Savage and Scary! 50+ Fenrir Tattoo Ideas & Meanings [2024]

Scandinavian mythology is rich in colorful characters: the warlike beauty Valkyries, the eight-legged horse of the god Odin Sleipnir and many others. Fenrir tattoo occurs in body art not so often, but it is a striking image. Usually, it is chosen by men, but sometimes some brave girls are ready to wear such a tattoo. Why so?

It’s all about the meaning of the tattoo and popular subjects. This is exactly what are we going to talk about today, as well as share the most interesting ideas of tattoos with the Fenrir, which you will be able to adapt to yourself.

Stay tuned if you too are into wolf patterns!

Fenrir Tattoo: Meanings and Symbols

Fenrir in Norse mythology is a huge wolf, the son of Loki and Angrboda. The enemy of the gods, he was the second of Loki’s children. Initially, the gods did not consider him dangerous enough and allowed him to live in Asgard. The wolf grew up among the Aesir and became so great and terrible that only Thür, the god of military courage, dared to feed him. 

Fenrir from Norse mythology

The wolf is the embodiment of the wild world. The shrewdness in the animal’s eyes, the detached gaze pierces through, symbolizes recognizing lies.

People with a Fenrir tattoo take the lead of a predator characterized by its vindictiveness. In hard times, when those around them are looking for ways to survive, wolves find themselves in their usual environment. The tattoo carries the meaning of independence, and great endurance, and characterizes an excellent hunter who can feed and take care of themselves independently. On the other hand, the wolf pack can be safely called an instrument of death.

Different cultures of the world interpret the symbolism of such an image in various ways. The Scandinavian peoples perceive the Fenrir wolf as the perpetrator of the extinction of all life, the personification of the end of the world. The myths of Norway tell of the vast and terrifying wolf Fenrir as a symbol of chaos.

The Fenrir tattoo, in addition to its main meanings, has additional ones. What are they?

• If the wolf howls at the moon — identity, loneliness; 
• Jumping wolf — overcoming obstacles; 
• Running wolf — riskiness, agility, vindictiveness; 
• In a wolf pack — family loyalty, the desire to protect loved ones by any means; 
• With a grin — callousness, unfriendliness to others; 
• With glowing eyes — a symbol of Satan, occultism.

Meaning for Women

Women choose a tattoo with a wolf quite rarely, its meaning for them is quite interesting. This image is a symbol of the depth of feeling and fidelity in love. 

However, remember the ambiguity of wolf nature — loyalty and loneliness. Many people like it, respectively, tattoos are stuffed with people with all sorts of characters.

Tattoo Ideas

It would seem that a wolf is just a wolf, even if Fenrir. What variety in tattoo ideas can there be except with his image? If you think so, you’ll soon realize how wrong you are, because people can be surprisingly creative when it comes to tattoos. Enjoy our selection of colorful ideas, or move on to how to choose a tattoo idea if it seems too difficult for you now.

Hand Designs

Tattoos on the hands can be quite painful, but spectacular. It’s not the most popular place for Fenrir tattoos, but we found some eye-catching designs for you. Most of them are done in realism, and the wolf in the drawings is grinning. 

Arm Tattoos

If you want to be trendy, then go for a tattoo on the arm. They can be both minimalist and compositions, made in different styles and even colors. The only thing they have in common is the image of a crazy Fenrir, which the owners of the tattoo dared to choose.

Sleeves

Complex and multifaceted are exactly how we would describe sleeve tattoos. They are worth observing for hours, but they were not created in one day. In such a tattoo, you can depict not only Fenrir, but also other characters from Norse mythology, or even entire plots. But be ready that such work will take a lot of time and will cost you a small fortune.

Back Tattoos

Wow, and now we get to the back ideas. The back is the largest area for tattoos you can find on the body. Plus, it’s usually not a very painful place for your ink. However, if you are getting a tattoo near the spine, or indeed near any bone, it will be quite painful. This is where you can and should implement large-scale tattoos that will not only look aesthetically pleasing but also accentuate your relief. 

The only minus is that you will only be able to see the tattoo in the mirror and in photos (so choose a tattoo master that you trust).

Chest & Stomach Ideas

The Fenrir wolf tattoo on the chest is also quite a popular choice, but only among men. Usually, they are chosen if people want to show their inner essence because many people believe that the soul is somewhere in the chest area.

Other Cool Designs

Sometimes the Fenrir tattoo is done in other places — for example, on the head, or on the leg. Such cases are quite rare, but they distinguish tattoo owners from others. In the end, though, it doesn’t really matter which place you choose, as long as you like what you’re doing there.

Who Is a Good Candidate for the Fenrir Tattoo?

In ancient times, the wolf was worshiped as a patron of people with strength, courage, iron will, belligerence, loneliness, and loyalty. However, the wolf is also characterized by cunning, ruthlessness, and mercilessness.

The image of Fenrir has a more specific meaning — it is a natural force that brings destruction to people. The owner of such a tattoo can be characterized as a self-confident and flamboyant person. He likes to show superiority and fearlessness, and solve all problems by force. Also, such tattoos are chosen by people who want to adopt the qualities inherent in this image.

If you do not have the above traits, this tattoo may not be the best choice. Why? If you’re getting a Fenrir wolf tattoo on your body, you need to fully conform to the image. Otherwise, it will be just an attractive picture and nothing more.

How To Choose a Tattoo Idea?

Anyone who has decided to get a drawing on his body should think of what exactly he would like to get. It is better to have an idea, so a specialist can suggest the best solution. At the same time, having a finished sketch of the tattoo you want to get is not necessary. It is enough to show a few prints reflecting the essence of your desires to orientate the master.

Make sure that the chosen design reflects the thoughts that you want to express. In this case, you need to pay careful attention to the meaning of the image. The same symbol can have a different sense, depending on the composition.

An experienced master will tell you how to choose the first tattoo for a man or a girl by character, aesthetic preferences, and body features. By looking at the specialist’s portfolio, you will be able to understand whether his work corresponds to your vision of a tattoo in style and content.

The quality of the tattoo is assessed by the following parameters:

• Voluminosity;
• Proportionality;
• Consistency of color scheme;
• The presence of shadows;
• Clarity of lines.

If you do not know which tattoo to choose, make an appointment with the master for a personal meeting to discuss ideas and see options. An experienced tattooist can change the design to the special wishes of the client. The professionalism of the specialist is evidenced by his attitude to the sterility and safety of the image process.

Wrapping Up

Due to the multifaceted qualities of the Fenrir wolf, this tattoo can be chosen by a variety of people. The popularity of this theme fires up and fades out in society, but like the Phoenix bird, a wave of new tattoos with Fenrir reappears on the planet. This is related to the power of the symbolism of the image, the love for Scandinavian legends, and the beauty of the image on the human body.

Yes, most of the meaning of such a tattoo is rather gloomy and even harsh, but if this is the image that attracts you, you should not deny yourself this. The main thing is to trust your body only to skilled tattoo artists because the quality of your future tattoo depends primarily on them.

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