155 Amazing Anchor Tattoo Designs for All Ages (with Meanings)

If you are looking for a tattoo to show your passion for the sea, then look into the anchor tattoo.

Anchor tattoos have been around for hundreds of years; many people have been getting them for years. Hey, even Popeye has an anchor tattoo, it’s something that I still remember from my childhood. When you think of the tattoo, in fact, you imagine Popeye with that anchor on his bicep. It popped out when he flexed. But the anchor tattoo doesn’t need to be such a simple design, in fact the anchor tattoo has come a long way.

The anchor tattoo started off as a trend among sailors as well as those that made their living by working on the sea, whether that be a fisherman or even divers. People who have a passion for the sea can’t help but want to represent it with an anchor. There is a lot of history behind the anchor tattoo that you may not even be aware of. There is a strong relation between the anchor and Christianity. The design of the anchor was their way of hiding the symbol of the cross. The cross has a meaning of salvation and hope throughout the world. The anchor symbol was used to represent the Christians that were trying to escape the persecution of the Romans.

The anchor tattoo has plenty of different meanings; it’s meaning changed over time. The U.S. Navy loves the anchor tattoo, and many of its officers get the tattoo after they’ve crossed the Atlantic Ocean. Sailors enjoy the tattoo because it means stability and a strong foundation to them. The anchor tattoo has remained popular for many years. People find their own personal meaning behind their anchor tattoos.

Below are 155 amazing anchor tattoo design Ideas for all ages:

1. Just a Finger

If you love the anchor tattoo and you are looking for something elegant then try an anchor or two on the fingers. It’s a small and simple design that you are sure to love.

2. Anchor Birds

I love this unique tattoo design! The whole anchor is made out of small and large birds. It’s a beautiful and original way of showing your passion for the anchor.

3. Geometric Designs

A cool geometric design with an anchor as the focal point. There are many symbols within the design that are original.

4. Sexy Anchor

A sexy anchor design that fits snugly on the thumb.

5. Splashes of Paint

A large anchor tattoo that is made even more stunning with the beautiful paint splashes. The colors are exciting and bold.

6. Anchor and Wheel

Cartoon images that look great with a lot of colors.

7. Bold Designs

A great design of an anchor that looks great with a lot of colors.

8. Double Anchor

Double anchors that look great on the side of the hands. If you want a small design, these are great.

9. Black Anchor

This black anchor is a great example of a small tattoo design.

10. Floral Design

A painted anchor design that is combined with some beautiful flowers. If you want a design that is more feminine than this would be a great tattoo.

11. Anchor Love

These anchors are dangling off the shape of the heart. It’s a sexy design that is all about the symbolism between the anchor and Christianity.

12. Anchor Sketches

A unique design of an anchor that is breaking in the middle. The bright blue is amazing, and there are sketching elements to the tattoo.

13. Anchor in Use

A ship anchored in the ocean. This tattoo symbol is all about the anchor that is dangling under the boat.

14. Simple Design

A small and simple anchor design.

15. Coat Hanger Design

This anchor looks like it is made with a coat hanger. It’s a unique way to have an anchor tattoo.

16. Anchor Falling Apart

An anchor tattoo that looks like it’s falling apart at the top. The pieces that are coming off of the anchor are flying away as they are birds.

17. Crowned Anchor

A beautiful anchor with some great coloring. If you want to represent your anchor as royalty, add a crown to it.

18. A Christian Meaning

A beautifully detailed tattoo design that has some Christian meaning to it. History has the anchor connected to Christianity, and you can see that with the scripture reference here.

19. Love and Christianity

This small anchor tattoo has a little cross in the middle as well as a heart.

20. Sharp Anchor Tattoo

This detailed anchor design has sharp edges all over. It’s a beautiful tattoo in black.

21. Nautical Designs

A unique and beautiful design that has the anchor as well as a compass in the middle. There are other elements such as flowers that really bring some life to the overall image.

22. The Classic Anchor

A classic design of an anchor that fits perfectly on the arm.

23. Stunning Map

I love the gorgeous map design because of its detail. There is also a compass as well as an anchor to show a destination and passion.

24. Beautiful Colors

These matching tattoos are amazing because of the colors. These colors are different for each arm, and there is obviously Christian passion behind the design because of the scripture verses within the tattoo.

25. Anchor and Dove Tattoo

Combining an anchor and a dove together to represent freedom at sea.

26. Inspirational Message

A small anchor design with a message that states a positive and inspiring voice.

27. Initials Involved

A great anchor design that has some initials attached to it.

28. Back Tattoos

If you are looking for a large but cool design, then look no further. This geometric tattoo is nothing short of the coolest version of the anchor tattoo. The design elements and the color are amazing.

29. Plenty of Heart

If you have a love for the sea, then add some hearts to your anchor design.

30. Mesmerizing Color

The compass has a dangling anchor attached to it. The best part of the tattoo, however, is the stunning colors. The soft purples and blues are bold and exciting.

31. A Drawing

This tattoo design looks incredible because of the detail involved.

32. A Sleeve Tattoo

This sleeve tattoo has many different elements that represent life at sea. There are a ship, an anchor, birds flying and some floral elements.

33. Chained Anchor

A simple design with a chain looped around it.

34. Rope Around

This detailed anchor has a rope looped around it for effect. It’s shaded a little darker than most.

35. Deep Blue Sea

The coloring of this tattoo really makes the image so much better. There is even a hummingbird and a seagull attached to the design for effect.

36. Anchor Statement

Another example of how you can choose a simple design and place it anywhere.

37. For the Love of Music

If you have a hard time choosing between your love of the sea and your love of music, why not combine the two?

38. Love for Your Country

This tattoo is a pretty cool design. It’s made to look like the anchor ripped open the skin to expose the American flag underneath. If you want something to show the love of your country and the Navy this would be it.

39. Add Some Heart

Adding a heart really sweetens up this tattoo design.

40. Practice Sketching

This tattoo is amazing because it looks like it was sketched onto the body, the scratchy lines are cool.

41. Devil Horns

This anchor has devil horns at the bottom and yet you don’t get a sinister feeling from the design.

42. Remembering a Loved One

A great example of how you can remember a loved on with an anchor and some flowers.

43. Ornate Designs

The lines on this tattoo are very delicate and thin. The overall design is very ornate.

44. Polka Dots

Tie this anchor up with a polka dotted bow. A beautiful design choice.

45. Flowers and Hearts

If you love the anchor but want a more feminine design, then adding a flower or heart is all you really need to do.

46. Taking the Diver Down

This morbid tattoo has the anchor taking the diver down. He’s weighed down by the anchor, and it appears as if the air tank has torn as well.

47. Cartoon Tattoos

This design is more cartoon art; it’s a cute tattoo.

48. Red Roses

The roses really add some vibrant color to the design of the ships wheel and the anchor.

49. White Tattoos

White tattoo designs are growing in popularity. I always find them to be elegant designs because the white is almost unexpected.

50. Love Anchors

The word LOVE is stretched out of the anchor. It’s an adorable design if you want something small.

51. A Song

This anchor has song lyrics attached to it.

52. Anchored Mirror

This is the type of Victorian mirror design that you may find on an old ship. The overall design of the tattoo with the anchor on the inside is unique.

53. Matching Designs

If you want to share the love of the sea with someone else, then this cute design is a great idea. One person has the ship’s wheel while the other is the anchor. It could be symbolic of the roles in a relationship.

54. Greek Symbols

There are Greek symbols attached to this baby blue anchor.

55. Pretty Pink Bow

This pink bow is sweet and makes the whole design adorable.

56. Dripping Design

It’s unclear whether it’s the ink of the tattoo that’s dripping or if it’s supposed to represent blood. Either way, it’s a cool tattoo design.

57. Representing Family

The design is about the symbolic bond between family.

58. Bright Coloring

Blue and purple always go well together, and the picture practically sparkles with life.

59. Painted Anchor

Another example of the watercolor art designs that look amazing as tattoos.

60. Double the Design

This person likes anchors so much he decided to get two.

61. Dime-Sized

Proof that amazing things can come in small packages, it’s dime-sized if you want a tiny tattoo.

62. Anchor Drawings

Another example of an anchor design that looks like a drawing.

63. Compass Tattoos

I love the detail involved in this tattoo design. You have various elements of the ship at sea. There are the wheel and anchor as well as a compass.

64. Tiny Designs

A great tattoo design for Christians as it represents so much love. The cross is there on the anchor with a heart in the middle.

65. Anchor’s Away

Another great example of a simple anchor with initials.

66. Skinny Anchor

A great tattoo design that is eye-catching, the skinny anchor is a different type of design.

67. A Combination Design

Her love of the sea is shown in multiple areas. The anchor forms a heart, and there is a complimentary heart on her other hand.

68. Inspirational Anchor

A great detailed design with an inspirational message attached.

69. Just Add Flowers

This tattoo design is made more beautiful with the red flowers attached to it.

70. Standard Anchor

Another example of a standard anchor design that looks great on the arm.

71. Shining Red

There is a red glow behind this anchor design that really brings out the overall tattoo.

72. Striking Blue

The striking blue paint blotch is certainly an amazing way to make a tattoo design stand out.

73. Mermaid Designs

Nothing speaks of the love of the sea more than a mermaid design. She’s grabbing hold of the anchor as if she needs it to live; perhaps she wants to go where the ship is going. A beautiful design.

74. Classic Tattoos

This design is classic in so many ways; it’s exactly what you expect from an anchor tattoo. The colors around it represent the water.

75. Penmanship

This design looks like it was drawn on the skin with a pen. The overall design is not complete unless both feet are together.

76. Family Love

If your whole family has a love of the sea or perhaps even sailing, this would be a great representation of your family bond.

77. Mixed Design

A cool design that has the ships anchor blended into the wheel. You don’t know where one ends and the other begins. The colors are also warming for the design. It’s original and beautiful.