What is the Leo Personality Type?

If you were born between July 23rd and August 22nd, your zodiac sign is Leo. As the fifth sign of the zodiac and a fixed fire sign, Leos are known for being bold, intelligent and confident. But their most notorious trait is their high self-esteem or “ego,” which can make them come across as arrogant at times. 

But before you make assumptions, let’s be clear: Leos are much more than their Lion-like pride and swagger. To gain a deeper understanding of this complex sign, here are Leo's most common traits.

Leos are generous and loyal to loved ones

Brave Leos, who need a lot of praise and attention, can come off as pretentious. But when it comes down to it, these zodiac types are generous when they care about someone. Leos offer plenty of verbal encouragement to their loved ones and they also pay for dinners to show their appreciation. Leos show love through both actions and words.

Although Leos have a reputation for getting bored in romantic relationships, they are loyal to their loved ones when they’re in reciprocal relationships. Leos are ruled by the sun, which never goes into retrograde. So, their constancy and stability are something you can count on — unless a Leo feels threatened by your success. Leos want to be the star, and partners must make them feel appreciated and seen or they’ll start to drift away. These traits have helped earn Leo the title of one of the most hated zodiac signs. But a healthy Leo can learn to overcome their fear of losing the limelight and share it with their partner instead.

Their confident nature leads them to seek the spotlight

That Leos love the spotlight is an understatement! Most Leos are extraverted, which means they have no problem talking themselves up to co-workers, higher-ups and dates. Leos are vivacious and gregarious to the point of being theatrical, so it’s only natural these types find themselves the center of attention.

While a Leo is the first to congratulate themselves on a success (false humility is for the birds, right?), they aren’t afraid to step up and get down to business. Leos are hardworking and do well in careers with high demands and even higher payoffs. They are strong, natural leaders, and their stubborn streak helps them stay focused as they climb to the top.

Determined, passionate and ambitious: Leo strives to make waves.

As a fixed sign, Leos are stubborn, so they often push themselves to achieve their goals. Leos don’t give up when the going gets tough. When an ambitious Leo reaches a goal, they look to their next stepping stone and keep moving on.

The word “rejection” doesn’t suit Leo’s vocabulary. Instead, they see failure as a means to success and prefer to face their life with strong optimism. They will succeed and keep on succeeding. Leo’s fearless pursuit of what they want out of life is as brave as the king of the jungle.

Leos are all about straightforward honesty and fairness

Although Leos may seem like mythical beings who walk into a room and light it up, their confidence isn't false. Leos dislike inauthentic people and don't take up lying as a sport. This type prizes fairness and doesn’t like when life or people are unjust.

Leos may use their charm to schmooze their bosses, but whatever compliments they hand out, they mean. For Leos, honesty is the best policy and they condemn others who lie and cheat to get somewhere in life. Thus, a Leo’s language is often blunt — if someone asks for their opinion, a Leo isn’t afraid to deliver it in detail. 

Sometimes, ego gets in the way

While a Leo’s confidence can win them jobs, relationships and money, it can also be a problem when left unchecked. Leos have a hard time taking necessary criticism, especially when it comes from someone they don’t know very well such as a new boss. They may ignore the criticism and make excuses instead. 

In a sour mood, Leos can become inflexible and arrogant, denying their mistakes and only seeing what they did right. They may also become withdrawn and sulk if they feel someone has attacked their ego. A Leo with hurt pride isn’t a pretty picture, but if Leos can learn to take criticism and not make things personal, they’ll be much stronger for it. 

Which of the 16 personalities is a Leo most likely to be? 

If you’re a Leo personality type, you may share some commonalities with several personality types in the 16-type system. The most fitting, however, is likely the ESFP, with ENTJ, ENFJ and ENFP also in the running. Here’s why. 

Most Leos are extraverted, which is probably why every type you’ll see paired up with a Leo is an Extravert type. However, how a Leo collects information (Sensing or iNtuition) can vary and Leos can easily fall into either type. As a rule, Leos are more Perceiving than Judging – they prefer to stay spontaneous in their lives than methodically planned and organized. And they potentially are more Feeling than Thinking, in the sense that Leos lead from the heart. In fact, they are known as one of the most emotional signs of the zodiac.   

Like ESFP, most Leos like to entertain, gather information via facts rather than abstractions and are generous and warm with their loved ones. They also lead unconventional and unstructured lives. The Leos I know prefer work that varies a lot, is unpredictable, and takes them to different locations rather than a 9-to-5 desk job.

Which Enneagram is a Leo most likely to be?

Most Leos are ambitious leaders who strive for success, which suggests they are most likely to be an Enneagram Type 3 “The Achiever.” Achievers have a deep fear of being “insignificant” or a “failure,” which aligns with Leo’s confident, ego-driven desire to be the best and be appreciated for their efforts. Because they fear failure, they seek reassurance that they’re of value. Leos are motivated by a need for attention and admiration, so they push themselves to be as successful as possible. 

Fun fact: famous Leos who are Enneagram Type 3s include Meghan Markle and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Bear in mind that, if you’re a Leo, you may be any combination of the Enneagram or 16-types. No one person is identical.

The leader lion: the Leo personality is bold, brave and unyielding

An ode to Leo: you’re creative, ambitious, enthusiastic and the life of the party. You light up the room when you walk into it, and you make a lot of people laugh. Although most people point to your “ego” as your number one attribute, you’re much more than your confidence. Leos are caring and supportive friends and partners who live their life seeking success, honesty and fun, and they won’t let others keep them down. 

Optimism and success are the only paths for these courageous types, so it’s no surprise there are a lot of powerful Leos in the world. Cheers to the world’s lions!