Leo is the fifth sign in the zodiac and any born between July 23^rd and August 22^nd carries this emblem of courageousness. Leo tattoos represent someone who is bold and brash, darning and unafraid. Outspoken and outgoing Leo’s can be everyone’s friend, but they also have a shy side to their nature and appreciate a bit of seclusion. The planet connected with the constellation is the Sun, and it has some of the brightest stars of any of the zodiacs. The Roman and Greek mythology behind Leo is that the gods made a powerful lion with impenetrable pelt to test the strength and cunning of Hercules during the first of his trials. The lion was eventually slain by the son of Jupiter, but as a result, the gods respected the lion’s effort so much that they placed him in the stars and named him Leo.  

Obviously the tattoo design most associated with Leo is the image of a lion. Leo tattoos take direct imagery from Lion’s in the wild and some of the most popular designs are actual pictures of lion’s in wait. The letter affiliated with Leo is an upside down U, and is generally drawn with each of the ends curling outward in a spiral like motion. Often Leo tattoos will incorporate both the letter symbol and a picture of a lion so that there is no confusion and everyone knows that you are a Leo. Since the planet associated with Leo is the Sun, you will also sometimes see stars, fireballs, or flames around the design, and every now and then it is used as a standalone image to represent the sign. More rarely a heart is used to represent Leo, true romantics; Leo’s wear their emotions on their sleeves and let their hearts guide them. With so many variations of a Leo tattoo, they can be placed just about anywhere on the body, but the bold and brave nature of a Leo, the wearer will without a doubt want it in a spot where it can be easily seen.

Leo tattoos will always be a strong choice for someone who carries the sign, as their outgoing and extroverted personally fit right into the mold of wanting attention, and a lion or Leo tattoo will certainly put you in the center.