August is split between two zodiac signs: Leo, which runs from the start of the month through August 22, and Virgo, which takes over from August 23 through the end of August. Leo is a bold, expressive Fire sign ruled by the Sun; Virgo is a practical, detail-oriented Earth sign ruled by Mercury. Anyone born between roughly August 18 and August 24 falls on the Leo-Virgo cusp, where the exact sign depends on the year and time of birth.
Below is the exact date breakdown, a side-by-side comparison of the two signs, and what the cusp actually means if your birthday lands in that window.
Which Zodiac Sign Is August?
Quick answer: early August is Leo, late August is Virgo.
|
Zodiac Sign |
Dates in August |
Element |
Ruling Planet |
|
Leo ♌ |
August 1–22 |
Fire |
Sun |
|
Virgo ♍ |
August 23–31 |
Earth |
Mercury |
Leo's full range extends from July 23 to August 22, so anyone born in the first three weeks of August is a Leo regardless of where the month started. Virgo's full range runs August 23 to September 22, so the last third of August belongs entirely to Virgo.
Leo vs. Virgo: August Zodiac Traits
The two halves of August produce very different personalities, since Fire and Earth signs approach life from opposite directions — one leads with expression, the other with precision.
|
Category |
Leo (August 1–22) |
Virgo (August 23–31) |
|
Quality |
Fixed |
Mutable |
|
Core focus |
Recognition, creativity, leadership, self-expression |
Work, organization, service, self-improvement |
|
Strengths |
Confident, generous, warm, driven |
Analytical, reliable, hardworking, observant |
|
Challenges |
Can be stubborn or need constant validation |
Can be overly critical, of themselves or others |
|
Traditionally compatible with |
Aries, Sagittarius |
Taurus, Capricorn |
These are general tendencies used in popular astrology, not fixed rules — two people born a week apart in the same sign can still turn out very differently.
Born Between August 18–24? The Leo-Virgo Cusp, Explained
If a birthday falls in the last few days of Leo or the first few days of Virgo, it's commonly called being born "on the cusp." In practice, this only describes a feeling of dual influence — a person's Sun sign is always one sign, never both at once, because the Sun occupies exactly one zodiac sign at any given moment.
What makes this window confusing is that the Sun doesn't cross into Virgo at the same moment every year. The exact transition — called the solar ingress — shifts by hours depending on the calendar year, which is why some sources list August 22 as the cutoff and others list August 23. For someone born close to that boundary, the only way to know their actual sign for certain is to check the exact date, time, and location of birth against an ephemeris (or use a birth chart calculator), rather than relying on a general date range.
If the birthday falls clearly within August 18–20 or August 25–31, the sign is essentially certain (Leo and Virgo respectively) — it's only the day or two directly around August 22–23 where the year-to-year shift actually matters.
August Zodiac Sign by Specific Day
- August 1–22: Leo
- August 18–22: Leo, but within the cusp window — check an exact birth chart if born on August 22
- August 23–24: Virgo, but within the cusp window — check an exact birth chart if born on August 23
- August 23–31: Virgo
Famous People Born in August
A mix of well-known Leos and Virgos, by birth date:
- Leo: Barack Obama (August 4), Jennifer Lawrence (August 15), Madonna (August 16), Kylie Jenner (August 10)
- Virgo: Beyoncé (September 4, just outside August but a frequently cited Virgo touchstone), Zendaya (September 1), Blake Lively (August 25), Cameron Diaz (August 30)
Note: birth dates are a matter of public record, but Sun sign alone doesn't capture a person's full astrological profile — that requires a full birth chart.
Frequently Asked Questions
What zodiac signs are in August?
August has two: Leo, from the 1st through the 22nd, and Virgo, from the 23rd through the 31st.
Is August 22 a Leo or a Virgo?
Almost always Leo, since Leo's range extends through August 22 in most years. Because the exact sign change happens at a specific hour rather than at midnight, a small number of August 22 births in certain years can technically fall just after the shift into Virgo — worth checking an exact birth chart if the timing matters.
Is August 23 a Leo or a Virgo?
Almost always Virgo, for the same reason: the ingress date can vary by a day depending on the year.
What is the Leo-Virgo cusp called?
It's sometimes referred to as the "Cusp of Exposure," describing the shift from Leo's outward, expressive nature to Virgo's more reserved, detail-focused one.
What element and planet rule the August zodiac signs?
Leo is a Fire sign ruled by the Sun; Virgo is an Earth sign ruled by Mercury.
