Selena Gomez has unquestionably cemented her place in the history of legendary icons in pop culture. She hasn’t just been a triple threat—a successful actor, singer, and producer—she has also been a philanthropist and an advocate for mental health and self-love. Her journey of self-discovery and expression can be seen through her tattoos and the meaning behind them.
More than just ink on the skin, Selena’s tattoos are representations of her relationships, desires, and life experiences. Here is a list of all her tattoos and what each of them signifies.
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A Musical Note On Her Wrist
Her very first tattoo was a delicate musical note on her wrist. She had it inked as a reminder of her passion for music. When she debuted the tattoo in 2012, everyone seemed to think it was a heart, which she later clarified to be a musical note.
Speaking of her passion for music she said “I was named after a singer, I’m a singer and a lot of other personal reasons,” she explained, talking about the late Latina singer Selena Quintanilla-Perez.
A Semicolon On Her Wrist
Selena Gomez’s decision to have a semicolon tattooed on her wrist is a reflection of her own struggles with mental illness and the things she has been through. She got it along with her 13 reasons why castmates Alisha Boe and Tommy Dorfman.
The semicolon tattoo has a deep meaning. In grammar, the semicolon is employed when an author might have chosen to finish a sentence but instead chose to continue with it. It’s a metaphor for people who have dealt with suicidal tendencies yet decided to keep going with life, choosing life over quitting.
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“God Who Strengthens Me” On Her Thigh
A reference to her favorite Bible verse, Philippians 4:13, Gomez kept this one hidden for a long time. Later on, as she was seen enjoying some beach time, fans were quick to notice her new tattoo and she later revealed it to be saying, “God who strengthens me.”
A ‘G’ On Her Neck For Gracie
Selena is known to have a very personal and beautiful relationship with her sister. The cursive “G” honors her younger half-sister, Gracie Elliot, as it is her initial.
The tattoo is a sweet and intimate way for Selena to remember her sisterly relationship. It also demonstrates how important her family is to her and how willing she is to use her body art to express her feelings of love and sisterhood.
The Number ’76’ In Roman Numerals On Her Neck
On the back of her neck, Selena Gomez has a tattoo that reads “LXXVI” in Roman numerals, which stands for the number 76. She has a special connection to this tattoo since it honors her mother, Mandy Teefey’s birth year. She was born in 1976.
Selena uses it as a means of paying tribute to her mother’s influence in her life as well as the significance of the year of her mother’s birth.
‘Love Yourself First’ In Arabic On Her Back
On Gomez’s upper back, there is an Arabic tattoo that reads, “أحب نفسك أولاً.” This is a translation of the phrase “Love yourself first” in English. The tattoo signifies her journey of self-love and self-care.
Selena’s decision to have this tattoo is a reflection of her path to self-acceptance and of her support for mental health and self-care in a field that frequently places a great deal of emphasis on outward beauty and public image.
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A ‘1’ On Her Ribs For Her Best Friend
Gomez got a matching tattoo with her long-time best friend Courtney Lopez whom she refers to as her #1. She revealed the tattoo on an Instagram post she dedicated to Courtney for her birthday.
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‘Sunshine’ On Her Left Foot
Gomez has a tattoo on her foot that says ‘sunshine’. While she has never talked about who it’s dedicated to, fans have speculated it might be for her grandmother, who she calls her sunshine.
Nana is my sunshine pic.twitter.com/cUENYnPuiU
— Selena Gomez (@selenagomez) March 19, 2016
Matching Tattoo With Her Friends That Says ‘4’
Selena and three of her best friends- Racquelle Stevens, Ashley Cook, and Courtney Lopez got matching tattoos of the number ‘4’, signifying their quadruple. In an Instagram caption, Gomez wrote: “4 because these women have stayed by my side for 7 years. 4, because you are my 4 for the rest of my life. I love you ladies. You all inspire me to be better, stronger, closer to god and we have lived the most INSANE story together already.”
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Prayer Hands On Her Left Thigh
In 2019, Gomez got a tattoo on her left thigh of two hands praying. She has often been public about her spirituality and her views on religiosity. Although she has never really specified what it’s for, fans have speculated that the tattoo is a depiction of her own religious beliefs and her relationship with her own spirituality.
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Date Of Her Kidney Transplant On The Back Of Her Arm
Selena got a tattoo of the date she underwent the kidney transplant. The tattoo has the date “6.22.17,” which represents the day of her kidney transplant surgery.
The tattoo is a dedication to Francia Raisa, her friend who gave Selena a kidney selflessly because of her lupus struggles. According to Gomez, Francia has a similar tattoo as a reminder of the day.
Matching Arrows With Julia Michaels
Selena Gomez, and Julia Michaels both have identical arrow tattoos. Their tattoos are on their hands; Selena has the arrow on her left hand, while Julia has it on her right. When they hold hands, the arrows point towards each other.
The significance of these tattoos is related to “Anxiety,” a song they co-wrote that discusses mental health issues. The arrows represent their friendship and their shared experiences of helping and lifting each other up during trying times.
A Cross On Her Left Collarbone
On her left collarbone, Selena Gomez has a little cross tattoo. She has always been spiritual and has often talked about her love for her faith. Speaking of which she said: “I’m very, very spiritual. I believe in God, but I’m not religious. I’ve been a Christian for a while now. I don’t talk about it too much — I want to, but it’s gotten a bad rep. I just want to make it clear that I love being able to have my faith, and believe in what I believe in, and that truly is what gets me through.”
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‘Rare’ On Her Neck
Selena got this one in honor of her album ‘Rare’ where she talked about self-love and being rare. This further went on to become the name of her makeup brand ‘Rare Beauty’, one of the most successful celebrity-owned makeup brands.
A Rose On Her Back
Selena got a tattoo just below her Roman numerical tattoo- a watercolor rose which she said is a significance of her friendship with Cara Delevingne as they both have the same tattoo on different parts of their body.
Speaking of the tattoo she said “It means a couple of different things. Cara [is] one of my best friends that I’ve known for [a long time.] I was maybe 16 when I met her. She calls me ‘Rosebud.’ So, it’s a nickname. I’ve always wanted a rose and now I got one and I love it.”
Matching Tattoo With Nicola Peltz Beckham
Her most recent tattoo is one that says ‘angel’ which she got along with one of her best friends Nicola Peltz Beckham.
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