100+ Three Dots Tattoo Designs to Help You Continue Your Ink Journey

From a crazy gang lifestyle to mental health, the three dots tattoo can signify a number of weird and wonderful things.

I love the symbolism you can find in art and am always researching what different marks and symbols mean. This is why the tattoo with its three dark dots holds so much interest for me. Despite being such a simple piece, there is so much going on beneath the surface.

In this post I will show you the various tattoos with this design and give you some insight into what they mean as well. Let's get started!

The Top Three Dots Tattoo Designs

Here are the best three dots tattoo ideas that you can check out for inspiration:

Three Dot Triangle Tattoos

So:

What does 3 triangular dots mean?

When most people refer to a three dot tattoo symbol, they are usually talking about the three dot triangle tattoo.

This three dot tattoo design is actually pretty old. The original tattoo meaning does have to do with the gang lifestyle. It was typically found on gang members of Central American gangs who had spent time in prison.

The three dots tattoo was meant to represent mi vida loca or my crazy life. Each dot is meant to represent a word in mi vida loca. It not only signified that a particular gang member was a part of a gang but also that they had served time.

It wasn't just about the three dots symbol, though. It was also the location of this symbolic tattoo design. People would often get the three dots tattoo on highly visible parts of their body, often their face, just below the eye.

This proved that such a gang member was not to be messed with or meant serious trouble.

As with many things, this three dot tattoos began showing up in mainstream tattoo art as well. So, with time, this original tattoo meaning was lost.

These days, people get the three dots tattoo as a way of signifying a crazy life but they are either talking about a rough childhood or about an adventurous lifestyle.

People also use the triangular pattern to represent the Holy Trinity. This is a religious symbol for Catholics and consists of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the tattoo meaning here could be a religious or spiritual one.

Interestingly enough, the three dot tattoo in a triangular pattern can be used for various religious and spiritually connected designs, not just the Holy Spirit. This is because three is a powerful number for many belief systems. This includes paganism.

In certain parts of India, three dots will be painted on the bride's face in a triangular pattern. This is sometimes done to children as well. It is meant to ward off evil spirits or to prevent somebody from casting a curse upon you.

If you like, you could get the three dots as a way to ward off negative energy or thoughts coming your way. It could also help to remind you that it is important to keep a positive attitude, especially when it feels that things aren't going your way.

In some cases, the three dots represent the three points of a triskelion or any of the triple spiral designs found in Celtic culture. Here, the three dots tattoo would represent the connection. The three dot tattoo could indicate familial relationships, platonic friendships, or any other connection between three people or elements.

Check out how this is done in this tattoo. The three dots represent each person in the relationship and show how they make up a unit together.

As I mentioned, the three dot tattoo meaning has changed over the years. The three dot tattoo doesn't represent gang members as much anymore. Therefore, it is no longer considered a common prison tattoo.

Instead, these individuals are using the five dot tattoos to represent gang life. The five dots tattoo can be arranged in a variety of ways to prove that people have spent time in prison. The five dot tattoo can be arranged in lines, in a box-like shape, and more.

So, as long as you stay away from the five dot tattoo, you should be fine.

Minimalist Three Dot Tattoos

Looking for a simplistic tattoo idea? If so, a minimalist three dot tattoo could be just what you need.

Then:

Is this just a basic three dots tattoo design or is there a tattoo meaning behind it? What does a 3 dots tattoo mean?

Once again, the three dots represent a variety of things, depending on the three dots tattoo as well as the person.

Some people use this three dots tattoo as an ellipsis tattoo. This is one of the more meaningful tattoos as it is often used to represent mental health.

In many ways, it can be similar to the semi colon tattoo. It means that a person is choosing to continue with their life rather than ending it. It could also mean a sense of hopefulness for the future, an interest in seeing what is around the corner.

These kinds of tattoo and the tattoo meaning tend to be more personal and private. Due to this, you may want to ask your tattoo artist for a finger tattoo, get the three dot tattoo symbols behind the ear, or something equally discreet.

There are also those who use this kind of three dots tattoo as a different version the crazy life or mi vida loca tattoo.

As the three dots are arranged in a different way, there is no immediate link to gangs. At the same time, the three dots tattoo can represent an unorthodox or unusual life.

Some people also use this three dots tattoo to indicate that they have chosen to live a life full of adventure. So, if you are someone who is constantly pushing your limits, this could be a great tattoo idea for you.

As a side note, an increasing number of tattoo artists have started using this ellipsis tattoo as their signature and a way for you to identify their work. When it comes to very skilled or popular artists, people are honored to get their signature on their art work.

Artistic Three Dots Tattoos

If you aren't one for minimalist tattoos and would rather go for some fancy art tattoo, there is a way to make this happen.

Here, the three dots are incorporated into other small tattoos. This can add to the deep meanings of these designs and take your tattoo game to the next level.

Take this tattoo, for instance, the three dots are in different colors and represent the birth stones of loved ones.

Here, the three dot symbol is used to signify reaching a goal after a long road or journey.

Here the three dots connect people with different interests and ways of life. However, it is their love and devotion to one another that draws them together.

Three dots in a row tattoos can be especially important for women. This is because the power of three is used to refer to the connection between the ancient Celtic symbol - the maiden, the mother, and the crone. It is meant to represent the stages of life that women go through and represent their bond.

This is captured in the following tattoo. You can also see that in one of the tattoos that the three dots are the stem for a lotus flower. This means that in addition to the connection between the three women, the there dots are also representing purity and strength, especially during hard times.

Here are some other designs that you can choose from:

As you can see, although this may be one of the trendiest simple tattoos, there is a lot more to understand about this design. Now that you are aware of the various designs as well as the meanings behind the ink, choosing your own should be a breeze.