The Good, Better, Best Chant › Tattoo
"Good, Better, Best" as a Tattoo
Permanent ink deserves the right words. Here is which wording to pick, how it breaks across lines, and the attribution mistake to avoid.
Pick your wording first
There are two legitimate versions and they feel different on skin. The traditional "is" version reads as a proverb; the Bears' "gets" version reads as a command. Both are correct. Decide which you mean before you decide how it looks.
Watch the apostrophe: it's 'til (short for until), not till, though both appear in print. If you want to avoid the question entirely, write "Until." Every variant is on the words page.
Layouts people use
Never let it rest.Two lines. The most common; the second half is implied.
Never let it rest.
'Til your good is better
and your better is best.Four lines, stacked. Forearm or ribs.
BETTER.
BEST.Three words, vertical. Spine, forearm, calf.
and your better is best.The second couplet only. Reads as a vow.
Typeface advice from people who do this for a living applies: thin script spreads and blurs over a decade; a sturdier serif or a block letter ages better. The collegiate block style the Bears made famous is a legitimate choice, but it's a loud one.
Don't add St. Jerome
A lot of this tattoo exists with "— St. Jerome" under it. He didn't say it. The rhyme is English, and in print since 1897 with no author; the earliest book to credit Jerome is from 2009. If you want a credit, "Traditional" is the honest one, and most people simply leave it off. The evidence is on who really said it.
Tim Duncan fans sometimes add his name. He'd be the first to say it was his mother's. If the tattoo is for him, his wording ("and your better is your best") is the tell.
The Bears question
Since 2025 the phrase has been a Chicago Bears thing. The words themselves are a public-domain proverb and belong to no one, so the text is yours to use. The Bears' name, logo and the NFL's marks are trademarks; that's a question for you and your artist, not a question about the words. Getting the chant in navy and orange is a clear nod without using anything protected.
Before you book
- Print the exact text and read it aloud. Count the commas and the apostrophe.
- Decide on "is" or "gets" and on "'til" or "until." Don't let the artist decide.
- Skip the attribution, or use "Traditional."
- If it's for a team or a person, say so to the artist; it changes the layout.
FAQ
What is the correct wording for a good, better, best tattoo?
Traditional: "Good, better, best. Never let it rest. 'Til your good is better and your better is best." The Bears' version uses "gets" instead of "is." Both are correct; pick one and keep it.
Should I credit St. Jerome on a good, better, best tattoo?
No. He never said it. The rhyme is a traditional English saying with no known author; credit "Traditional" or leave it off.
Is it 'til or till in good, better, best?
Either appears in print. "'Til" (with the apostrophe) is short for until; "until" avoids the question.
Can I get the Bears' good, better, best chant as a tattoo?
The words are a public-domain proverb, so yes. The Bears' name and logo are trademarks; the text itself is not.