101 Cool Behind The Ear Tattoos For Women

When it comes to getting inked, behind the ear tattoos have become a popular option in recent years. Behind your ear is a great spot for a cute and feminine tattoo that symbolizes the important things in your personal life. Whether you like ink with meaning or just want a pretty piece with creative artwork, there are several amazing ear tattoo ideas to discuss with your artist.

Some women will want a meaningful tattoo like a butterfly that symbolizes transformation and life, while others may prefer a small tattoo like a rose or music note that looks cool and is easy to hide. With so many beautiful designs to consider, it can be a challenge choosing the right tattoo to get behind your ear.

To inspire you with ideas, we’ve compiled this guide on the best behind the ear tattoos. From the star to the cross, flower and heart, explore these cute back of the ear tattoo designs to find ideas you’ll love.

Stylish Behind The Ear Tattoo Ideas

Flower Tattoo

A flower tattoo is a timeless choice that always looks elegant behind the ear. Representing everything from positivity to courage, a floral tattoo is one of the most meaningful options for women. Rose tattoos are particularly popular, as they look beautiful in both simple and intricate styles. These types of tattoos can be painful, meaning first-timers may want to choose a minimalist design of their favorite flower. Sunflowers and lilies require more delicate line work, whereas daisies and simpler blooms tend to cause less pain. More adventurous women can add vines, leaves, or a pop of color. When done well, these additions will complement your hairline for an epic finish.

Butterfly Tattoo

A butterfly tattoo continues to be a beautiful design idea for women who want meaningful artwork behind the ear. As a cute and feminine piece, butterfly tattoos can symbolize transformation, growth, beauty and immortality, making these designs a versatile and popular choice. Whether you want a small butterfly or multiple fluttering around a flower with colorful styling, this tattoo is an amazing option to consider. For maximum impact, consider featuring hints of color on the wings.

Star Tattoo

A statement star tattoo behind your ear will never go out of style. Stars symbolize love, light and guidance, making them a popular tattoo with young women. Many women choose stars to represent a guardian angel or guiding light in their lives. Others use them to express self-belief and ambition. A single star tattooed behind the ear looks stylish, but these designs also work well in clusters. If you choose multiple stars, be sure to vary their sizes. Whatever number you choose, select one star as the focal point and work your tattoo down for a simple and effective look that will brighten your days.

Scissor Tattoo

A scissor tattoo can be a great way to symbolize transformation with a meaningful design around your ear. Whether you’re showcasing your sharpness or reminding yourself to cut out the negative influences in your life, this subtle and edgy tattoo idea behind the ear will look amazing and can make any woman feel strong and independent. Scissors can also represent cutting ties with hurtful people or a bad past, making this artwork a symbol of personal growth and transition. Most artists recommend you avoid color with this piece and focus on a simple and small scissor design.

Dragon Tattoo

A dragon tattoo can symbolize ferocity, intelligence and unmatched strength, making this a versatile choice for any woman wanting a bold design to get behind their ear. Dragon tattoos are extremely popular in Asian cultures and many women get dragons to celebrate their Zodiac birth year. If your artist is highly skilled, don’t be afraid to ask for detailed artwork. Scales, wings and dashes of red ink all promise to take this piece to the next level.

Words Tattoo

A meaningful word tattoo can look incredible behind the ear. You can have an entire phrase or your favorite quote run down the back of your ear, but the most impactful word tattoos are short and sweet. Feminine fonts add an elegant touch to any word, whereas block capitals make quotes stand out. Most people choose single words like love, strength or hope for their words tattoo. You can also use the space behind your ear to ink the name of a beloved family member or pet. Simple handwritten designs are always effective, but you can accompany your tattoo with a small image or doodle.

Dove Tattoo

The dove tattoo often represents peace, unity and innocence, making this concept an excellent idea for women who want ink behind the ear. As feminine and beautiful birds, doves are often chosen by people who want to believe in forgiveness, hope, and love. Spiritual women may get this design to represent their Christian faith. Featured in the story of Noah, the dove can act as a wonderful reminder of your commitment to God. While you may want a complex design, this piece looks best simple, monochrome and outlined since the space behind the ear is limited. For an elaborate and colorful variation, a perched dove may offer a balance while a bird with outstretched wings can look awesome.

Elephant Tattoo

Elephant tattoos are on the rise and look elegant peeking out from behind your ear. Elephants symbolize wisdom, compassion, strength and loyalty, making these tattoo designs an excellent option for new mothers who are maternal and protective of their young. An elephant tattoo can look beautiful inked on the forearm, thigh and chest, but make cool conversation starters when more visible. From cartoon designs to more realistic artwork, these majestic animals won’t disappoint.

Simple Tattoo

If you want an understated and easy design, consider getting a simple tattoo that comes with meaning. Tattoos behind the ear naturally work well with subtle artwork that can be hidden. If you’re getting inked for the first time, you may prefer an outline or basic concept in all black. You can always add color to your design, but black and grey ink are ideal for longevity. Ask your artist about clean lines and limited shading to allow you to stand out from the crowd with minimal effort. Keep your tattoo defined to reduce the chances of bleeding and avoid complex shapes and patterns that may clutter your artwork. There are many simple tattoo ideas that are charming and adorable such as initials, dates, the sun and moon, hearts, crowns and flowers.

Small Tattoo

A small tattoo can be a great way to create a unique and beautiful design behind the ear, where you may have very little space for a more expansive piece. If you want to make a statement, make sure to explore tattoo ideas that are meaningful and aesthetically pleasing. Given the placement, ask your artist about awesome vertical designs to create extra space. These tattoos are still small, but you can experiment with chains, flowers, vines, stars, or Chinese symbols to keep things interesting. For an understated look, experiment with simple shapes like hearts and triangles or symbols like crosses, initials and dates. Small ear tattoos are ideal for special pieces with hidden meanings, allowing you to get creative with your storytelling.

Anchor Tattoo

An anchor tattoo is one of the most popular designs for women who are determined, grounded, and love the sea. Anchors symbolize safety, stability, and a passion for nautical travel and exploration. Beautiful when placed behind the ear, many long-distance couples get matching anchor tattoos to represent their continued commitment to each other across oceans. While some people choose to get more intricate artwork with ropes and detailed styling, these designs are charming and effortlessly cute when kept simple. This versatility makes anchors a perfect fit for that small space behind the ear.

Angel Tattoo

An angel tattoo is highly symbolic and can represent anything from spirituality and biblical figures to guardians, loved ones and freedom. Angel wings have always been a cute and sexy tattoo design for women who want religious ink or just a stunning feminine piece. When it comes to Christianity, angels can remind us to stay on the righteous path and help others when we can. Those who have lost loved ones may want to use a guardian angel to memorialize a family member or represent a guiding light during hard times. Wings can also inspire you to grow and take on new challenges or remind you that you are free to spread your wings and fly. To avoid overwhelming the small space behind the ear, keep lines simple and avoid hyper-realistic designs.

Dreamcatcher Tattoo

A dreamcatcher tattoo offers a stunning design with deep meaning, resulting in cute and fashionable ink. Dreamcatchers are prominent in Native American cultures and will certainly keep nightmares at bay when nestled behind your ear. Over time, this traditional symbol has come to represent a sense of safety, security and the fight against negativity. This tattoo works beautifully around the ear and intricate designs can even masquerade as jewelry at first glance. Webbing, geometric lines and feathers are all key dreamcatcher features that you can add to your design for a beautiful finish.

Feather Tattoo

The feather tattoo is a versatile and inspirational design that can be made as minimal or detailed as you want. Feathers are generally associated with ideas of freedom, spirit and courage, making this artwork perfect for adventurous travelers and free spirits. These behind the ear tattoos are often designed with colorful details, but can look just as good in black ink. If you work in a professional setting, you can get a feather cuff that sits close to the back of your ear for an almost undetectable tattoo.

Heart Tattoo

A heart tattoo is a cute and feminine design that works beautifully behind the ear. A traditional symbol of love and adoration, you can get this tattoo to represent your sweetheart without it being too obvious. As one of the most popular tattoo designs for women, you may want to consider colorful styling or possibly clustering multiple pieces to create a collage. Whether you choose to keep things simple with a minimalist outline or opt for something more extravagant, heart tattoos always look classic.

Tribal Tattoo

Tribal tattoos are usually found on the torso or back, but they also look amazing behind the ear. These striking tattoos use black ink to create bold patterns and are common in Polynesian and Maori tribes. Designs tend to be geometric and rely on thick lines and intense shading to make a statement. Bold and intricate, this daring tattoo will help you stand out from the crowd.

Cross Tattoo

A cross tattoo is a timeless design idea that allows you to reference your Christian faith with simple religious artwork. This design can symbolize your devoutness, but also represents a commitment to goodness, morality and personal growth. While this piece can look great anywhere on your body, small cross tattoos behind the ear are understated and meaningful since the ink can insinuate that you are letting the word of God guide you through life.

Tree Tattoo

A tree tattoo can symbolize longevity, knowledge and resilience, making these designs special for women who have dealt with hardship. With the ability to weather powerful storms, trees are held down by strong roots, which can be a reference for family or community. Most artists will recommend black ink with simple styling for a simple and impactful finish.

Moon Tattoo

As one of the most popular designs for women, a moon tattoo offers a stunning piece that is universally amazing. Whether you believe in its astrological importance or just appreciate the beautiful shape, getting a moon behind your ear can represent change, transformation and feminine energy. Although crescent moons are the more popular design, full moon tattoos can effectively symbolize new beginnings and balance. For a cute vibe, adorn your moon tattoo with tiny stars.

Crown Tattoo

A crown tattoo is a regal design that represents royalty, wealth, ambition and power, offering a gorgeous piece that will make any woman feel like a princess or queen. Crown tattoos fit effortlessly behind the ear and can be colorful and detailed or black, outlined and shaded. To make your ink stand out, you might consider styling your crown with royal colors such as yellow, purple, red and blue.

Initial Tattoo

By tattooing someone’s initials behind your ear, you can keep them close to your heart. Initial tattoos are rarely complex, but you can elevate your design with cursive letters or by placing your chosen initials inside symbolic shapes. These tattoos tend to be very personal, so make sure you’ve carefully considered your design before taking the plunge.

Music Note Tattoo

A music note tattoo placed behind the ear is a popular choice for any true artist. This simple and creative tattoo shows that you appreciate music and understand its impact on the world. An easy way to make this small tattoo meaningful is by selecting a few notes from your favorite song or orchestral piece. Quarter notes and treble clefs can be easily hidden along the ear.

Cover Up Tattoo

Cover-up tattoos can be a necessary evil as you grow and change through life. When it comes to ink behind the ear, laser removal can be painful and covering up an old tattoo can be the right decision. Small tattoos are easy to cover up, making it possible to mask even the worst mistakes or memories. You’ll need to work closely with your artist to create a darker and larger design that fully covers your original ink for a result that you’ll love.

Under Ear Tattoo

An under-ear tattoo can be a stylish and unique placement for those who want increased visibility that will take their ink to the next level. If you don’t want to hide your artwork behind your ear or hair, these types of ear tattoos make for amazing statement pieces. To balance, you may want to keep your design small and simple. From trees, anchors and moons to butterflies, stars and flowers, the area under your ear can accommodate all the best tattoo ideas.

Behind The Ear Tattoo Pain

Although this placement may hurt, behind the ear tattoos can be worth the pain for the perfect ink you can show off at your discretion. Most women can expect a tattoo behind the ear to be somewhat painful, but how bad it hurts will depend on your tolerance, health and chosen placement as well as the artist’s skill level. In most cases, the vibrations from the needle near your mastoid bone, where there is minimal flesh, are what makes an ear tattoo one of the most painful areas of the body to get inked. Getting a tattoo under the ear will not hurt as much as ink on or near the bone directly at the back of the ear.