What Are the Personality Traits of a Leo? A Complete Guide to the Zodiac Sign

Astrologer Chris Corsini says Leos are “fierce,” but have a cuddly side

Leo is ruled by the sun and as one of two luminaries in the zodiac, this sign was born to shine.

Representing the mid-summer months, Leos are known for their love of being the center of attention. “They bring a really strong energy ... because the sun is connected to them,” psychic and artist Chris Corsini tells PEOPLE. The tarot reader uses American Sign Language to make astrology more inclusive for his nearly 80,000 YouTube subscribers.

“When a Leo walks into a room, you can feel that,” he says, adding, “You’re not gonna miss the sun.”

Related: Your Zodiac Sign, Explained: What It Means for Your Personality and Who You're Compatible With

In addition to its ruling luminary, Corsini says Leo’s personality is affected by its element. “It’s a very fierce sign because it’s ruled by fire,” he says. “[They’re] fiercely protective of the ones that they love or the things that they love.”

And should you cross them? Just like the lion that serves as their astrological symbol, “The claws are gonna come out,” Corsini says. “They’re not gonna be afraid to roar.”

Here's everything to know about Leo's dates, personality traits and compatibilities.

What are the Leo dates for 2024?

While the timeline for 2024’s Leo season begins around July 22 and runs through roughly August 22, Corsini points out that nailing down exact dates for a sign’s season can be tricky, since the time, and even the day, can vary by your geographic location.

“The reason it would change is the same reason we have a progressed chart,” he explains. A progressed chart is an astrological tool that determines how far each planet has moved from its original spot on your birth chart each year.

“It’s transient,” Corsini adds.

What are Leo's key personality traits?

For all of Leo’s bravado, Corsini says the sign has some gentler, more nurturing qualities, too. “[They have] a very soft and cuddly side, just like any large cat would,” he says. Also catlike is their carefree temperament, which the astrology expert refers to as a kind of “Simba energy.”

“He’s excited, he’s playful, he’s running around,” Corsini recalls of the famous Disney lion. “That energy can be depicted by Leo.” Take, for instance, Leo’s work ethic: “Leo wants to work a little bit and rest a lot and enjoy life,” Corsini says.

With a penchant for the finer things the world has to offer them (“Good food, good sex, good vacations," Corsini says.), Leo is a glass-half-full kind of sign who prefers to look at the bright side of things. “Leo can see the best in people, sometimes when they don’t deserve it,” Corsini says.

As such, they’re extremely dependable friends and partners. As Corsini points out, theirs is a fixed modality, which is all about preserving the status quo in astrology. “It’s very loyal, very committed,” he says, noting that Leo can go so far as to be “stuck in its ways.”

What zodiac signs are most and least compatible with Leos?

As Corsini points out, Leos will ultimately gravitate toward someone who is outwardly perceived as “amazing.” After all, “the partner is an extension of themselves.”

When it comes to romantic options for Leos Corsini cites the signs of Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Leo and Sagittarius as potentially great partners.

As he explains, there are certain astrological aspects, or angles, that are accordant with the lion’s position in the sky. “Leo and Aries are trining each other,” Corsini says, explaining that a trine is a “very supportive” aspect. A pairing between these two fire signs will be “very organic,” he says, adding, “It’ll be very playful, very passionate.”

Also trining Leo is Sagittarius. Corsini explains: “This is very fun, this is easy, this is [a] fire [element], for both signs, [so] it’s passionate.” As for Gemini and Libra, they both make a sextile with Leo, which Corsini describes as a “harmonious aspect.”

“I like the combination of Leo and Gemini,” he says. “Gemini is a mutable air sign. Mutable air is always moving, it’s like wind, and if you think about fanning a fire, it gets bigger and bigger,” he reasons. “It creates a lot of heat, and it can expand in a lot of ways.”

Leos, too, have great potential for love with Libras. “They’re both really into romance, they both love to be wined and dined, they’re both into luxury and lifestyle,” Corsini says. In addition to their surface-level commonalities, these signs are also aligned on “caring for people and making sure everyone’s taken care of. I really like a Leo/Libra combination,” he adds.

Signs with matching modalities to the Leo, like Taurus and fellow Leos, can also live in harmony. “The Leo and Taurus mix could be nice, because they’re both fixed energies, so they’re going to be really well bonded. They’re going to be very loyal to each other,” Corsini says. “Leo and Leo is also great ... if they’re on the same page.”

While two Leos can morph into what Corsini calls “super rivals” if they butt heads (“You can’t really have two kings,” he says.), their pairing can also result in the birth of a power couple. “They’ll both like to shine together.”

In general, Corsini says there are several zodiac signs that Leos should steer clear of when choosing a partner: namely, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn and Aquarius.

Just like some aspects can make for a more congruent match, others, like Leo and Scorpio, which square each other, can make for a more contentious one. “A square is never nice because it’s a 90-degree angle that creates a lot of tension and a lot of friction,” Corsini shares.

He also points to their elements of fire and water. “[If] you’re thinking about ... trying to light a fire on ice, it just has a lot of ... drama and intensity,” Corsini says, adding, “I ... feel like this could be very toxic.” Aquarius is in direct opposition to Leo in the zodiac, leading Corsini to find this potential connection “problematic.”

“Leo is very ‘me’ and Aquarius is very ‘us’ and ‘we’ and ‘community,’ " he says. “It just doesn’t work.”

Earth is another element Corsini doesn’t love for fire signs like Leo. “Earth and fire don’t really blend that well,” he says. Signs with this element, like Virgo and Capricorn, struggle to connect to the lion. “Leo and Virgo can be bumpy for sure,” says Corsini. “They’re gonna see things in an entirely different way.”

According to the astrology expert, they can also be at odds in the communication department. “[You’ve] gotta watch your words around a Leo and ... a Virgo,” Corsini warns, noting, “Both of them can be very sharp, so if the sharp side comes out ... It’s just going to be a mess.”

In addition to their opposing elements, Corsini says the showy Leo and the more reserved Capricorn have what astrologers call a quincunx, which occurs when two planets are 150 degrees apart, making them very different. “It’s an awkward setup. I feel like they don’t understand each other the way that you would want to understand a partner,” he says. “There’s a lot of clashing there.”

Which celebrities are Leo?

When it comes to celebrity Leos, no one embodies the sign more than Meghan Markle, who was born on Aug. 4, 1981. “That Markle Sparkle that everyone talks about, that’s just a natural innate thing, because she’s got that Leo energy,” Corsini explains.

The Wheelhouse founder also points to one of the original female popstars, Madonna, born Aug. 16, 1958. “She’s a huge star, she doesn’t [care] what people think of her, she’s a leader [and] she really ... believes in herself, which is a huge Leo quality,” Corsini points out.

Rounding out the list of quintessential Leo women is Kylie Jenner (born Aug. 10, 1997), who Corsini says embodies the protective qualities the sign is known for. “She’s ... super protective of her family, she’s super protective of her sisters ... and then she’s got her kids ... which is like having her own little cubs," he explains.

As for male Leos, Corsini names Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe (born July 23, 1989) as a shining example. “Not only is Daniel Radcliffe quite literally a Leo, the character [of Harry] ... that he’s most famous for also ... has that energy,” he says. “He was the star of the entire show.”

What is Leo's horoscope for 2024?

2024 is going to be a big year of change and metamorphosis for Leos, according to Corsini. “Pluto is gonna move through Aquarius, and Aquarius is their opposition,” he says. “There’s gonna be tension there, there’s gonna be a lot of pressure building there, and that pressure is going to be forcing them to show up in a new way.”

Per Corsini, the biggest changes for Leos will be present in their social groups, values and the things they want from partnerships, be they romantic, friendly or otherwise. “Aquarius is the seventh house, which is the house that rules partnerships,” he explains, asking, “Who are you in these relationships and who have you been in these relationships?”

There are several other astrological factors that will affect Leo’s year, bringing up "points of fate and destiny.”

“When we’re looking at the south node in Libra, [Leos are] really supported in taking off any masks that they’ve been wearing to ... water themselves down for other people’s comfort," Corsini says.

He adds that 2024's astrological environment will ensure that any relationships, projects or investments that have been holding Leo back are released to make way for a more authentic reality. “[Leo] can use this trine, which is a very supportive energy” to “stand in their power and create new boundaries," Corsini explains.

According to the energy reader, that new character will naturally attract new connections in romance, friendships and work for Leos. “[They’ll] be shining in a new way, so it will attract people,” he says. “Everybody who is aligned with the new authenticity will just naturally come into place.”

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