It's hard to imagine many people who have more of an impact on our lives than our moms do — and that goes for women and men … even men who like to pretend they're the toughest, coolest guys around. Plenty of men out there get tattoos for their moms, because what better way to pay tribute to her than with a little permanent art?
All of these tattoos are mom-approved — because they are all for mom. There is something about a guy with a mom tattoo that just melts the heart and makes even the toughest-looking guy seem like a softie. We've rounded up some of our favorite mom tattoos on men just so we can say "Awww… love that."
Though many guys end up opting for the more traditional "mom" tattoo — the one that features a heart, the word "mom," and sometimes a little something extra — there are so many ways to make that tattoo (or something totally different) stand out from the rest, representing their own unique bond with their own moms forever.
And after seeing all these cool designs, we noticed is that mom tribute tattoos can be anywhere — chest, arm, hand, neck, or even face — and they all give us the same warm and fuzzy feeling. We can't even imagine how much it must have meant to these men's mamas when they saw the tattoos for the first time!
Read on for some of the most awesome, gorgeous mom tattoos out there that represent that special, unbreakable bond between a mother and her son. Try to pick a favorite. it might just end up being impossible!
Bold & Beautiful
Everyone loves I Love Lucy, and they also love Mom (at least they better). This guy combined the two in a neat black and white design that calls back to the traditional "mom" tattoos while also offering up a unique spin.
Strong Arm
People get tattoos because they love the art, and the designs say a lot about who they are and what they like. This guy … is all about Mom and Dad, and he's not willing to play favorites between them, even on a tattoo.
Over Heart
Over the heart is a perfect spot to showcase a mom tattoo — especially one that happens to be as colorful and eye-catching as this one. We'll admit that it might be a painful placement, but it's all worth it to show mom the love.
Real Heart
Thinking beyond the typical symbol we see for a heart is this guy with an anatomical rendering of one, along with his loyalty and love for his parents. Once again, both mom and dad get to share the spotlight here. So sweet!
With Nostalgia
Get that mom tattoo and decorate it with some of her favorite things — or even things that mom and son got to enjoy together during childhood. Maybe Winnie the Pooh was the favorite book they read together when he was a kid?
Tribute
This one is such a beautiful tribute to a mom who left this world too soon. The purple ribbon being used here represents bringing awareness to several different illnesses, including Alzheimer's disease, and it's such a sweet way to remember her.
Anchored
With an old-school style, this mom tattoo is super colorful and includes so many bold lines and details at the same time. Mom is kind of like our anchor, isn't she? This tattoo ends up representing that idea perfectly.
Blastover Dedication
The blastover (tattoo over older, faded tattoo) is beautiful with its heavy black ink, drawing the eye straight over to the new design instead of the old one. It's a great way to freshen this arm up and pay tribute to mom all at the same time.
Years Apart
The dad tattoo on the lower arm is from years ago, and then the proud owner of this tattoo must have decided that it was time to give mom her due, too. We love the new addition of the red heart mom tattoo above it.
Legit
Purple flower tattoos are so beautiful, and this one definitely applies … especially with the way it looks with the bright orange and greens in this tattoo, too. Something else that's beautiful? The word "mom," of course.
Mum Forever
Not all of us refer to the woman who gave us life as "mom," after all — and it seems like this particular tattoo is paying tribute to the more British iteration of the word. This traditional-style heart looks excellent with "Mum" inscribed.
Bold Choice
Mom has no choice but to love her son's neck tattoo, right? We think it's fab — and even if she might have been against the placement of it in the beginning, how could she not be touched by this sweet tribute?
Self-Proclaimed Mama's Boy
Think this guy is his mom's favorite son? He just might be after showing off a tattoo like this, because what's more impressive than finding out a kid got inked up all because of his love for his mama? Gotta show off those guns, too!
The Sweetest
This is way up there in the best mom tattoos in the history of mom tattoos, especially since mom herself happened to get involved. This son got "I love you Mom" tattooed on his arm and his mom got "love you more." Amazing!
Warms the Heart
Another terrific mama's boy — and we can't see how she wouldn't adore it. After all, not all men out there are willing to admit if they're a mama's boy or not, but this one is so proud that he got the words inked on his body forever.
Front & Center
At first look, this guy is a little intimidating, but no matter what, he's willing to admit what's important to him. Upon seeing "Mom" tattooed on his chest, we notice our minds change a little and we think this guy's got a lot of heart.
Ultimate
This is gorgeous. That red, the classic heart, the mom banner — it's kind of the best Mother's Day gift a mom could ask for (even one who might not be a big fan of tattoos in the first place). It doesn't get more traditional than this!
Perfect Spot
We love a good hand tattoo, even though they may not be as common, as we've seen in these other photos. A bird with "Mom" written below it? Perfection. How could his mom not love something like this?
The Heart Is the Strongest Muscle
If someone is going to get one word tattooed on his body, he should make it a good word, and this case, this man definitely did — and we don't hate that he used the opportunity to show off those muscles, either.
Best Trend
These three guys all have mom tattoos — and we bet they all have proud mamas, too. If matching tattoos are in the plans, why not make it something meaningful and something that will make their moms' day all at the same time?
Mom Approved?
Generally speaking, moms don't like face tattoos (if they like tattoos on their babies at all). But something tells us that this guy's mom loves it since it's all about her … and that's what matters. Plus, awesome script.
Don't Forget the Veggies
This one is definitely nontraditional, but pretty adorable nonetheless. Sure, the "mom" banner is usually going over a heart, but here, it's going over broccoli … and we're sure that it's something meaningful between this son and his mom.
Keeping It Simple
Not every tattoo in dedication to a mother needs to be brightly colored and designed — sometimes, like in the case of this super simple tattoo, just the word "mom" can convey exactly how much that woman means to her son.
Vintage Love
This black and white tattoo is giving us all the vintage vibes! A play on the traditional mom-in-a-heart style of tattoo, this one includes an arrow and plenty of flowers, which might happen to be something meaningful to the mom in question.
A Sweet Message
This tattoo includes a sweet quote straight from mom herself: "I love you to the moon and back." Combined with the green Hawaiian plumeria flowers, this tattoo definitely stands out from all the rest, but probably would still make this mom proud.
Elaborate & Ornate
Another take on the traditional … but this time, it's helping this son proclaim his love for his mom loud and proud! Bright colors, birds, roses — this tattoo has it all, so it's no wonder his mother showed it off on her own Instagram.
In Bright Colors
Everything about this particular tattoo is eye catching, isn't it? The design itself is traditional and clean, but what we really love is the bold color choices and how they look like they were spray painted onto the arm itself.
Mom & a Heartbeat
This tattoo includes love for a mom and a heart, but in a different way entirely. The pretty font says "mom," which fades into a heartbeat … which fades into an actual heart. Super cute, and says a lot about this son's love for the most important woman in his life.
Mom, But Make it Dangerous
Here's another mom-in-a-heart tattoo, but with an extra hint of tough guy flavor. The heart in this tattoo is made of barbed wire (a popular traditional tattoo element), because even the toughest men out there can love their moms.
All the Love
OK, how cute is this? Yep, that's a cactus in a flower pot, but it's pretty perfect the way it comes together to form a heart, along with the traditional mom banner running across it at the same time. Even better if mom loves plants and cacti!