120+ Best Knuckle Tattoo Ideas for Tattoo Lovers This Year

I think knuckle tattoos are super underrated and not given the attention they deserve. Some of the most gorgeous tattoo designs I've seen throughout my career as a tattoo artist are knuckle tattoos.

Knuckle tattoo designs are versatile. Minimalistic knuckle tattoos that feature tiny stars, music symbols, little clouds, or other cute little images look extremely attractive.

Alphabetic or number tattoos can also be gotten here to pass powerful messages. There are limitless options when it comes to knuckle tattoos. Keep reading for 120+ amazing designs you can recreate.

Knuckle Tattoo Designs for You

Simple Knuckle Tattoos

This collection of knuckle tattoos is for people who like to keep it simple and casual. They are also a nice choice for first-timers.

The prettiest knuckle tattoos I've come across feature minimalist designs on each knuckle.

You might be surprised to find that some tattoo designs that may seem otherwise complex can also work as simple knuckle tattoos if done by an experienced tattoo artist. Examples of these designs are playing cards, three monkeys, or even a frog tattoo.

Bold Knuckle Tattoos

If you don't mind being in the spotlight (which the bold knuckle tattoo designs here will surely place you), then you should pick an image to recreate from this section.

Most knuckle tattoos are gotten to give a bold impression and almost fill the entire expense of the fingers.

The most popular tattoos of this kind are alphabet or numbers written in a unique and scary way that will take a double (or even triple) glance to figure out what is written.

Alphabetic Knuckle Tattoos

If you are looking for a highly expressive knuckle tattoo idea, this is the collection to explore. These types of knuckle tattoos are very popular because they are easy to read, and this allows you to express yourself easily.

The alphabetic knuckle tattoos often contain five or four letters, one on each finger. These letters form words like happy, hard, or cool. They can also come in five letters on each hand since with five lettered words, you can get a complete knuckle tattoo. For example, the phrase 'happy dream'.

Word tattoo designs can also be done on both hands. You can start the word from the knuckle of one hand and complete the word by continuing on the knuckles of the other hand. Some popular phrases written in this style are stay-true, true love, lone wolf, and love-hate.

Numeric Knuckle Tattoos

Most numeric knuckle tattoos hold important meanings to the wearer and are usually done to send a strong message.

You can get a date you want to remember such as the day a loved one passed away; or on a more positive note, your wedding anniversary or even the birth date of your child. The knuckle is the perfect spot to get it tatted to keep that special day in mind for life.

Symbol Knuckle Tattoos

Symbol tattoos are some of the coolest visible tattoos to get on your knuckles. If you have a more ancient soul, you can go for cool and unique designs like Egyptian, Celtic, or Aztec symbols.

However, if you want a more modern take on the symbolic knuckle tattoo, emojis are the best ways to go about it for great self-expression. You can also combine more than one and up to four symbols on your knuckle to increase the level of complexity and fun of your tattoo design.

Colorful Knuckle Tattoos

One way to make a tattoo meaningful is to add different colors. Compared to other tattoos, colorful knuckle tattoos are not so common. This makes them the best option for people who would like to get a unique tattoo.

Getting many colors on one of the most eye-catching parts of the body will earn you lots of attention. This could be either a good or a bad thing based on your personality, so you might want to skip this if you're on the shy side.

If you plan on tattooing the names of loved ones on your knuckles, adding fiery colored ink to the edges of the characters will make them more attractive, regardless of the font.

Combined Knuckle Tattoo

The knuckles of one hand only provide a small space for a tattoo to be inked. This is why combining the fists for an extensive tattoo idea is a great option.

Combined knuckle tattoos are wild and amazing in their style of design. As they cover both hands, it's impossible to fully appreciate the design of a person's combined knuckle tattoo by simply looking at one hand.

They are also the kind of knuckle tattoos that allow you to express very long words like lonesome, favorite, intensity, maintain, and full names of loved ones.

Hand to Knuckle Tattoos

The knuckles may not provide a lot of area for intricate and extensive art. This is why a good number of knuckle tattoos are done to extend from the knuckles up, to become hand tattoos.

They can include realistic portraits done on the hand which then extend to the knuckles. For example, the tattoo design of green skulls shown below.

Other knuckle tattoos completely cover the hand and knuckles, while some extend all the way to the shoulders to become sleeve tattoos.

What Do Knuckle Tattoos Symbolize?

Knuckle tattoos don't have a particular meaning and they often come in four-letter words. Most people have knuckle tattoos on both hands, extending the number of words to eight or sometimes ten when the thumbs are included.

Some people are inspired to get knuckle tattoos from movies like the Night Of The Hunter, where Robert Mitchum had the love-hate knuckle tats.

Every knuckle tattoo design could represent what the wearer wants it to. A great design can have meanings ranging from true love, or the desire to live free.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do Tattoos Hurt On Knuckles?

Yes, they do. The skin on the knuckles is thin and sensitive. The skin is also very close to the underlying bone. This is what makes knuckle tattoos quite painful when compared to other tattoos.

2. Are Knuckle Tattoos Job Stoppers?

The knuckles are not easy to cover up. If you work in an office that has a significant stigma against tattoos, you might not be eligible for a job with a knuckle tattoo.

3. Are Knuckle Tattoos A Good Idea?

Most tattoo artists advise against getting knuckle tattoos. While they may look cool, there are certain disadvantages to getting them. Apart from being painful, they also risk becoming infected as they take longer to heal.