It’s arguably never been a more confusing time to be a father. After centuries of a clearly defined role, the make up of what a dad is has changed dramatically in recent years.

Throughout history, mothers were the caregivers and fathers were the absent providers. Now, we know that more and more dads see themselves as equal caregivers to their children. We actively prepare for fatherhood and the active role we want to play in the day-to-day car of our children. We want to take more paternity leave when our babies are born, we want to work more flexibly so that we can spend more time with them. And many of us are even taking on the role of stay-at-home dads while the mum is the full-time breadwinner, signalling a total shift in societal gender roles. 

It does, however, mean that the current generation of fathers can be left confused about our place in the world. Being a parent is hard. Whenever we’re finding it tough, sometimes all we need is a reassuring word - whether it’s from ourselves or someone else.

Thankfully, we’ve got over one hundred inspirational Fatherhood Quotes lined up for you. We don’t have to wait for a Father’s Day quote or dad’s birthday to get a special message about a father’s life. These quotes will be sure to pick you up, pat you down, lift your head up and give you confidence and reassurance you need to know that you’re an amazing dad.

Why fatherhood quotes capture the special relationship

As a dad, it can sometimes feel like we’re getting more wrong than right. As parents, we’re learning how to do the hardest job in the world as we go along. As a society, we’re now more aware of the fact that new dads suffer from postpartum depression/postnatal depression as well as mums. 

Fatherhood quotes help us to realise the impact we have on our children. They can help us to realise and change our negative parenting behaviours. They can inspire us to be better dads; to savour the time we have with our children in an age of constant digital distraction. Fatherhood quotes help us to understand what makes us great dads. They can help to remind us that we are loved and valued. They can help to pass on wisdom through generations. And so much more. 

Related: 100 Inspirational Quotes from Fathers to their Children

Inspirational fatherhood quotes aren’t just for only the best dads, or to celebrate Father’s Day. They’re for the everyday, whether you’re struggling or smashing it when it comes to raising children. 

So without further ado, here are 111 amazing, inspirational fatherhood quotes.

Heartwarming fatherhood quotes

Despite the challenges, you'll be hard pressed to find a man who doesn't love being a father. It's the greatest gift - the most rewarding and joyful thing any man will do in his life. These fatherhood quotes are a reminder of the sentimental, heartwarming, sometimes tearjerking reasons that being a dad is so brilliant.

•  “Dad: A son’s first hero, a daughter’s first love”- Unknown
  
  
  
• “A father doesn’t tell you that he loves you. He shows you.” - Dimitri the Stoneheart
  
  
  
• “In my career, there’s many things I’ve won and many things I’ve achieved, but for me, my greatest achievement is my children and my family.” -David Beckham, former professional footballer
  
  
• “Nothing ever fits the palm so perfectly, or feels so right, or inspires so much protective instinct as the hand of a child.” – Gregory David Roberts, Australian author
  
  
  
• “Anyone who tells you fatherhood is the greatest thing that can happen to you, they are understating it.” -Mike Myers, actor
  
  
• “Fatherhood is the greatest thing that could ever happen. You can’t explain it until it happens; it’s like telling somebody what water feels like before they’ve ever swam in it.” - Michael Bublé, musician
  
  
  
• “The finest compliment a man can receive from a woman, is to be told he’s a wonderful father.” – Ron Baratono, author
  
  
• “I’ve gotten to jump out of helicopters and do daring stunts and play baseball in a professional stadium, but none of them mean anything compared to being somebody’s daddy.” – Chris Pratt, actor
  
  
• A father’s love: “It’s a different kind of love. It’s very pure. It’s unconditional.” - John Legend, musician

• “One of the greatest things a father can do for his children is to love their mother.” - Howard W. Hunter, an American laywer
  
  
• “A father’s love still travels on after he’s gone. A treasure hidden in the hearts of his children.” - John Green, author and writer
  
  
• “It almost seemed impossible to love the first [child] any more than you loved them. And then suddenly the second one comes, and you think there’s so much room for love. There’s so much room.” - Kevin Costner, actor
  
  
• “My favourite thing about being a father is just seeing my kids grow and do some of the same things that I did when I was a kid, man.” - LeBron James, professional basketball player
  
  
• "A father is the one friend upon whom we can always rely.” - Emile Gaboriau, French writer

• "A happy family is a reflection of a good father and a loving husband.” -Unknown
  
  
• “I think [parenthood] brings out the child in all of us. That’s what’s so beautiful. It reminds you of the fascination you had with things, and how you can spend hours just being with someone. It’s amazing.” - Chris Hemsworth, actor
  
  
• “Of all the titles I’ve been privileged to have, ‘Dad’ has always been the best.” - Ken Norton, former professional boxer
  
  
• “It is so embarrassing how I went from a person who did not care about anyone’s children. Then you have them, and you brag about the same stuff that you never cared about. And you tell people, ‘He’s got four teeth,’ like they care.” - Seth Meyers, comedian and TV presenter
  
  
  
• “Dad hugs are strong hugs that can say so many things, like ‘I’ve got you. I’m always right here. And I’ll always love you.’ - Melvina Young, writer
  
  
• “My dad was here one minute and now he’s gone. You realize… that’s it. All of the things you work hard for and stress about, you don’t take them with you. Then, when you see your child for the first time, you’re like… ‘WOW,” and you realize that it’s a cycle.” -Idris Elba, actor

Inspirational fatherhood quotes

Sometimes we find it really tough to be a dad. The kids might be really challenging, overly tired and crabby - you might be under a lot of pressure at work and find it hard to switch off at home, your own mental health might be suffering. Sometimes a little inspirational and reassurance is what we need. These fatherhood quotes are all about providing some inspiration; a reminder of the amazing impact you have on your children, and a pat on the back to you 'you've got this'.

• “It’s the courage to raise a child that makes you a father.” -Barack Obama, former US president
  
  
• “Good fathers do three things: they provide, they nurture and they guide.” -Roland Warren
  
  
• “Never is a man more of a man than when he is the father of a newborn.” - Matthew McConaughey, actor

• “The imprint of a father remains forever on the life of the child.” -Roy Lessin, author
  
  
• “It’s an ongoing joy being a dad.” - Liam Neeson, actor
  
  
• “I’m a father; that’s what matters most. Nothing matters more.” - Gordon Brown, former UK prime minister
  
  
• “The guys who fear becoming fathers don’t understand that fathering is not something perfect men do, but something that perfects the man. The end product of child-raising is not the child but the parent.” - Frank Pittman, psychiatrist
  
  
• “Fatherhood is a marathon, not a sprint.” -Paul L. Lewis, classical pianist

• “A man’s worth is measured by how he parents his children. What he gives them, what he keeps away from them, the lessons he teaches and the lessons he allows them to learn on their own.” - Lisa Rogers, TV presenter
  
  
• “I would want my legacy to be that I was a great son, father, and friend.” – Dante Hall, former professional American Football player
  
  
• “There is nothing that moves a loving father’s soul quite like his child’s cry.” – Joni Eareckson Tada, author
  
  
• “He was a father. That’s what a father does. Eases the burdens of those he loves.” - George Saunders, writer
  
  
• “Lookin' back all I can say about all the things he did for me is I hope I'm at least half the dad that he didn't have to be.” - Brad Paisley, musician
  
  
• "A father is neither an anchor to hold us back nor a sail to take us there, but a guiding light whose love shows us the way." - Unknown

• “A dad is someone who wants to catch you when you fall. Instead he picks you up, brushes you off and lets you try again.” -Unknown
  
  
• “Fatherhood is the best thing I ever did. It changes your perspective. You can write a book, you can make a movie, you can paint a painting, but having kids is really the most extraordinary thing I have taken on.” - Brad Pitt, actor
  
  
• "Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance." - Ruth E. Renkel, German writer
  
  
• “Don’t think you're better than your kid. Your kids usually have ideas that are better than yours that you may not understand.” - Eugene Levy, actor

Wise fatherhood quotes

There are plenty of figures throughout history who have offered us incredibly wise words about what it means to be a father; the importance and power of a wonderful dad. Here are some of our favourites.

• “The nature of impending fatherhood is that you are doing something that you’re unqualified to do, and then you become qualified while doing it.” – John Green, author and writer
  
  
• “I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection.” - Sigmund Freud, psychoanalyst
  
  
• "It is a wise father that knows his own child.” - William Shakespeare, playwright
  
  
• “I believe that what we become depends on what our fathers teach us at odd moments, when they aren’t trying to teach us. We are formed by little scraps of wisdom.” - Umberto Eco, Italian medieval historian
  
  
• “[Man adopts] a role called Being a Father so that his child would have something mythical and infinitely important: a Protector, who would keep a lid on all the chaotic and catastrophic possibilities of life.” - Tim Wolfe, former president of the University of Missouri system
  
  
• “I have found the very best way to advise your children is to find out what they want to do and advise them to do it.” - Harry Truman, former US president

• "The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get." - Tim Russert, journalist
  
  
• “What I’ve learned as a father is that the most important thing in the world is listening. It’s not about trying to be right.” - Kevin Hart, comedian and actor
  
  
• “If the relationship of father to son could really be reduced to biology, the whole earth would blaze with the glory of fathers and sons.” - James A. Baldwin
  
  
• “I will do anything I can possibly do in order to keep you safe. That’s it. Offer that up and then just love them.” - Tom Hanks, actor

• “I would define the new aspects of fatherhood like this: It is 75% amazing and 25% demoralising. I think any new parent can understand exactly what I’m talking about.” - Daniel Bryan, WWE wrestler
  
  
• "When I say we're learning from our 12-year-old, we're literally learning from our child. So the biggest thing is have an open mind. Go out and research, ask your child, ask other people questions about this, because this conversation is real." - Dwayne Wade, former professional basketball player
  
  
• “No man stands taller than when he stoops to help a child.” - Abraham Lincoln, former US president

Fatherhood quotes about raising sons

As a father to a son, we try to help them be as good a man as possible. We might draw on the teachings our own father gave to us, or impart our own wisdom of a life lived through significant social change. Here are some amazing fatherhood quotes all about being a dad to a son.

• “You don’t raise heroes, you raise sons. And if you treat them like sons, they’ll turn out to be heroes, even if it’s just in your own eyes.” – Walter M. Schirra, Sr., the ninth man to travel to space
  
  
• “When I first time held my son in my hands, I had a feeling like I am Superman. One day when he’s grown up, he will realise his father is just a regular guy who wears a cap, but a real life Superman for him” - Unknown
  
  
• “I pledge to become a great father to my new born kid. For me he’s everything from now onwards.” - Unknown

• “Every father should remember one day his son will follow his example, not his advice.” – Charles Kettering, inventor
  
  
• “Becoming father of a little angel gives me immense pleasure and happiness. She’s my precious and I am her saviour.” -Unknown
  
  
• "When a father gives to his son, both laugh; when a son gives to his father, both cry.”– William Shakespeare, playwright
  
  
• “The best thing about being a dad? Well, I think it’s just the thing that every man wants – to have a son and heir.” - George Best, former professional football player

• “When you teach your son, you teach your son’s son.” -The Talmud, central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law and Jewish theology
  
  
• "The greatest tribute a boy can give to his father is to say, 'When I grow up, I want to be just like my dad.'" - Billy Graham, American evangelist
  
  
• "By the time a man realises that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he’s wrong." - Charles Wadsworth, classical pianist

Fatherhood quotes for raising girls

Some say a father's smile is different when he has a girl. Some people will argue that the things a modern dad will teach his daughter are very different to what our own fathers will have taught their daughter. But the love and joy of being a father to a daughter remains the same.

• “When my father didn’t have my hand, he had my back.” - Linda Poindexter, priest
  
  
• “My daughter said, ‘Why are you yelling at us?’ and I said, ‘I’m trying to discipline you!’ And then she looked up at me with her tear-stained eyes and said, ‘This is how you teach children, by making them cry.’ And it was such a clenching reminder — she won not only the argument, but she won life with that statement. I just burst out laughing, and I think they were so surprised that I burst out laughing, that they did too.” -Stephen Colbert, comedian and TV presenter
  
  
  
• "Every man a woman meets is measured through her father's eyes." - Unknown
  
  
  
• “A father is always making his baby into a little woman. And when she is a woman, he     turns her back again.” – Enid Bagnold, writer
  
  
• “No one in this world can love a girl more than her father.” – Michael Ratnadeepak
  
  
• “Being a father means you have to think fast on your feet. You must be judicious, wise, brave, tender, and willing to put on a frilly hat and sit down to a pretend tea party.” -Matthew Buckley

• “I know a man whose arms carried me high on days that I felt low. A man whose arms I’ll never outgrow.” - Fathima Arshard
  
  
• "My mother gave me my drive, but my father gave me my dreams. Thanks to him, I could see a future." - Liza Minnelli, actress
  
  
• “When I come home, my daughter will run to the door and give me a big hug, and everything that's happened that day just melts away." - Hugh Jackman, actor
  
  
• “I don't have to prepare to be wrapped around my daughter's finger. I have been wrapped around her little finger since the day she plopped out into this world.” - Ryan Reynolds, actor

Funny fatherhood quotes

As wonderful and joyful, and challenging, and tiring, and frustrating it is to be a loving dad, it's also one of the funniest. A child's entire day could be full of tears and tantrums, but they could say or do one single thing and leave you laughing for the rest of the day. Here are some funny quotes about being a dad.

• “A father carries pictures where his money used to be.” -Steve Martin, actor
  
  
• “Nothing better than spending an entire morning staring into my baby daughter’s eyes, whispering, ‘I can’t do this.’” - Ryan Reynolds, actor
  
  
• “Men should always change diapers. It’s mentally cleansing. It’s like washing dishes, but imagine if the dishes were your kids, so you really love the dishes.” - Chris Martin, musician
  
  
• “Having children is like living in a frat house. Nobody sleeps, everything’s broken, and there’s a lot of throwing up.” - Ray Romano, comedian and actor
  
  
• “I am happy to become father of a cute boy, as he will soon be my playstation partner. Lot’s of action and adventure for me and the baby coming in near future.” -Unknown
  
  
• “There should be a children’s song: ‘If you’re happy and you know it, keep it to yourself and let dad sleep.” - Jim Gaffigan, comedian
  
  
• “I rescind my early statement, ‘I could never fall in love with a girl who regularly poops her pants.’ I hadn’t met my daughter yet.” - Dax Shephard, actor
  
  
• “New dads aren’t aware that infants are both blessings and black holes that drain sleep, time, and passion.” – Brick Stone, comedian
  
  
• " 'Have fun' is my message. Be silly. You're allowed to be silly. There's nothing wrong with it." - Jimmy Fallon, comedian and TV presenter

• “A father is someone you look up to no matter how tall you grow.” -Unknown
  
  
• "Raising kids may be a thankless job but at least the pay sucks." - Jim Gaffigan, comedian
  
  
• “It’s amazing that you can be that exhausted and that happy at the same time." -  Ryan Reynolds, actor
  
  
• “Being a great father is like shaving. No matter how good you shaved today, you have to do it again tomorrow.” - Reed Markham, author
  
  
• “Good dads forgive your mistakes. Great dads help you hide them from mom.” - Bill Gray
  
  
• “Having one child makes you a parent. Having two kids makes you a referee.” -David Frost, journalist

Inspirational fatherhood quotes for step dads

Some people grow up not knowing their father, and a man comes into their life later down the line. They become more than a father figure; they are a step dad, a special guy who becomes a loving father even though he is raising a child that is not his own. Other times, parents separate and forge new relationships. And a child has the privileged position of having more than one father - a great step dad has a real understanding of the complicated family dynamic and does his utmost to help the children fly.

• “Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad.” - Anne Geddes, Australian photographer
  
  
• “I want to congratulate all the men out there who are working diligently to be good fathers whether they are stepfathers, or biological fathers or just spiritual fathers.”– T.D. Jakes, preacher
  
  
• “My Stepdad may not have given me life, but he sure has made my life better.” - Gerardo Campbell, actor
  
  
• "Fatherhood requires love, not DNA." - Unknown
  
  
• "Stepparents are not around to replace a biological parent, rather to augment a child's life experience." - Azriel Johnson
  
  
• “A stepparent is so much more than just a parent; they made the choice to love when they didn’t have to.” - Unknown

• “It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons.” - Johann Friedrich Schiller, German physician
  
  
• “A child cannot have too many people who love them and want to help them succeed.” - Unknown
  
  
• "When someone takes you on as their own when you're not biologically their own, I think is really special ... [My stepdad] didn't have to raise me. He wanted to." - Jonathan Van Ness, celebrity hair stylist
  
  
• “A good step-dad will observe boundaries. He’ll know when to step in to support and comfort your children and when to take a step back and let the biological father in.” - Neil Reilly
  
  
• “I may not be her birth father, but I am there with her every step of the way as she makes her way through the world.” - Cody Long
  
  
• "My stepdad is probably the greatest man I've ever known." - Justin Timberlake, musician
  
  
• "Step-parenting and being a step-sibling presents a lot of exciting opportunities. When families break up and re-form, there may be less order, less certainty, and a bit more trauma involved, but kids can end up having half-a-dozen parent figures.” - Morris Gleitzman, Australian author

Father's Day Quotes for Grandfather

For some people, their grandfather is their only father figure. And some lucky children have a dad passing on everything his father taught him. Whatever your situation, the importance of a grandfather cannot be overlooked. Some people like to take the opportunity on Father's Day to show their appreciation and love for everything their grandfather does for them.

• “We never know the love of a parent till we become parents ourselves.” - Henry Ward Beecher, clergyman
  
  
• "Great men are not born, but molded by their fathers and their fathers before them." - Unknown
  
  
• “The simplest toy, one which even the youngest child can operate, is called a grandparent.” - Sam Levenson, entertainer
  
  
• “More and more, when I single out the person out who inspired me most, I go back to my grandfather.” - James Earl Jones, actor

• “The best dads get promoted to grandpa.” - Unknown
  
  
  
• “I was taught by my grandfather that anything that your mind can conceive, you can have. It’s a reality.” - Lenny Kravitz, musician
  
  
• “My grandfather was a wonderful role model. Through him I got to know the gentle side of men.” - Sarah Long, actress
  
  
  
• “My grandfather did a lot of things in his life. What he was most proud of was raising his family.” - Tagg Romney, son of former US presidential candidate, Mitt Romney
  
  
  
• “A baby has a way of making a man out of his father and a boy out of his grandfather.” - Angie Papadakis, public speaker and activist

FAQs

What are the most famous fatherhood quotes?

There are plenty of famous quotes about being a dad. Arguably the most famous is "Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad.” from Australian photographer Anne Geddes.

What are fatherhood quotes for boys?

Throughout history, men have been seen to favour their sons because of lineage and heirs. Our role was once seen to raise a boy to be a man, to takeover as the provider and protector of the family. And so there are plenty of quotes fatherhood quotes about being a dad to a boy.

Arguably the most famous is “You don’t raise heroes, you raise sons. And if you treat them like sons, they’ll turn out to be heroes, even if it’s just in your own eyes.” from Walter M. Schirra, Sr., the ninth man ever to travel to space.

What is the best fatherhood quotes for girls?

A lot of people argue that the bond between a man and his daughter is something unique - it's not necessarily better or worse than with his son, but certainly unique. And many fatherhood quotes reflect that unique bond when they talk about raising girls.

One of the most famous comes from Linda Poindexter, a woman who gained notoriety as a priest in the US while her husband, John, was a national security advisor during Ronald Reagan's presidency. Linda produced a whole host of thought-provoking, almost philosophical quotes.

Her fatherhood quote is this: “When my father didn’t have my hand, he had my back.”

Why are fathers important in our lives?

A dad isn't just someone to take his son fishing or his daughter shopping. In recent years, we've become more and more aware of the profound impact a dad has on the lives of his children.