The 12 Latin Zodiac Signs: Names, Meanings, and Myths

Aries in Latin: the Ram (Arietis)

Aries in Latin means “the ram.” It is pronounced AH-ree-ehs, and the genitive form is Arietis. The Romans inherited the sign from the Greek tale of the golden-fleeced ram sent by the gods to carry the endangered children Phrixus and Helle to safety; that fleece later became the prize that launched Jason and the Argonauts. As the first sign of the zodiac and the one ruled by Mars, Aries carries a headfirst, pioneering energy — the impulse to charge ahead and begin. See what that drive means for the sign in the full Aries guide.

Taurus in Latin: the Bull (Tauri)

Taurus in Latin means “the bull” (TOW-rus, genitive Tauri). In myth it is the white bull Zeus became to carry the princess Europa across the sea to Crete — a story of beauty, desire, and quiet power. The bright orange star Aldebaran, Alpha Tauri, marks the bull’s eye; its name means “the follower.” Ruled by Venus, Taurus is the zodiac’s anchor: patient, sensual, and devoted to comfort and permanence. Read the full Taurus guide.

Gemini in Latin: the Twins (Geminorum)

The Latin word for Gemini is Gemini itself (GEH-mih-nee), the plural of geminus, “twin-born,” with the genitive Geminorum. The twins are Castor and Pollux — one mortal, one the immortal son of Zeus. When Castor died, Pollux begged to share his own immortality rather than be parted, so Zeus set them in the sky together; their names still mark the constellation’s two brightest stars. Ruled by Mercury, Gemini lives in that duality: two minds, restless curiosity, and a gift for words. Explore the Gemini guide.

Cancer in Latin: the Crab (Cancri)

The Latin word for the Cancer zodiac sign is Cancer (KAHN-ker), which means “the crab” (genitive Cancri). It is the same word that later gave medicine its term for the disease. The sign’s myth is a small, stubborn one: while Heracles battled the many-headed Hydra, the goddess Hera sent a crab to nip at his heels. He crushed it — but Hera, honoring its loyalty, set it among the stars. Ruled by the Moon, Cancer keeps that protective, tenacious spirit, holding fast to home, family, and the people it loves. See the full Cancer guide.

Leo in Latin: the Lion (Leonis)

Leo in Latin means “the lion” (LEH-oh, genitive Leonis). It is the Nemean Lion of Heracles’ first labour — a beast whose golden hide no weapon could pierce, which the hero finally strangled and then wore as armour. The constellation’s heart is Regulus, Alpha Leonis, “the little king.” Ruled by the Sun, Leo radiates a royal, generous, center-of-the-room warmth. Read the Leo guide.

Virgo in Latin: the Maiden (Virginis)

Virgo in Latin means “the maiden” or “virgin” (WEER-goh, genitive Virginis). She is most often Astraea, goddess of justice and innocence, who lived among mortals in the Golden Age and was the last immortal to abandon the earth as humanity fell into strife. Her brightest star, Spica, means “ear of grain” — a nod to the harvest. Ruled by Mercury, Virgo is precise, discerning, and quietly devoted to doing things well. Explore the Virgo guide.

Libra in Latin: the Scales (Librae)

Libra in Latin means “the scales” or “balance” — a libra was a Roman unit of weight (LEE-brah, genitive Librae). It is the only zodiac sign represented by an object rather than a living creature: the scales of justice held by Astraea, the maiden of the neighbouring sign. In fact, Libra’s stars were once counted as the claws of the Scorpion — their names, Zubenelgenubi and Zubeneschamali, still mean “southern claw” and “northern claw.” Ruled by Venus, Libra seeks harmony, fairness, and beauty in every relationship. Read the Libra guide.

Scorpio in Latin: the Scorpion (Scorpii)

Scorpio in Latin is written two ways, and both mean “the scorpion.” The constellation is Scorpius (SKOR-pee-us, genitive Scorpii), while the sign is usually written Scorpio (SKOR-pee-oh, genitive Scorpionis). In myth this is the scorpion that killed the great hunter Orion — and the two were placed on opposite sides of the sky, so that Scorpius climbs into view only as Orion sets. Its red heart-star Antares means “rival of Ares,” the war-god. Ruled by Mars (and, in modern astrology, Pluto), Scorpio is intensity itself: depth, secrecy, and the power to transform. See the full Scorpio guide.

Sagittarius in Latin: the Archer (Sagittarii)

Sagittarius in Latin means “the archer,” from sagitta, “arrow” (sah-gih-TAH-ree-us, genitive Sagittarii). The figure is a centaur drawing a bow, often linked to Chiron, the wise and gentle healer who taught the heroes of Greece; his arrow points toward the very centre of our galaxy. Ruled by Jupiter, Sagittarius is the zodiac’s seeker: restless, philosophical, and always aimed at some far horizon. Explore the Sagittarius guide.

Capricorn in Latin: the Sea-Goat (Capricorni)

The Latin for Capricorn is Capricornus (kah-prih-KOR-nus), “goat-horned,” from caper (goat) and cornu (horn); the genitive is Capricorni. Stranger than the name suggests, the sign is a sea-goat — half goat, half fish. The story ties to Pan, who dived into the Nile to escape the monster Typhon and surfaced part-fish, part-goat. Ruled by Saturn, Capricorn embodies patient ambition: the long, disciplined climb toward mastery. Read the Capricorn guide.

Aquarius in Latin: the Water-Bearer (Aquarii)

Aquarius in Latin means “the water-bearer,” from aqua, “water” (ah-KWAH-ree-us, genitive Aquarii). The figure is Ganymede, a Trojan youth so admired that Zeus carried him to Olympus to serve as cupbearer to the gods, forever pouring water from the heavens. Ruled by Saturn (and, in modern astrology, Uranus), Aquarius pairs that role of giver with a visionary, independent streak — the humanitarian thinking a step ahead of everyone else. See the Aquarius guide.

Pisces in Latin: the Fishes (Piscium)

Pisces in Latin is the plural of piscis, “fish,” so it means “the fishes” (PIS-kehs, genitive Piscium). The two fish are Aphrodite and her son Eros, who turned into fish to escape the monster Typhon and tied themselves together with a cord so they would not be separated in the water — the star Alrescha, “the cord,” marks the knot. Ruled by Jupiter (and, in modern astrology, Neptune), Pisces is the zodiac’s dreamer: intuitive, compassionate, and endlessly imaginative. Explore the Pisces guide.

Roman zodiac signs: Latin names and Roman numerals

People searching for the “Roman zodiac” usually mean one of two things: the Latin names the Romans used for the signs (covered above), or the signs written as Roman numerals by their order around the wheel, starting with Aries. The numerals are popular for tattoos and jewelry. The table also shows each sign’s traditional ruler under its Roman name.

For example, Sagittarius in Roman numerals is IX, because it is the ninth sign counting from Aries.

Cardinal, fixed and mutable zodiac signs in Latin

Astrology groups the twelve signs into three modalities, and the terms themselves come from Latin. Cardinal comes from cardo, “hinge” — these signs swing the year open at the start of each season. Fixed comes from fixus, “fastened,” and mutable from mutabilis, “changeable.”

The signs also split into four elements, which have simple Latin names: ignis (fire), terra (earth), aër (air) and aqua (water).

• Ignis (fire): Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
• Terra (earth): Taurus, Virgo, Capricornus
• Aër (air): Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
• Aqua (water): Cancer, Scorpius, Pisces

Zodiac constellation names in Latin

Astronomers still use the Latin names for the twelve zodiac constellations, along with a three-letter abbreviation set by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). The genitive is the form used in star names: the brightest star of a constellation is usually called Alpha followed by the genitive, such as Alpha Leonis (Regulus), Alpha Scorpii (Antares), Alpha Tauri (Aldebaran) and Alpha Virginis (Spica).

Signs and constellations are not quite the same thing. A zodiac sign is a 30° slice of the sky measured along the Sun’s path, while a constellation is a pattern of stars of uneven size. Over the centuries the two have drifted apart, and the Sun also passes through a thirteenth constellation, Ophiuchus (“the serpent-bearer”), which astrology does not use.

Astrology words in Latin

If you want the Latin for “astrology” or any of the words around it, these are the terms you’ll meet most often:

The classical planets keep their Roman god names too: Mercurius, Venus, Mars, Iuppiter and Saturnus. If you are looking for a Latin word meaning “space” or “the zodiac,” caelum (the heavens) and zōdiacus are the closest fits.

How to write your zodiac sign in Latin (for tattoos and more)

Because the sign names are already Latin, writing yours is simple — but there’s a choice worth understanding. The plain name is the nominative: Leo. “Of the Lion” is the genitive: Leōnis. The genitive is what appears in real star names (Alpha Leōnis, Alpha Scorpiī) and in the phrase most people actually want inked:

sub signō [genitive] — “under the sign of…”

• Aries → sub signo Arietis
• Taurus → sub signo Tauri
• Gemini → sub signo Geminorum
• Cancer → sub signo Cancri
• Leo → sub signo Leonis
• Virgo → sub signo Virginis
• Libra → sub signo Librae
• Scorpio → sub signo Scorpii
• Sagittarius → sub signo Sagittarii
• Capricorn → sub signo Capricorni
• Aquarius → sub signo Aquarii
• Pisces → sub signo Piscium

For a tattoo, it’s worth having a Latin reader check the final wording before it goes on skin.

A few other Latin star words worth knowing: stella (star), astrum (star or constellation), sōl (sun), lūna (moon), caelum (the heavens), and astrologia (astrology).

Frequently asked questions