Celebrity Tattoos
All of Rihanna’s Tattoos, Explained
About 25 pieces, a few cover-ups, and one copied straight from her kids’ markers.- Winged goddess Isis under her chest (essential)
- “Thug Life” across her knuckles
- Henna-style hand and wrist piece (essential)
- A 2026 tattoo copied from her kids’ drawing
Most of Rihanna’s ink is small and easy to miss, a word on a finger, a star inside an ear. The big pieces sit on her chest, her ribs and her right hand. Many of them were done by one artist, Keith McCurdy, better known as Bang Bang, who has worked on her since the late 2000s. Below is every tattoo we could confirm, grouped by where it is on her body, with the ones that sources disagree on marked as such.
How Many Tattoos Does Rihanna Have?
Around 25, depending on how you count. A few of her early pieces have been covered with newer ones. One was done in white ink and barely shows. She also added a new one in May 2026. That is why lists online land anywhere from 21 to 25.
Most of what you see on a red carpet is on her upper body. The mirrored quote under her right collarbone, the one in this photo, shows up in almost every off-the-shoulder look she wears. The rest mostly hide on her ribs, hips and ankles.
The Newest One: Her Kids’ Drawing (2026)
Kids’ Marker Scribbles
On May 8, 2026, Bang Bang’s studio posted Rihanna’s newest tattoo. It copies a page of marker scribbles drawn by her three kids, RZA, Riot and Rocki. The drawing was in bright colors, and the tattoo is all black.
To anyone who doesn’t know the story, it looks like a few random lines. That is probably the point.
Chest and Ribs
This is where her largest pieces are, and where the Egyptian theme starts.
Goddess Isis
A large Isis with her wings spread. Rihanna got it in September 2012, a few months after her grandmother, Clara “Dolly” Braithwaite, died. It is a tribute to her.
It is her biggest tattoo, and it mostly shows in swimsuit photos.
Arabic Script
It reads “Al Hurria fi Al Maseeh.” Most lists translate it as “Freedom in God.” “Al Maseeh” means the Messiah, though, so “Freedom in Christ” is the closer reading.
Queen Nefertiti
A portrait of the Egyptian queen, close to the Arabic script. Add Isis and the falcon on her ankle, and Egypt turns out to be the biggest theme in her whole collection.
Small Handgun
A small pistol outline. Most reports say it stands for strength. It sits low on her side, so you only see it in strapless or backless outfits.
“Never a Failure, Always a Lesson”
Her personal motto, written backwards. It reads the right way when she looks in a mirror. Everyone else sees it in reverse.
Small Cross
Small enough to hide under a necklace, and most of the time it does.
Neck, Ears and Back
Mostly small pieces. Several are about people close to her rather than symbols.
“Rebelle Fleur”
French for “rebel flower.” She liked the phrase enough to name her first perfume, Reb’l Fleur, after it in 2011.
Trail of Stars
A line of small stars that starts at the back of her neck and runs down her spine. It is the easiest one to spot when her hair is up.
Pisces Symbol
Her star sign. You will not see it unless her hair is pulled back.
Star Outline
A tiny star inside the curve of her ear. Her best friend has a matching one.
Roman Numerals
XI IV LXXXVI, the birth date of her best friend, Melissa Forde.
Tibetan Script
Tibetan script that is said to mean “lover.” It stays covered in almost every public photo.
Hands and Fingers
The most visible part of her collection, and the part that has changed the most.
“Thug Life”
A tribute to Tupac Shakur, done in white ink. White ink fades fast, so in most photos you can barely read it.
“Shhh…”
The word runs along her index finger, so it lines up when she holds that finger to her lips. It only really works in one pose.
“Love”
The word “Love” in small script. Finger tattoos blur and fade faster than most, and this one shows it.
Henna-Style Hand Piece
Bang Bang and artist Cally-Jo worked this lace and henna pattern over her earlier hand tattoos. The session took about 11 hours.
It is the tattoo people see most often, because it shows every time she holds a mic, a glass or a phone.
Maori Hand Design (Covered)
Done in Auckland during her Diamonds World Tour by Auckland artist Inia Taylor, using a mallet and chisel instead of a machine. It was later covered, so photos of it only exist from that short window.
Ornate Cross
A detailed cross on the inside of her wrist. With the collarbone cross and the Arabic script, it is one of a few religious pieces she has.
Hips, Ankles and Feet
Her oldest tattoo is down here, along with a couple of cover-ups.
Sanskrit Prayer
A vertical line of Sanskrit meant as a prayer about honesty and forgiveness. Some translators say it has mistakes in it, which is the risk with any script you cannot read yourself.
Skull With a Pink Bow
A small skull and crossbones with a pink bow on top. It is one of the only tattoos she has in color. Sources disagree on which leg it is on.
Egyptian Falcon
A falcon with its wings spread, done by Bang Bang. The design is based on a 2,300-year-old faience falcon at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
“1988”
Her birth year in gothic numbers. She was born on February 20, 1988 (Wikipedia).
Shark, Now a Crown
Bang Bang added a small shark in September 2016. By mid-2021 it had been turned into a crown, so the shark only exists in older photos.
Music Notes
Her first tattoo, a treble clef and a music note. Some reports say the falcon was later placed over it, while others show the two on different feet, so it is not clear if it is still visible today.
Rihanna’s Tattoos: FAQ
About 25, but the number keeps changing. Some of her early pieces have been covered, and she added a new one in May 2026.
A black-ink copy of a drawing by her three kids, on the back of her knee. Bang Bang’s studio shared it on May 8, 2026.
Mostly Keith McCurdy, known as Bang Bang, in New York. The henna-style hand piece was a joint job with Cally-Jo, and the Maori hand piece was done by Inia Taylor in Auckland.
It reads “Al Hurria fi Al Maseeh.” Most lists translate it as “Freedom in God,” but “Al Maseeh” means the Messiah, so “Freedom in Christ” is closer.
A henna-style lace pattern from 2013 that runs from her fingers to her wrist. It was done over her earlier hand tattoos, including a Maori design she got in New Zealand.
Yes. Temporary tattoos work, and the “Shhh…” finger and the collarbone quote are easy to draw on with a fine-tip eyeliner. Draw the quote backwards if you want it to match hers. For the clothes, see our Rihanna Super Bowl costume guide.
Whose birth date is written in Roman numerals on Rihanna’s shoulder?
What is Rihanna’s 2026 tattoo copied from?
Where did Rihanna get her Maori hand design?