Born in January? Your Chinese Zodiac Sign Is Probably Last Year's Animal

The short answer

The Chinese zodiac year does not start on 1 January. It starts on Lunar New Year, which moves with the moon. The Farmers' Almanac explains that it usually falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, between 21 January and 21 February. In the Lunar New Year table our zodiac checker uses, which covers 1900 to 2060, the earliest date is 21 January and the latest is 20 February.

That gives a simple rule:

• Born 1–20 January: you always belong to the previous year's animal.
• Born 21–31 January: it depends on the year. If Lunar New Year that year fell on or before your birthday, you take the new animal; otherwise the previous one.
• Born in February: it depends on the year too, up to 20 February.

Two examples

Someone born on 15 January 2000 is a Rabbit, not a Dragon: Lunar New Year 2000 was on 5 February 2000, so the Year of the Dragon had not started yet.

Someone born on 28 January 1990 is a Horse: Lunar New Year 1990 fell on 27 January 1990, one day earlier. A baby born on 25 January 1990 is still a Snake.

Years when Lunar New Year fell in January

Only in these years can a January baby have the new year's animal. Born on or after the date shown, you take the new animal; born earlier in January, the previous one. In every other year since 1950, all of January belongs to the previous year's animal.

• 1952: from 27 January 1952 the Dragon; before that, the Rabbit
• 1955: from 24 January 1955 the Goat; before that, the Horse
• 1957: from 31 January 1957 the Rooster; before that, the Monkey
• 1960: from 28 January 1960 the Rat; before that, the Pig
• 1963: from 25 January 1963 the Rabbit; before that, the Tiger
• 1966: from 21 January 1966 the Horse; before that, the Snake
• 1968: from 30 January 1968 the Monkey; before that, the Goat
• 1971: from 27 January 1971 the Pig; before that, the Dog
• 1974: from 23 January 1974 the Tiger; before that, the Ox
• 1976: from 31 January 1976 the Dragon; before that, the Rabbit
• 1979: from 28 January 1979 the Goat; before that, the Horse
• 1982: from 25 January 1982 the Dog; before that, the Rooster
• 1987: from 29 January 1987 the Rabbit; before that, the Tiger
• 1990: from 27 January 1990 the Horse; before that, the Snake
• 1993: from 23 January 1993 the Rooster; before that, the Monkey
• 1995: from 31 January 1995 the Pig; before that, the Dog
• 1998: from 28 January 1998 the Tiger; before that, the Ox
• 2001: from 24 January 2001 the Snake; before that, the Dragon
• 2004: from 22 January 2004 the Monkey; before that, the Goat
• 2006: from 29 January 2006 the Dog; before that, the Rooster
• 2009: from 26 January 2009 the Ox; before that, the Rat
• 2012: from 23 January 2012 the Dragon; before that, the Rabbit
• 2014: from 31 January 2014 the Horse; before that, the Snake
• 2017: from 28 January 2017 the Rooster; before that, the Monkey
• 2020: from 25 January 2020 the Rat; before that, the Pig
• 2023: from 22 January 2023 the Rabbit; before that, the Tiger
• 2025: from 29 January 2025 the Snake; before that, the Dragon
• 2028: from 26 January 2028 the Monkey; before that, the Goat

What about Spring Commences (Lichun)?

Some astrologers count the zodiac year from the solar term Lichun, Spring Commences, instead of from Lunar New Year. Wikipedia's article on the sexagenary cycle notes this difference. Lichun falls around 4 February; the Hong Kong Observatory places it on 4 February in 2027.

For January birthdays this changes nothing: January is always before Lichun, so by that method too, everyone born in January belongs to the previous year's animal. The two methods only disagree for some birthdays in late January and early February. Our site follows Lunar New Year, the common everyday method.

And the Khmer animal year?

In Cambodia there is a third answer. The Khmer animal year changes at Khmer New Year in mid-April, so by the Khmer count everyone born between January and mid-April also belongs to the previous animal. Our guide to Khmer New Year and the animal year explains why.

Check your own date

The quickest way is to enter your birth date in our zodiac sign checker. It applies the exact Lunar New Year date for every year from 1900 to 2060, and also shows your element, lucky colors and lucky numbers.

Frequently asked questions

What is my Chinese zodiac if I was born in January?

Most likely the previous year's animal. The zodiac year starts at Lunar New Year, between 21 January and 20 February, so anyone born 1–20 January belongs to the previous year's animal, and late-January birthdays depend on the year.

I was born on 25 January 1990. Am I a Horse or a Snake?

A Snake. Lunar New Year 1990 fell on 27 January 1990, so the Year of the Horse started two days after your birthday.

When does the Chinese zodiac year start?

On Lunar New Year, which falls between 21 January and 20 February. In 2027 it is 6 February, when the Year of the Goat begins.

Is anyone born in January 2027 a Goat?

No. Lunar New Year 2027 is on 6 February, so babies born in January 2027 are Horses.

Sources and further reading

• Farmers' Almanac: “When Is Lunar New Year 2027? Year of the Goat” — Lunar New Year usually falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, between 21 January and 21 February.
• Hong Kong Observatory: Gregorian-Lunar Calendar Conversion Table of 2027 — 2027 is the Ding-wei year of the Goat; the first lunar month begins on 6 February 2027 and Spring Commences (Lichun) falls on 4 February.
• Wikipedia: “Sexagenary cycle” — the ten stems and twelve branches, the sixty-year cycle, and the note that the calendar year changes at Lunar New Year while astrology often counts from Lichun.
• Hong Kong Observatory: “Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches” — the 60-part Gan-Zhi cycle and its use for counting years, months, days and hours.
• Britannica: Chinese zodiac — the zodiac as a classification of years in a repeating twelve-year cycle.

Traditional Chinese zodiac reading for culture and entertainment, not a scientific prediction. Dates follow the published calendars cited above and the Lunar New Year table used by our zodiac checker.