30 Ghost Tattoos That Are Seriously Cute (and Not at All Spooky)

Nothing shows your dedication to the spooky spirit quite like getting a Halloween tattoo to commemorate the holiday. From cute ghosts to famous slasher figures, Halloween offers a multitude of tattoo ideas in the realm of all things macabre and malignant. However, if you're not into scary or gory body art, consider getting a ghost tattoo instead.

Easily recognizable and often associated with All Hallows' Eve — but not exclusively so, meaning it also works even after the holiday — the ghost is an ideal ghoul to tattoo. Though the concept may seem straightforward (it is just a floating sheet, after all), ghost tattoos ideas can vary depending on your creative desires. You can get a small ghost tattoo, or a big, elaborate design. You could opt for something simple, like a cute ghost tattoo, or complex, like something with lots of detail. More good news: the design lends itself to just about anywhere on your body. Some designs venture into the realm of whimsy, with ghost cats, ghost dogs, and even the more eccentric ghost moth. Other examples incorporate bold color and wild patterns, making for some groovy tattoo art. The ghost tattoo ideas ahead reflect the diversity of the seemingly simple ghost tattoo, hopefully sparking your holiday spirit without causing too big a fright. After all, taking the spooky out of our favorite ghoul might just be what you need in a new tattoo.

Coffee Ghost Tattoo

Whether you feel like a ghost until you have your morning coffee or you just like the idea of a little ghoul drinking a cup of joe, this cute ghost tattoo is one of our favorite ghost tattoo ideas.

"E.T." Matching Ghost Tattoo

This matching ghost tattoo features two ghosts who are holding their fingers out to one another. This is a perfect little ghost tattoo to get with a friend or a loved one.

Musical Ghost Tattoo

This cute ghost tattoo features a ghoul listening to headphones. If you're a fan of music and ghosts, this might be the perfect pick for you.

Sneakers Ghost Tattoo

With sharp lines, small eyes, and neat sneakers, this little arm ghost is a classic design. This would be a fun one to add your favorite pair of sneakers to.

Classic Ghost Tattoo

Complete with sagging robes and movement lines, this little ghoul appears to be floating. This little ghost tattoo is a tiny bit scarier than others we've seen, but we're still very into it.

Matching Ghost Tattoo

These simple specters make for a fun set of matching ghost tattoos. These cute ghosts are holding little signs that say "boo."

Hand Matching Ghost Tattoos

These ghost hands make for a unique small ghost tattoo set that's sure to impress any Halloween fanatic.

Little Ghost Tattoo

With its smaller size, round eyes, and friendly smile, this subtle specter is far from scary. It's placed on the ankle but you can put yours anywhere.

Wrist Ghost Tattoo

This little guy is another example of how cute a ghost hand tattoo can be. It's a small ghost tattoo, but the design is fun and easy to recreate.

Realistic Ghost Tattoo

This fun tattoo features its phantom floating in the center of a diamond-shaped figure, a jack-o'-lantern pail held in its outstretched hand. It's one of our favorite ghost tattoo ideas because of how detailed and realistic it is.

Bungee Jumping Ghost Tattoo

In a delightful twist, this little ghost seems to be bungee jumping down this person's leg. It makes for a great small ghost tattoo, and you can place it wherever you like.

Pun Ghost Tattoo

We're obsessed with this cute ghost tattoo. Including a text bubble in your tattoo, as this ghost has here, can add humor or charm to the design.

Love Ghost Tattoo

This simple tattoo is complemented by a bright red heart, showcasing two ghouls in love. It's a little ghost tattoo, but it has great impact. It's located on the ankle but could be placed anywhere on the body.

Skateboarding Ghost Tattoo

This small ghost tattoo features a rad phantom skater. If you're a skateboarder or you just love the sport, this makes for one of the best ghost tattoo ideas.

Vintage Cartoon Ghost Tattoo

With its odd long legs and distinctive grin, this fun ghost resembles an old cartoon.

Devil Ghost Tattoo

This tattoo features a devil ghost in bright red with pink hearts lining its form. This is one of the larger ghost tattoo ideas we've seen, but we love how it looks.

Venom Ghost Tattoo

This fun tattoo combines two monsters in one by using Venom's color scheme. If you're a big Venom fan, this would be a fun little ghost tattoo to get.

Best Friend Ghost Tattoo

This design, decorated with subtle bat and sparkle accents, features two ghosts holding hands. It's the perfect little ghost tattoo to represent you and your best friend or a loved one.

Butterfly Huntung Cute Ghost Tattoo

This whimsical tattoo features two cheery little ghosts: one is butterfly hunting while the other irons itself. Both images are great examples of a cute ghost tattoo. You can opt for both or just one.

Rollerblading Ghost Tattoo

This blushing ghoul dons a pair of striped socks and roller skates. It's one of our favorite ghost tattoo ideas because of how fun it is.

Colorful Ghost Tattoo

Adorned in bold, multicolored polka dots, this groovy little ghost tattoo is a fun statement piece.

Mushroom Ghost Tattoo

This cute ghost tattoo shows a ghost surrounded by bright flowers and donning a cute mushroom hat. This ghoul is ready for a day in the garden.

Frog and Ghost Tattoo

This delightful design relies on bold colors for a cute tattoo of a cowboy ghost riding a frog. We love this cute ghost tattoo because of the fun colors, but the design is also adorable.

Hairstylist Ghost Tattoo

This colorful little hairstylist ghost brushes the hair of a unicorn client, making for such a cute ghost tattoo. Whether you're a stylist or you just like the image, this one would make for a super fun tattoo.

Laundry Ghost Tattoo

In a comedic take on the ghost tattoo, this design has its specter hanging from a clothesline.

Heart Ghost Tattoo

Playing around with patterns, like the heart shapes on this ghoul, can add interesting detail to your ghost tattoo.

Tarot Card Ghost Tattoo

Playing off the design of a tarot card, this tattoo features a bored specter leaning down to mumble at some plants.

Bookworm Ghost Tattoo

In another comedic twist on the ghost tattoo, this small specter reads a book on how to live. We love how cheeky this cute ghost tattoo is.

Floral Ghost Tattoo

Halloween meets spring in this fun tattoo of a flower blooming with several little ghosts. The ghost at the top has bloomed, and the ones on the rest of the stalk are patiently waiting their turn.

— Additional reporting by Renee Rodriguez


Melissa Santoyo is PS contributor and a senior at Northwestern University.

Renee Rodriguez is a staff writer and social producer for PS. She writes across all verticals, but her main areas of expertise focus on fashion and beauty content with an emphasis on reviews and editor experiments. She also produces social content for the PS TikTok and Instagram accounts.