Aquarius is the eleventh sign of the zodiac and one of the quirkiest of all signs. Planets in Aquarius express their energy from a distance and rather coolly, but always with great humanity. Aquarius planets want what’s best for the greater good, and to a great extent so does the Aquarius personality when Aquarius is the Sun sign.

Key Facts About Aquarius

Symbol: Water-Bearer
Element: Air
Quality: Fixed
Ruling Planet: Uranus and Ancient Ruler: Saturn
Traditional Color: Turquoise
Traditional Gemstone: Aquamarine or Turquoise

Energy Expression Keywords: independent, aloof, quirky, detached, humane, inventive, original, brilliant, unpredictable, unemotional

Aquarius Sun Sign Personality Traits

Aquarius Sun sign people do their own thing and absolutely refuse to be categorized or put into a box of any kind. Hugely independent and self-sufficient, this zodiac sign works well alone and really doesn’t need other people all that much. All air signs are somewhat emotionally aloof, but Aquarius people take this to a new level, and this is the most emotionally detached of all zodiac signs.

That is not to say that Aquarius is unkind or unsympathetic – far from it. Friendly and loyal, Aquarius people make great friends. They do care, but they care in a visionary, humanitarian way, for the greater good, rather than necessarily on the individual or personal level most of us are more used to.

Deeply original, Aquarius people are inventive by nature and intellectual too. When their innovative minds are working at full speed, there’s more than a touch of genius within this quirky zodiac sign. Aquarius is a fixed sign, however, and stubbornness is an Aquarius trait through and through. Dogmatism can become a problem, because although Aquarius people are generally open-minded, they do tend to believe that their way is the One True Way.

The ruling planet, Uranus, is to thank for the Aquarius’ unpredictability, which is another key sign of this trait. Some would go so far as to call them perverse – not in any deviant sexual way, but in terms of sometimes going against their own best interests, or against the obvious, just because.

Nonetheless, this much misunderstood zodiac sign is probably the most humanitarian of all signs, reminding all of us of a common decency within us. Always ready to help and often light years ahead of their time in terms of solutions, Aquarius people are true visionaries.

Aquarius in Love

The Aquarius Sun sign in love is loyal and supportive, but outwardly emotionally cool. This is not a highly demonstrative zodiac sign, nor a particularly highly sexed one – but Aquarius people do intensely value intellectual rapport and will fall in love with your mind rather than your body.

Emotions and feelings can seem alien to the highly logical Aquarian brain, so relationships sometimes struggle if the Aquarius partner can’t or doesn’t want to express their emotions freely. Often accused of being detached or distant, Aquarius people simply love in a different way. Hugely independent, they may never choose to settle down in a traditional committed relationship – indeed, offbeat, unusual or risqué relationship setups are very Aquarian. Think progressive.

When dating, the Aquarius personality will try to appeal to your intellect, choosing destinations like museums or galleries, or a thought-provoking movie. If you’re dating an Aquarius, however, don’t try to get too close too fast. This zodiac sign fiercely protects its privacy and space, and they won’t let you in until they’re ready.

Once in love and in a relationship, the Aquarius personality will always need to maintain their own independence within a relationship. If you love an Aquarius, you’re going to have to allow them space, period.

Best Aquarius Compatibility

Aquarius love compatibility is strong with the other two air signs, Gemini and Libra. Aquarius people can often be compatible with the fire signs too, which are Aries, Leo and Sagittarius. At first glance you might think that the passion of the fire signs is at odds with Aquarius aloofness but in fact Aquarius responds well to the fire signs’ sense of purpose. In return, the fire signs are content to let Aquarius be Aquarius; they are self-confident enough to cope with the aloofness.

Less great is Aquarius compatibility with Cancer and Virgo. Cancer’s neediness is a complete turn-off for independent Aquarius, while Cancer considers Aquarius to be stuck-up and cold. With Virgo, both signs share a strong intellectual connection, but there simply isn’t enough emotional warmth to last the distance.

Of course, this comes with the normal caveat that compatibility cannot be judged by Sun signs alone.

Aquarius at Work

Aquarius doesn’t do rules and regulations, which means that they may struggle in many of the more traditional and conservative working roles. Their detached natures, analytical skills and strong technical bent do however make them a shoo-in for scientific and tech careers, especially in start-up situations where they have free reign to innovate.

As a boss, Aquarius certainly as vision and flair, but they may be just too business-like at times, not really interested in – or making allowances for – the personal lives of employees. As an employee, Aquarius is likely to be a rebel. Whether that’s a rebel with a cause who can take the business to new heights, or simply a dissatisfied troublemaker, depends entirely on the situation.

Great career choices for the Aquarius personality include the sciences, as mentioned above. They also do well with anything which helps humanity, such as environmental projects, social work, and charitable work. This is a zodiac sign which is motivated by success for success’ own sake: Aquarius doesn’t particularly care about the accompanying financial rewards.

An Aquarius in the Family

Aquarius Children

Aquarius children are enormously independent and will probably be walking, talking and exploring at a very early age. Sometimes quite oppositional when young, Aquarius kids do have trouble accepting discipline – the best way is to explain exactly why a rule is in place and to appeal to their logic and their innate kindness towards others.

At school, the Aquarius child is likely to be quite rebellious, but possibly quite brilliant too. Math, science and innovative subjects will capture their attention early on, but they will make no secret of their boredom with any subject which doesn’t appeal.

Aquarius kids are naturally friendly, but because they tend to stand out from the crowd, they can easily become a target for bullying. Helping a young Aquarius to ‘own’ their individuality is one of the most positive things a parent can do for them.

Aquarius Parent

As a parent, Aquarius people are unconventional and freedom encouraging. They don’t like imposing discipline on kids, but it’s important for the Aquarius parent to understand that their child may be the type who needs those boundaries in order to feel secure.

Aquarius Health

Traditionally, Aquarius as a zodiac sign rules the ankles and the circulation; it’s especially important for Aquarius people to stay warm in order to avoid circulation issues. Aquarius is a winter sign, in the northern hemisphere at least, and winter sports appeal to their sense of freedom and adventure. Hiking and sailing are also strong draws for the Aquarius who likes to be alone – all of these are great exercise which should help to keep the Aquarius personality physically well.

Mental health in Aquarius is generally good, but trouble with expressing the emotions can sometimes lead to unpredictable outbursts. For best mental health, this zodiac sign should find a creative outlet of some kind which allows them to ‘safely’ express whatever it is that they find so difficult to say.