Zodiac Sign Names: All 12 Signs, Dates & Symbols

The 12 zodiac sign names in calendar order are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. Each name comes from a constellation the Sun appears to travel through, and each carries a symbol, a set of dates, and one of four elements, fire, earth, air, or water.

I have always loved how much history hides inside these twelve names, Babylonian star charts, Greek myths, and Latin poetry, all compressed into words we use at dinner parties. This guide gives you every zodiac sign name with its dates and meaning, explains the elements and ruling planets, and answers the question everyone eventually asks: is there really a thirteenth sign?

All 12 Zodiac Sign Names, Dates, and Symbols

The table below is the fastest complete reference to every zodiac sign name you will find anywhere. Dates follow the tropical zodiac used in Western astrology, beginning with Aries at the March equinox. Note that exact changeover dates can shift by a day from year to year, so birthdays on the borderline deserve a precise chart check.

Each zodiac sign name is Latin, and most describe the constellation’s figure, the Ram, the Bull, the Twins, exactly as ancient skywatchers saw them. Libra is the delightful exception: the only sign named for an object, the Scales, rather than a living creature.

#	Zodiac Sign Name	Symbol	Dates	Element
1	Aries	♈ The Ram	Mar 21 – Apr 19	Fire
2	Taurus	♉ The Bull	Apr 20 – May 20	Earth
3	Gemini	♊ The Twins	May 21 – Jun 20	Air
4	Cancer	♋ The Crab	Jun 21 – Jul 22	Water
5	Leo	♌ The Lion	Jul 23 – Aug 22	Fire
6	Virgo	♍ The Maiden	Aug 23 – Sep 22	Earth
7	Libra	♎ The Scales	Sep 23 – Oct 22	Air
8	Scorpio	♏ The Scorpion	Oct 23 – Nov 21	Water
9	Sagittarius	♐ The Archer	Nov 22 – Dec 21	Fire
10	Capricorn	♑ The Sea-Goat	Dec 22 – Jan 19	Earth
11	Aquarius	♒ The Water Bearer	Jan 20 – Feb 18	Air
12	Pisces	♓ The Fish	Feb 19 – Mar 20	Water

Zodiac Sign Names Grouped by Element

The four elements are astrology’s master categories, and each one shapes three zodiac sign names with a shared temperament. Learning your element often explains more about you than your individual sign’s stereotypes, it is the deep current beneath the surface waves.

Fire Zodiac Sign Names: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

Fire signs burn with enthusiasm, courage, and appetite for action. Aries charges first, Leo performs brightest, and Sagittarius roams farthest, three expressions of the same flame. If your zodiac sign name sits in this trio, you likely inspire others simply by moving.

Earth Zodiac Sign Names: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn

Earth signs build what fire dreams about. Taurus guards comfort and loyalty, Virgo perfects systems and details, and Capricorn climbs steadily toward lasting achievement. These zodiac sign names belong to the zodiac’s most dependable people, the ones who actually show up.

Air Zodiac Sign Names: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius

Air signs live in ideas, conversation, and connection. Gemini collects fascinating facts, Libra harmonizes relationships, and Aquarius redesigns the future. If these zodiac sign names include yours, your mind is probably your favorite playground.

Water Zodiac Sign Names: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

Water signs feel everything deeply and remember it all. Cancer nurtures home and family, Scorpio wields emotional intensity like a surgeon’s blade, and Pisces dissolves boundaries between self and others. These zodiac sign names mark the zodiac’s empaths and artists.

What Each Zodiac Sign Name Means

Every zodiac sign name is a tiny Latin poem. Aries means “ram,” honoring the golden-fleeced ram of Greek myth. Taurus is simply “bull,” Gemini means “twins” (Castor and Pollux), and Cancer is “crab.” Leo needs no translation, “lion”, while Virgo means “maiden” or “virgin.”

The year’s second half continues the menagerie: Libra breaks the pattern as “scales” or “balance,” Scorpio is “scorpion,” Sagittarius means “archer,” and Capricorn joins “goat” with “horn”, literally the horned goat, often drawn as a mythical sea-goat. Aquarius is the “water bearer,” and Pisces simply means “fishes.” Knowing these meanings turns the zodiac sign names from labels into stories.

Zodiac Sign Names and Their Ruling Planets

In classical astrology, each zodiac sign name answers to a ruling planet, a celestial body said to color the sign’s expression. The Sun rules Leo, the Moon rules Cancer, and Mercury governs both Gemini and Virgo. Venus watches over Taurus and Libra, while Mars commands Aries and traditionally Scorpio.

The outer planets claimed the remaining zodiac sign names after their discovery: Jupiter rules Sagittarius (and traditionally Pisces), Saturn rules Capricorn (and traditionally Aquarius), while modern astrologers assign Uranus to Aquarius, Neptune to Pisces, and Pluto to Scorpio. Your ruling planet is often called your chart ruler, worth knowing if you follow transits.

The 13th Zodiac Sign Name: Ophiuchus Explained

Every few years, headlines announce a “new” zodiac sign name: Ophiuchus, the serpent-bearer, sitting between Scorpio and Sagittarius from roughly November 30 to December 17. The claim comes from real astronomy, the Sun genuinely passes through thirteen constellations, and Ophiuchus is one of them.

Here is why astrologers are unmoved: Western astrology uses the tropical zodiac, a calendar of twelve equal 30-degree divisions anchored to the seasons, not the visible constellations. The zodiac sign names are seasonal addresses that have drifted from their constellations over two millennia of precession. So Ophiuchus is astronomically real but astrologically irrelevant, your zodiac sign name has not changed.

How to Find Your Zodiac Sign Name by Birthday

Finding your zodiac sign name takes ten seconds: match your birth month and day to the dates table above. Born July 30? That falls between July 23 and August 22, making you a Leo. Born February 5? Aquarius. The system is delightfully simple for most of the year.

The only wrinkle is the cusp, birthdays landing on the first or last day of a sign’s range, where the changeover can shift by a day depending on the year. If you were born on March 20 or 21, for instance, only your birth year and exact time determine whether your zodiac sign name is Pisces or Aries. A free online birth chart settles it instantly, and contrary to popular belief, there is no such thing as being “two signs.”

Zodiac Sign Name FAQs

What are the 12 zodiac sign names in order?

In calendar order, the 12 zodiac sign names are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. They run from the March equinox through the following March, each covering roughly one month.

What is my zodiac sign name?

Match your birthday to the sign date ranges: for example, March 21–April 19 is Aries, August 23–September 22 is Virgo, and December 22–January 19 is Capricorn. If your birthday falls on a changeover day, check an exact birth chart for your birth year.

Why do some sources list 13 zodiac sign names?

Astronomers note the Sun passes through 13 constellations, including Ophiuchus (Nov 30–Dec 17). However, Western astrology uses the tropical zodiac of 12 equal seasonal divisions, so the traditional 12 zodiac sign names remain unchanged in astrological practice.

What does my zodiac sign name mean in Latin?

Most zodiac sign names describe their constellation figure: Aries (ram), Taurus (bull), Gemini (twins), Cancer (crab), Leo (lion), Virgo (maiden), Scorpio (scorpion), Sagittarius (archer), Capricorn (horned goat), Aquarius (water bearer), Pisces (fishes). Libra uniquely means “scales.”

Which zodiac sign names belong to fire signs?

The fire zodiac sign names are Aries (Mar 21–Apr 19), Leo (Jul 23–Aug 22), and Sagittarius (Nov 22–Dec 21). Fire signs share traits of enthusiasm, courage, and leadership, each expressing the element differently.

Do zodiac sign names differ in other languages?

The Latin zodiac sign names are used internationally, but many languages have native equivalents, for example, Arabic astrology calls Aries al-Hamal (the ram) and Leo al-Asad (the lion). The symbols (♈–♓) remain universal across languages.

Can my zodiac sign name change over my lifetime?

No. Your zodiac sign name is fixed by your birth date under the tropical zodiac and never changes. The slow precession of the equinoxes shifts constellations over millennia, but astrological signs are tied to seasons, not star positions.