Selena Gomez has a mix of small lettering, family tributes, religious images and tattoos she got with friends. The list has grown over the years, and older counts cannot account for every new piece or cover-up. Dated photos and the explanations she has shared give the clearest picture.

How many tattoos does Selena Gomez have?

Published roundups have counted 16 or 18 tattoos, depending on when they were written. Women’s Health and Business Insider each put together broad galleries; neither number is an official total. Gomez has added work since then, and some smaller pieces are hard to distinguish in photos. Those counts are snapshots, not a final tally.

Several tattoos have a well-documented story: LXXVI at the nape of her neck, the rose across her back, the semicolon and the Rare lettering. Other designs show clearly but come with little explanation. I stick to what Gomez or a reliable report has said.

The LXXVI Roman numeral tattoo

LXXVI, the Roman numeral for 76, sits at the nape of Gomez’s neck. Business Insider’s report linked it to her mother Mandy Teefey’s birth year, 1976, and named tattoo artist Keith “Bang Bang” McCurdy. The small numbers show when Gomez wears her hair up; when it is down, they disappear.

Here, the details line up: 76 is tied to Teefey’s birth year, the artist is named and the placement is known. Gomez has not described a broader story beyond that family connection. The reported meaning is specific enough on its own.

The large rose on her back

A large pink rose tattoo spans Gomez’s upper back and runs toward her spine. Women’s Health and other coverage describe it as a collaboration with her friend Julia Michaels. Photos of the pair’s matching or coordinated tattoos brought the design wider attention.

Some reports call the rose watercolor, referring to its soft pink shading and drip-like edges. That describes its appearance; it does not confirm the tattooist’s technique. The flower is easy to identify, but any deeper meaning should come from Gomez rather than from the usual symbolism attached to roses.

The semicolon tattoo

Gomez has a small semicolon tattoo linked to Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why. E! News reported that she got it with cast member Alisha Boe and executive producer Tommy Dorfman. The semicolon has become a sign of continuing a sentence after a pause and is used in mental-health advocacy. In Gomez’s case, the reporting connects it to the show and its wider conversation.

The punctuation is easy to miss in photos. A tattoo can reference a public project or a broader idea, but it does not tell us anything private about someone’s health.

Rare lettering behind the ear

Gomez got a small Rare tattoo near the side of her neck around the album’s release. Reports at the time connected the lettering with the record, and photos place it beneath or behind her ear. The timing makes this one of the clearer links between her music and her tattoos.

Some galleries place it on the left, others on the right. Unless a clear photo settles the question, calling it a small neck tattoo from the Rare era is more accurate.

Arabic lettering and other small designs

Gomez has also been photographed with Arabic script along her back or side, most often translated in coverage as “love yourself first.” That translation is widely repeated, but stylized lettering can be read differently. It is safer to call it the published translation than a meaning Gomez has personally confirmed.

Other designs listed in the major galleries include a music note, a cross, Sunshine in her grandmother’s handwriting and small marks tied to family or friends. A few have a named artist or direct story; for others, the photos show the design but not its private meaning.

Artists connected with Selena Gomez tattoos

Keith McCurdy, known as Bang Bang, is the artist most often linked to Gomez’s Roman numeral neck tattoo. Coverage also lists her among his clients. Other pieces came from different artists or collaborative sessions, so the whole collection cannot be credited to one studio.

An artist’s style alone cannot confirm who did a tattoo. Fine lettering near the neck, a large rose on the back and a tiny semicolon show how different Gomez’s pieces are, but the artist needs to be named by a reliable source.

How her tattoo style has developed

Gomez’s tattoos range from tiny marks to larger illustrative pieces. The neck numerals and Rare script are subtle; the rose across her back takes up much more space. Family dates and handwriting sit alongside music references and designs linked to public projects. No single style describes the whole collection.

Photos need dates too. A red-carpet shot might show her neck and hide her back, while performance clothes can cover other tattoos. Ink softens over time, and newer work may cover an older piece. A dated photo with its original caption says more than an undated repost.

Frequently asked questions

What does Selena Gomez’s LXXVI tattoo mean?

Published coverage identifies LXXVI as a reference to 1976, her mother Mandy Teefey’s birth year. The tattoo sits at the nape of Gomez’s neck and has been associated with Bang Bang.

Who did Selena Gomez’s rose tattoo?

Reports connect the large rose on Gomez’s back with a tattoo session involving Julia Michaels. They are described as coordinated tattoos, but the exact division of design work has not been reported clearly.

What does Selena Gomez’s semicolon tattoo represent?

The semicolon was linked to 13 Reasons Why and done with people connected to the show. It is often discussed alongside mental-health advocacy, but the tattoo does not reveal Gomez’s private health details.

Does Selena Gomez have a Rare tattoo?

Yes. She has a small Rare tattoo near or behind her ear, associated with the album. Sources differ on the exact side, so the broader placement is safer.

Taken together, Gomez’s tattoos touch on family, music, friendship and moments from her public life. Some stories are specific: the year her mother was born, a rose shared with a friend, a semicolon linked to a television project. The rest can stay less certain.