Have you ever wondered why your Gemini friend is actually quite moody and sensitive, or why your Leo mom would rather clean house than party? Or maybe you don’t relate very much to what your own zodiac sign is supposed be like?

There are many reasons for this – astrology charts are highly complex, and it’s not unusual for other factors to outweigh the Sun sign – but one reason could be that you were perhaps born ‘on the cusp’.

What Does It Mean to be Born on the Cusp?

The Sun spends an average of 30 days in each zodiac sign before moving on to the next zodiac sign. The exact date on which it changes sign can vary from year to year.

To be born on the cusp means that you were born close to the time when the Sun changed zodiac signs, so either very early in your zodiac sign or very late.

For example, if you were born on April 19th, we might say that you were born on the Aries-Taurus cusp, because although you are ‘an Aries’, you were born only a day or two before the Sun moves into Taurus.

Likewise, if you were born on, say, September 24th, we might say that you were born on the Virgo-Libra cusp, because although you are ‘a Libra’, you were born only a day or two after the Sun moved on from Virgo.

Do You Have Two Sun Signs If You’re Born on the Cusp?

No.

Nobody has two Sun signs.

There is always an actual exact moment of time when the Sun leaves one sign and enters another. If you were born one minute before the Sun leaves Aquarius, then you’re an Aquarius Sun sign. If you were born one minute afterwards, then you’re a Pisces Sun sign. Technically, it’s as simple as that, assuming you know your birth time.

However, it’s commonly thought that people born on the cusp blend characteristics from the two zodiac signs involved. Many astrologers feel that as the Sun prepares to leave one sign and enter another, that first sign’s expression starts to wane as the next sign’ expression starts to increase, which is what would cause any blending of personality traits from the two signs.

There is some anecdotal evidence for this, but there are also other explanations. For one thing, Mercury is always either in the same sign as your Sun or in one of the signs on either side of your Sun sign. So, if you were born at the very end of Taurus with Mercury also in Taurus, you’ll probably feel more strongly Taurus than Gemini. If, however you were born at the end of Taurus and Mercury is in Gemini, you may well feel more Gemini.

Whether it’s a blending of Sun sign energy or the influence of Mercury, what really matters is how someone born on the cusp may think, feel and behave, right?

So, let’s have a look at the twelve cusp combinations and see how they might affect our personalities:

Born on the Aries-Taurus Cusp
You are a blend of fire and earth, which means you can get the best of both worlds – inspiration and passion blended with common sense and purpose. You retain the quick action of Aries but you’re less impulsive than a ‘normal’ Aries person, basing your fast actions on methodical logic rather than a whim. You’re also less quick to anger than a typical Aries, but more likely to play it safe in life too.

Born on the Taurus-Gemini Cusp
You are a blend of earth and air, so you find it quite easy to manifest your highly creative ideas into reality. You retain the strong work ethic and dependability of Taurus, but you also add the quick-thinking and curiosity of Taurus, making you a very able student. It’s easy for your Taurus side to get stuck in a rut, and your Gemini side bores easily too, so hobbies and interests will be important.

Born on the Gemini-Cancer Cusp
You are a blend of air and water, so your outward friendliness probably hides a deeper and more emotional streak. You retain Gemini’s quick and lively mind, but the over-active imagination of Cancer does tend to turn you into a worrier. Your blend of head and heart is enviable, but your moodiness can be a problem both for you and your loved ones. Clever and strategic, you probably have a strong head for business.

Born on the Cancer-Leo Cusp
You are a blend of water and fire, which means that your strong emotions can sometimes get the better of you and self-doubt can limit your passion and enthusiasm at times. Nevertheless, your Cancer moodiness is enlivened by Leo’s joviality and warmth and overall you are a very positive person. Quite traditional and with a strong sense of family, you are one of the most loyal people around.

Born on the Leo-Virgo Cusp
You are a blend of fire and earth, which means that you can apply logic, analysis and business skills to your brilliant creativity – you’d make a highly successful artist. You retain the showmanship and larger than life personality of Leo, but you blend this with a fantastic eye for detail. Watch out for a tendency to be bossy or dogmatic though, because both these signs think they know better than anyone else!

Born on the Virgo-Libra Cusp
You are a blend of earth and air, so you find it easy to direct and lead others, having a great combination of communication skills and practical, hands-on abilities. You retain Virgo’s excellent organizational skills and strong sense of duty, but you also know how to relax so you’re less uptight than the average Virgo. Creative hobbies bring you a great deal of joy and you have strong artistic leanings.

Born on the Libra-Scorpio Cusp
You are a blend of air and water, which means that you can stop emotional overwhelm in its tracks by using your logical and analytical skills. You’re a great person to be around in a crisis, because you blend the sympathy and kindness of Libra with the inner steel and resourcefulness of Scorpio. You can become overly fixated on a relationship, however, and you have inherited Scorpio’s vengeful streak in that regard.

Born on the Scorpio-Sagittarius Cusp
You are a blend of water and fire, giving you enormous emotional depth and an exceptional level of imagination and creativity. You retain Scorpio’s intensity – and temper! – but you add the Sagittarian lack of tact into the mix; you’re not an easy person to be around when you’re angry! Nevertheless, you are a tireless warrior for the truth, and you can be a very powerful advocate for what you believe in.

Born on the Sagittarius-Capricorn Cusp
You are a blend of fire and earth, which means that you have excellent skills for coping under pressure. You retain the optimism and free-spirited nature of Sagittarius, but you blend this with a respect for traditions. You can work extremely hard when you’re inspired to do so, and the best way for you to relax is to enjoy the great outdoors. Getting close to nature brings out the best in you.

Born on the Capricorn-Aquarius Cusp
You are a blend of earth and air, so you are able to combine extraordinary vision with a grasp of the tiny details needed to execute that vision. Ethics and equality are very important to you, but you retain Capricorn’s ambition and drive. You very much want to succeed, but you’ll want to do so in a field where you can make a difference to the lives of others.

Born on the Aquarius-Pisces Cusp
You are a blend of air and water, giving you a very spiritual core and a need to question and seek the truth. You retain the independence and autonomy of Aquarius, but you understand that there are ways and means of getting what you want without hurting others, using your Piscean sensitivity and compassion. Spiritual growth is important to you and you seek solutions to the world’s ills.

Born on the Pisces-Aries Cusp
You are a blend of water and fire, so you are highly sensual, blending an idealistic, romantic nature with strong passion and burning desires. You retain the ethereal, other-worldly nature of Pisces but you blend this with Aries ambition and drive – you could be a very successful therapist, spiritual teacher or writer. Your Aries side is highly impulsive – thankfully, your Piscean intuition rarely lets you down.