First start asking yourself why you want a tattoo. This way you can get an idea what it should be about. Is it because you want to express yourself? If so, then think about things that are important to you or things you want to be recognized by. Perhaps you want to make a statement about something you feel very strongly about.
Is it because you had a very special person in your life, who you want to honor. Or somebody you admire very much. Then think about the things they liked and had meaning to them. You can do this in combination with their name.
Is it because you want to show your love to someone? The names of your children are very suited for that. If you choose for the name of your partner, then remember sometimes partners are not forever and such a tattoo could be very hurtful for a next partner.
Is it because you know or saw someone with a tattoo which you really liked? Talk to them; ask them where they got it. But try to keep it original by changing it a little bit or browse for similar tattoos.
You could also consider getting a tattoo artist to draw a custom design exclusively for you. This option is more expensive, but then you have something that no one else has.
If you are creative you could also draw one yourself and ask the artist if it is possible to ink it.
Answering these questions will give you an idea in which direction you want to go. But there are more things to consider.
Do you want a color or a black tattoo design? Black tends to give more definition and doesn't fade as much as if you use colors. With colored ones on the other hand you can bring more expression into your design. Generally using colors is more expensive.
Ask yourself before making a choice how big do you want it to be and do you want more then one. If you want more than one, you should think about a theme. You don't want to mix up all kind of different tattoos. Your body is not a trash can. How big or how many you want in a certain body area also determines where it should be placed. Make sure that there is enough room for all the future tattoos.
Also do you want to show your tattoo to the public? If not, better place it on a body part where it can't be seen by others. This is also a good suggestion if you have an employer who will not allow his employees to have tattoos on body parts which can be seen by the public.
The most important thing however is, try to be true to yourself, whatever tattoo design you decide upon. Never let anyone talk you into it. Take your time!
