared that he got his first tattoo on his 18th birthday (more on that below). That’s 11 years of tattoos for the Watermelon Sugar singer. And remember that time he wore a pair of custom-designed pants inspired by his ink in the December 2020 issue of Vogue?
Ok, you get the point: the musician really loves tattoos. But what are they and what do they mean? To help provide an answer, we dug into as many of his tattoos as possible and the meaning behind them. And yes, we know we probably missed some—but some tattoos are better left unexplained.
Arm Tattoos
Buckle up, there’s a lot to tackle in the small amount of space. Harry Styles’ arm tattoos are many. Most of the tattoos are located on his left arm, with a few creeping over to the right.
NY, LA, LDN
This one is pretty simple: On his left arms, you’ll find letters symbolizing the cities Styles spends most of his time in.
Hebrew Letters
There are two sets of Hebrew letters on Styles’ left arm. One is his sister’s name, and the other translates to “Can I Stay.”
Tiny Guitar
Located on his left shoulder, it’s just a cute little guitar. We love the fact that Styles has a tattoo you’d likely see gracing an arm of a friend.
Pirate Ship
This is the biggest tattoo on his left arm. A mix of fine-line and shadowing, the pirate ship looks like it’s in motion.
Anatomical Heart
It’s hard to miss this dark, shaded heart on the front of his left bicep. Whose heart it is? Well, let us know if you find out.
Late Late
He got this tattoo while on “The Late Late Show With James Corden” during a rousing game of tattoo roulette. Harry Styles’ late late tattoo is certainly one of his most storied designs.
Triangle Refracting Light
This one is inspired by Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon album.
Skeleton in a Tuxedo
This is a fun one on Styles’ left tricep, showing a skeleton in a tuxedo styled as a playing card.
Shaking Hands
Right below the fancy looking skeleton, you’ll find a pair of hands encased in a shake.
Black Heart
Located on his left bicep next to the pirate ship sits a simple black heart.
Green Bay Packers Logo
Like many other die-hard fans, Styles’ showed love for his favorite team with a tiny tattoo of the logo on his left bicep.
Black Star
This star was Harry Styles’ first tattoo, but it was just the outline of a star when he first had it done. Later on, he had it filled.
“Hi”
This may be the friendlist little tattoo we’ve ever seen, spotted on his left bicep. We don’t know the meaning behind it aside form the obvious, but it’s too cute not to include.
English Cookie
This one is dedicated to his sister, Gemma.
Bottle of Liquor and “You Booze You Lose”
There’s also a Holy Bible right underneath this lettering.
A
Right next to “You Booze You Lose” is a tiny “A” which is in reference to his mother, Anne.
“Silver Spoon”
You’ll find this lettering right beneath the shaking hands right above the back of his left elbow.
Jackson
Some believe that this tattoo is dedicated to his godson, the son of a photographer. It’s all a little bit mysterious and would be the great premise for a page-turning novel.
Giant Rose
Done in 2013, this is a classic tattoo design beautifully displated on this upper left forearm.
Eagle
Rumor has it, this big eagle is a cover-up for an old tattoo reading “Things I can.”
Mary
This one is located on his right arm (one of the few) and is dedicated to his grandmother.
Arlo
Like “Jackson,” there isn’t any public reasoning behind this ink, but it’s done in the same type of script. Take that for what you will.
Naked Mermaid
In an interview with Hollywood Life, Styles revealed the inspiration behind this one: “I am a mermaid,” he said when asked about it. So there’s that.
Padlock
This one’s fun: Ed Sheeran is the tattoo artist behind this design.
Pingu
Pingu is a character in a British TV show for children—one Styles’ apparently really loved.
Anchor
We’ve got another cover-up! This anchor was designed over an old tattoo that said “I can’t change.”
Leg Tattoos
While Styles’ tattoos are concentrated on his upper body, he has more than a fair share across the lower part of his body.
Tiger’s Head
Most of Styles’ right thigh is dedicated to a big old lion head. It’s almost geometric in style, a slightly modern take on a classic design.
“Never Gonna Dance Again”
It what may be the most ironic of Styles’ tattoos, these words are splayed across his ankles. “Never Gonna” on his right ankles and “Dance Again” on the left.
Three Screws
There are three screws tattooed on his right big toe—it’s said that they act as a reminder to stay grounded.
“Yes” and “No”
Right above and below each knee, he has “yes” and “no” written in French and Spanish.
Chest Tattoos
Harry Styles’ chest tattoos are fewer than his left arm, but more than his right. It’s a solid flow of ink.
Butterfly
Harry Styles’ butterfly tattoo is one of the largest on his body. And it’s located right on his sternum—a very painful tattoo placement.
Two Swallows
Another classic nautical-adjacent design, swallons indicate traveling; something Styles does quite a bit of.
“17 Black”
This one is a reminder of a particularly rough bet. According to an interview in GQ, this one speaks to a night that Styles’ lost some money gambling in Australia way back in the early One Direction days.
“1957” and “1967”
These are the birth years of Styles’ parents.
Cursive Lettering
Styles is big on family and his tattoos showcase this. There are a couple of cursive letters on the singer’s chest: “g” for his sister Gemma and “A” for his mother Anne.
Empty Bird Cage
A bit hidden on the side of his rib cage, Styles hasn’t shared what this one stands for.
Two Theater Masks
This is a small one, right next to the empty bird cage. There’s no word on what is means to him, but it’s a classic theater symbol.
“SNCL”
This stands for “Smile Now, Cry Later,” which is a life mantra any Aquarius could get behind.
Fern Leaf
This is reportedly another cover-up, hiding an old tattoo that once said “Might as well.”
