Owls typically eat a mixed diet of small birds and insects. While this does not add in any more meaning to an owl tattoo, you can definitely get a couple of their prey with your tattoo for a more striking effect. You can also get these extra images if you want to get a more aggressive-looking owl tattoo.

In Greek mythology the owl is sacred to Athena, the goddess of learning. If you are interested in getting a mythological tattoo, you really can’t do too much better than this. In one tattoo design you are getting the goddess of learning with an animal that represents wisdom and mysteriousness, among other things. On top of that, with the right artist you can get an extremely cool-looking tattoo of a fantastic looking owl with a goddess!

The owl is also depicted on Greco-Roman currency. The owl featured on old Greek and Roman coins is a classic profile image of a bird with no irises looking straight out. If you have Greek or Roman heritage, the coin or just the image on the coin would be an excellent tattoo idea. Of course, you can always use any of the other owl tattoo meanings listed on this page with that tat, too!

Ancient Egyptian, Celtic and Hindu cultures revered the owl as a guardian of the underworld and protector of the dead. This makes the owl tattoo a good one to get if you wanted to add in some extra design elements to a memorial tattoo. For example, you could get a loved one’s name and flowers as one part of the tattoo, and owls flying around it showing that they are protected.

As previously stated owls are often associated with magic so you can opt to add stars or the moon or other whimsical details to make a fantastic fantasy piece. These tattoos are usually less about the meaning and more about making unique and striking designs. If you want to get a fantasy tattoo design, owls can usually make them pop just a bit more.