What Does a Sun and Moon Tattoo Mean?

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A sneak peek into the symbolic world of sun and moon tattoos

Co-authored by Cheyenne Main Reviewed by Stina Garbis

Last Updated: September 2, 2024 Fact Checked

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• Sun and Moon Tattoo Meanings
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• Design Ideas
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• Placement Ideas

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A sun and moon tattoo is a great way to represent life’s cycles and the powers that keep the universe and the world in balance. The sun often represents light, warmth, strength, and masculine energy, while the moon is associated with darkness, cold, intuition, and feminine energy. When they come together, they create a perfect harmony of opposites. Keep reading to learn the many meanings of these spiritual symbols.

The Meaning of a Sun and Moon Tattoo

Sun and moon tattoos represent two opposing powers that keep the world in balance. A sun tattoo is associated with life, light, goodness, and warmth, while the moon is associated with death, darkness, mystery, and coolness. A tattoo of the two together symbolizes the life cycles that all living things experience.

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Section 1 of 3:

What does a sun and moon tattoo mean?

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1. 1
   Harmony of opposites Like yin and yang, the sun and the moon represent two opposing powers that keep us and the world in balance. Depending on the wearer of the tattoo, these powers might be life and death, the dark and the light, the conscious and the unconscious, or the good and the bad.

   • The sun represents light, warmth, goodness, and the creation of life. The moon is associated with darkness, mystery, and death.
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   Balance between masculine and feminine energy The sun often represents power, strength, and masculine energy, while the moon is associated with intuition, mystery, and feminine energy. When the two come together in one image, they demonstrate unity between the masculine and the feminine inside all of us.

   • Feminine energy is your intuitive, passive, collaborative, and caring side, while masculine energy is your action-oriented, analytical, confident, and individualistic side.
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   The cycle of life The sun rises in the sky, bringing warmth, new beginnings, and growth, and sets every night. The moon slowly wanes over time until it disappears completely, then waxes until it shines full. Both celestial bodies follow a cyclical pattern, representing the human lifecycle and the passing of time.

   • Some sun and moon tattoos make up a circle. Circles represent infinity, which can symbolize the never-ending cycle of life.
   • The distance between the sun and moon controls the tides, which can represent how the relationship between these celestial bodies can affect the natural world on Earth.
   

   Jonathan “JONBOY” Valena, Celebrity Tattoo Artist

   Tattoos can signify a meaningful moment in time. "Each one of my tattoos has some kind of meaning or even just like a memory of where I was in life."
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Section 2 of 3:

Sun and Moon Tattoo Design Ideas

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1. 1
   Sun and moon minimalist tattoo Sun and moon tattoos can be a great way to show off a certain message because they focus on essential shapes with minimal detail or shading. Try placing the sun inside a crescent moon on a part of your body or place a sun on one wrist or ankle and a moon on the other.

   • Minimalist designs can also be tattooed on a smaller scale, which means you can get them tattooed anywhere on your body and they can take less time to ink.
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   Sun and moon and stars tattoo A tattoo of the sun, moon, and stars symbolizes opposing celestial bodies coming together and achieving balance in the universe. You could tattoo the three bodies in a vertical line or place the sun inside a crescent moon with the stars just outside.

   • Alternatively, a tattoo with the sun and the moon could symbolize you and your partner and the stars could represent your children or other family members.
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   Mandala sun and moon tattoo A mandala is a Hindu or Buddhist symbol used in sacred rites. Mandalas are representations of the universe that contain the gods and all other universal forces. A tattoo of the moon and sun inside a mandala could represent harmony and symmetry in all things.
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   Live by the sun, love by the moon tattoos One of the most popular sun and moon tattoo designs features the two surrounded by the quote, “Live by the sun, love by the moon.” This quote asks you to embody the sun’s strength, confidence, and power during the day while embracing the intuition and empathy of the moon in your love life.

   • Some tattoos might have “Live by the sun” wrapped around a picture of the sun, and “Love by the moon” wrapped around the moon.
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   Sun and moon on the ocean tattoos The relationship between the sun and the moon controls the height of the tides along the earth’s beaches. To remind us of humanity’s relationship with the cosmic world, consider getting a tattoo design with the sun and moon sitting above a wave of water.

   • Place both the sun and moon above the same tide, or tattoo a sun peeking out from behind a wave on one arm and a moon above a different wave on the other.
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   Sun and moon matching tattoos When couples or friends get sun and moon tattoos, it could mean that, like the celestial bodies, these two people complement each other perfectly. You could have one person get a tattoo of the moon while the other person gets the sun, or you could both get the sun and the moon together to represent the bond you share.
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   Sun and moon yin yang tattoo Like the sun and moon, yin and yang are thought to be two complementary forces that make up all aspects of life. Tattoo a yin and yang symbol with the sun and the moon as the dots in each half of the circle or tattoo sunbeams around the yang or light half and stars around the yin or dark half.
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   Vintage style sun and moon with faces tattoo Some vintage symbols place a face on the inside of the sun to connect humanity with the spiritual realm. To represent your connection with the celestial bodies above, get a tattoo of a sun with a face inside a crescent moon or tattoo a face on both the sun and the moon and place them side-by-side.

   • In Medieval Europe and more ancient societies, the sun was often drawn with a face to make humanity feel connected to the star on a more personal level.
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Section 3 of 3:

Sun and Moon Tattoo Placement Ideas

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1. 1
   Sun and moon spine tattoo A sun and moon tattoo along the spine can be a perfect way to reflect the different phases and cycles of both. You can place the sun at the top of the spine and the moon at the bottom with a line in between, or place the earth in the middle with the sun on one side and the moon on the other.

   • Spine tattoos can be hidden easily but might be especially painful because they’re in an area closer to bone and further from fat and muscle.
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   Sun and moon thigh tattoo The thigh is a large enough area to choose a creative, detailed tattoo design, which might be great for combined sun and moon tattoos. Place the sun inside a crescent moon or decorate the celestial bodies with flowers and other plant life to remind yourself of your connection to the natural world.

   • The top of the thigh is one of the least painful areas to get a tattoo because the skin, muscle, and fat in the area provide cushioning.
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   Sun and moon finger tattoos Finger tattoos are great for those looking for a constant visual reminder of their connection to the universe. Consider getting simple, minimalist designs with the sun on one finger and the moon on another. You can also tattoo the sun above the knuckle with the moon below it.

   • The fingers, wrists, and ankles can be more painful to get tattooed because they’re closer to the bone and further from fat or muscle.
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