Tattoos have become increasingly prevalent in the last decade. According to a 2019 poll by Ipsos, 30% of Americans have at least one tattoo. That’s up from 21% in 2012. While popular tattoo patterns include flowers, dragons, skulls, and “tribal” designs, a particularly fashionable ink category is animals. From frogs to jellyfish to hummingbirds and even dinosaurs, people are wild for animal tattoos. (Tattoos, temporary or not, were embraced by at least some actors who made major body transformations for roles.)
To identify America’s 25 most popular animal tattoos, 24/7 Tempo reviewed the annual search volume and Instagram hashtags for specific animal tattoos published by All About Cats, which used Google Keyword Planner to track searches on animal tattoos from June 2021 to July 2022.
Click here to see America’s most popular animal tattoos
Animal tattoos can carry a number of meanings. Some people may feel drawn to a particular type of creature and wish to project or embody an aspect of its personality. Snake tattoos, for example, can represent rebirth after the shedding of one’s skin, while wolf tattoos can portray self-reliance, and elephants may characterize strength or wisdom.
Some tattoos might not symbolize an aspect of a creature’s character, but simply represent a favorite animal or display an exquisite design from a favorite tattoo artist. Images of dogs and cats are both popular. (Here are America’s most popular dogs.)
25. Bull
> US annual search volume: 156,600
> Global annual search volume: 355,200
> Instagram hashtags: 26,700
[in-text-ad]
24. Deer
> US annual search volume: 165,400
> Global annual search volume: 361,200
> Instagram hashtags: 156,000
23. Fish
> US annual search volume: 169,600
> Global annual search volume: 380,600
> Instagram hashtags: 193,000
22. Gorilla
> US annual search volume: 173,500
> Global annual search volume: 337,200
> Instagram hashtags: 43,000
[in-text-ad-2]
21. Fox
> US annual search volume: 178,900
> Global annual search volume: 449,000
> Instagram hashtags: 258,000
20. Frog
> US annual search volume: 187,200
> Global annual search volume: 306,700
> Instagram hashtags: 113,000
[in-text-ad]
19. Dinosaur
> US annual search volume: 198,100
> Global annual search volume: 358,800
> Instagram hashtags: 87,100
24/7 Wall St.
18. Jellyfish
> US annual search volume: 213,700
> Global annual search volume: 341,900
> Instagram hashtags: 74,600
17. Turtle
> US annual search volume: 301,300
> Global annual search volume: 512,400
> Instagram hashtags: 134,000
[in-text-ad-2]
16. Shark
> US annual search volume: 316,100
> Global annual search volume: 554,600
> Instagram hashtags: 206,000
15. Bear
> US annual search volume: 365,400
> Global annual search volume: 709,000
> Instagram hashtags: 163,000
[in-text-ad]
14. Dog
> US annual search volume: 372,500
> Global annual search volume: 820,500
> Instagram hashtags: 553,000
13. Spider
> US annual search volume: 377,400
> Global annual search volume: 744,500
> Instagram hashtags: 186,000
12. Eagle
> US annual search volume: 394,300
> Global annual search volume: 1,331,000
> Instagram hashtags: 358,000
[in-text-ad-2]
11. Bee
> US annual search volume: 411,600
> Global annual search volume: 801,500
> Instagram hashtags: 193,000
10. Cat
> US annual search volume: 415,100
> Global annual search volume: 1,003,500
> Instagram hashtags: 825,000
[in-text-ad]
9. Bird
> US annual search volume: 456,700
> Global annual search volume: 1,203,000
> Instagram hashtags: 707,000
8. Tiger
> US annual search volume: 496,900
> Global annual search volume: 1,495,000
> Instagram hashtags: 915,000
7. Owl
> US annual search volume: 564,100
> Global annual search volume: 1,056,000
> Instagram hashtags: 661,000
[in-text-ad-2]
6. Hummingbird
> US annual search volume: 578,300
> Global annual search volume: 774,000
> Instagram hashtags: 121,000
5. Elephant
> US annual search volume: 604,100
> Global annual search volume: 1,059,000
> Instagram hashtags: 412,000
[in-text-ad]
4. Wolf
> US annual search volume: 927,500
> Global annual search volume: 2,349,000
> Instagram hashtags: 992,000
3. Lion
> US annual search volume: 944,000
> Global annual search volume: 2,466,000
> Instagram hashtags: 1,200,000
2. Snake
> US annual search volume: 1,110,500
> Global annual search volume: 2,637,000
> Instagram hashtags: 1,100,000
[in-text-ad-2]
1. Butterfly
> US annual search volume: 2,966,000
> Global annual search volume: 5,472,000
> Instagram hashtags: 1,200,000
The #1 Thing to Do Before You Claim Social Security (Sponsor)
Choosing the right (or wrong) time to claim Social Security can dramatically change your retirement. So, before making one of the biggest decisions of your financial life, it’s a smart idea to get an extra set of eyes on your complete financial situation.
A financial advisor can help you decide the right Social Security option for you and your family. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you.
Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you optimize your Social Security outcomes.
Have questions about retirement or personal finance? Email us at [email protected]!
By emailing your questions to 24/7 Wall St., you agree to have them published anonymously on a673b.bigscoots-temp.com.
By submitting your story, you understand and agree that we may use your story, or versions of it, in all media and platforms, including via third parties.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Latest from 24/7
