Leo Astrology
Symbol: Lion
Dates: July 23rd – August 22nd. If you were born within three days of a sign change you may belong to a cusp of two zodiac signs
Element: Fire Sign
Quality: Fixed
Natural House: Fifth
Ruling celestial body: Sun
Traits · Horoscope · Compatibility · Personality
Leo is the fifth zodiac sign, symbolized by the Lion, and ruled by the Sun. Like the Sun, its master planet, Leo radiates and shines like a diamond. Impossible to miss, they know how to be admired and they excel in many fields.
In astrology, the Sun, like the Moon, is considered as a planet. It is a star about 110 times the size of the Earth with a mass of more than 330,000 times that of our planet. Leo is one of the 48 constellations described by the 2nd-century astronomer Ptolemy and remains one of the 88 modern constellations recognized by NASA today, situated between Cancer to the west and Virgo to the east.
In Egyptian mythology, the Sun is represented by Atum, the Creator God, while in Greek and Roman mythology he represents Apollo, the son of Zeus. Apollo is known as the God of light, music, the arts and also divination. You easily understand that the Sun is very important in the natal chart of an individual.
In addition to being governed by the Sun, a luminous star, the Leo zodiac sign is also part of the Fire signs with Aries and Sagittarius. Fire signs are said to have strong characters and this explains why Leo personality is so dominant. They ignite quickly like a brazier. Dynamism is what characterizes them and they are overflowing with energy. Passionate, spirited, aggressive and sometimes violent, they share that legendary outspokenness that not many people appreciate.
Other than the four elements (Water, Fire, Earth, and Air), the twelve signs of the Zodiac are also classified through the zodiac qualities. There are three qualities in astrology: Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable.
Leo belongs to the fixed signs which fall in the middle of a season. These natives are the foundations of society. They are the builders and the preservers. Fixed signs take the ideas initiated by the Cardinal signs, and they put them into motion and create something physical and substantial out of it. Where the Cardinal signs are the “talkers,” the Fixed signs are the “walkers.” Their nature is incredibly reliable, and you know what you are getting next, and what you see is what you get.
14 Leo Traits
The favorite colors of Leo people are yellow and orange. The body parts that correspond to them are the heart, the eyes and the arteries. It is a sign with a golden heart like the metal that represents it. Their main assets are nobility, royalty, goodness and organization, but many resent them for their ill-placed pride and their authoritarian character.
1. Big & warm energy
When a Leo enters the room, you will know it. Leos have a strong and impressionable aura, and they light up the room wherever they go with their warmth and radiance. They exude generosity, and they have incredibly open hearts, which causes people to flock toward them. Leo is ruled by the Sun, and just like the Sun, Leo’s energy is big, warm, and bright.
2. Popular & easy to like
Leos have an extremely warm heart, and they care a lot for others. They possess friendly and vibrant personality that make others feel comfortable in their presence. Due to this, Leos can be rather popular among their peers, and they find it extremely easy to meet new people and make new friends.
3. High standards
Leo only want the best, and nothing less! They enjoy the finer things in life, and they work hard so that they can buy themselves the fancy, luxurious things they want. Leo’s appearance is crucial to them; therefore, they always ensure they look their absolute best from top to toe no matter where they go.
4. Prideful & confident
Leos see themselves as royalty, and they will not show their weaknesses and failures to anyone. Most Leos prefer to focus on their best traits and achievements, and proudly tell others what they have accomplished and achieved, and not where they have failed. They stand firmly behind their beliefs, standards, and values and cannot easily be swayed or manipulated.
5. Show stoppers!
Being the center of attention and the center stage is a Leo’s dream! They love to whoo a crowd and to have the attention of the masses on them. Leo make exceptional artists, and they have a knack for any performance art. Leos do not get overwhelmed in the spotlight; on the contrary, they love the spotlight!
6. Powerful leaders
Leos make the best bosses, CEOs, and directors as they know how to manage a team more efficiently than most other sun signs. A Leo will richly reward those beneath them for their hard work, and they will be passionate about helping those that work for them succeed. A Leo boss stands with their employees through thick and thin, as a Leo sees their employees as their “pack” or “pride.”
7. Supportive
Leo are able to identify the strengths in others and prefer to focus on this. A Leo is one of the rare signs that will stay behind you no matter what, and who will support you in your goals. If a Leo can see potential in someone, they will help that person grow and become more prominent, just like the Leo themselves. Leo’s true motivation is to help others be the best, most fabulous versions of themselves they can be.
8. Jealous
The same way how the lion is protective of his mate and his pack is the same way how a Leo is protective of his family and partner. A Leo can get jealous quickly when they see someone else making moves on or flirting with their partner, and a jealous Leo can act impulsively and aggressively to ensure that what is theirs is protected. Leos also become insecure and jealous when another person outshines them and steals the attention.
9. Vain
Leo know they are amazing, and they can be quite arrogant when it comes to their appearance and achievements. If there is a mirror in the room, you can bet a Leo will consistently be glancing at it, and if there is a camera around, you can bet the Leo will end up in most of the pictures!
10. Bossy & domineering
Leo is the opposite sign of Aquarius, which symbolizes teamwork and the community. Due to this, Leos do not like to work in teams, and they prefer to be the ones in charge of leading the team. They enjoy holding positions of authority as it gives them power. Leos love telling other people what to do and giving orders.
11. Cannot accept failure
A Leo needs to be seen in an honorable light by others. A Leo’s worst nightmare is failure due to their lack of competence, as a Leo cannot stand to be seen as incompetent and unworthy by others. Leo wants to be seen as the best, and when a Leo fails, a polarizing side of their usually happy, warm personality comes out, and they come depressed, cranky, and closed off.
12. Egotistical
It is challenging for a Leo to be modest, and they struggle to accept their flaws and failures. When a Leo fails, they will put walls up and deny any negligence on their part. It is impossible to get a Leo to admit that they are wrong and that they aren’t always this amazing, powerful know it all that they think they are. Even when a Leo’s ego has been bruised, they will not back down. It is up to the other person to apologize to the Leo, as they will never admit it if they are wrong.
13. Lazy & Manipulative
Leo prefer to boss others around to get the job done, and they prefer not to do the dirty work themselves. Most Leos think that specific tasks and jobs are beneath them. If a Leo is not going to receive enough praise and recognition for the work they do, they simply will not do it and order somebody else to do it.
14. Lacks flexibility
Like most fire signs, Leo want things done their way. As a fixed sign, they are extremely fixed in their ways of doing things. Leos will become very annoyed when expected to adapt or adjust to something new, or if they have to do things according to another person’s terms.
Leo Personality
Already very attractive by his personality, a native of Leo is the center of attention of the other horoscope signs. Warm and generous, endowed with outstanding charisma, Leo have many friends and it is not at all surprising. However, they don’t really get along with everyone.
Leo natives are always sharply dressed. They are elegant and catch many eyes by radiating some uncanny aura. Renowned for being intransigent, proud, demanding and sometimes authoritarian, Leo people nevertheless constantly need love, but above all to be recognized. They can also be generous and warm.
Woman
The Leo woman is easily noticed in everything she does. Governed by the Sun, the Leo woman is radiant and is very warm. She particularly likes to be front and center on stage and she is quite comfortable there. All that glitters attracts her: jewelry, haute couture, luxury and overpriced cosmetics. Despite this attraction for luxury, the Leo woman has a heart of gold and does not hesitate to share her generosity with the most disadvantaged.
A Leo woman has a strong personality. She does not hesitate to go out of her way to win or defend her rights. She particularly hates when somebody else steals her show, both in her professional life and in her private life. She seeks above all to shine and become the best in everything she does. In addition, she is convinced that she has all the skills to do so and would not want to deprive herself of it. Her optimism forces respect.
The Leo woman has great confidence and does not impose limits on herself. People recognized this as a character trait when she keeps fighting when everyone else has already given up. She is an outgoing person with an innate charm. Her natural charisma often propels her towards a leader position in a group. She is able to find ingenious solutions to the problems that are submitted to her, whether at work or in private life.
Despite these undeniable qualities, the Leo woman is known for her arrogance. Like the Leo man, she tends to overestimate her worth and make unreasonable decisions. Her biggest flaw is her tendency to spend a lot of money. Her taste for beautiful things, luxury and prestige drives her into dangerous financial territory.
Man
Dominated by the Sun, the sign of Leo in a male natal chart unveils a luminous and warm being. A Leo man always wants to shine in everything he does. He can easily fill the shoes of a leader. Besides, it is always what he wants and he cannot stand being relegated under someone else’s authority.
The Leo man is ambitious and he has great confidence in himself and his own abilities. He loves showing off his talents and being in the spotlight. Working as an actor, animator or director suits him well. Like the animal that represents him, the Leo man always wants to be the alpha male, the star to admire and let anyone trying to steal the spotlight beware. In truth however, behind this facade hides a sympathetic and generous man, very much appreciated by his loved ones.
A Leo man is often very confident about himself and his ability to succeed professionally. However, like the king of the jungle, he has this unfortunate tendency to always want to delegate as much as possible until he loses control. It is a flaw that will earn him many setbacks until he finds the motivation to revive his project.
One of the strengths of the Leo man is his legendary optimism that allows him to experience many successes. He is also an idealistic and extremely ambitious person. His close friends often resent him for it. He likes to be independent in every way.
Despite his qualities, the Lion man is known for his envious character. He also tends to overestimate himself, which drives him to take risks needlessly. A little narcissistic, the Leo man has a very dominating character, even tyrannical when he is in a group.
At Work
The profession that suits them best? It is a job that allows them to have an excellent social status. They need to be recognized and envied by all. That is why CEO, leader or manager jobs are particularly well suited, especially in areas related to politics, religion, etc. Given that they have little appreciation for a higher authority, natives of Leo may well flourish in independent white-collar professions.
Leo Horoscope
Compatibility with Other Sun Signs
Leo love compatibility works with other signs belonging to either air or fire as their element. A Leo in love is the most energetic, caring, and outward person one can ever ask for. Read more about how Leo compatibility works with each sign separately.