If deadly and ferocious is your thing, then an angry, attacking bear might be just the tattoo you need. Scandinavian warriors, for example, believed that wearing bear skins into battle would impart some of the bear's ferocity to the men, thereby assuring them a victory on the battle plain. Also, there are few things more frightening than a bear tearing through the wall of a tent. Run these ideas by your tattoo artist and see what they can come up with.
In the Native American version of a Zodiac, bears are thought to be level-headed, steadfast, loving, wise and compassionate. If this describes you, then a stylized, non-filled Native American bear design might be just the tattoo you need. Different tribes had different notions and depictions of the bear, so do a little browsing before you settle on a design.
Many people have fond and fuzzy memories of a childhood teddy bear that accompanied and comforted them through their growing up -- a teddy bear tattoo can immortalize or commemorate these special friends. Or, a tattoo of a teddy bear reaching out for a hug might represent your cute and cuddly nature.
Teddy bear tattoos don't all have to be endearing.Turn the cute and cuddly meme on its ear with a tattoo of a zombie teddy bear clutching a bloody cleaver, or go even further and ink up a couple of cannibalistic teddy bears eating one another feet-first. It might be unsettling to some, but the cute/evil dichotomy is likely to turn heads (and maybe stomachs).