Leo Symbol ♌: The Lion Sign of Simha Rashi

Leo Symbol vs Lion Symbol vs Indian Lion Emblem

Three different things are often called a "lion symbol". Here is how to tell them apart:

The Ashoka lion symbol comes from the Lion Capital at Sarnath. It has four lions standing back to back, so people call it the 4 lion symbol or four lion symbol. In the flat emblem only three lions can be seen from the front, which is why some say 3 lion symbol. Its official use is regulated, so it should not be used as decoration. Read more on our national symbols of India page.

How the ♌ Glyph Draws a Lion

Write ♌ slowly with a pen: a small circle on the left, then a line that rises, arches over and ends in a curl. The circle is often read as the lion's head and the arching curl as its mane or its tail. Some older forms look more like a single swirl of hair.

The shape is easy to mix up with the Greek letter omega (Ω) or with a fancy letter "S". The Leo sign symbol is always open at the bottom right, with that hooked tail.

Simha Rashi Symbol and Its Names

The Simha rashi symbol and the Leo rashi symbol are the same ♌. Names in different languages:

• Sanskrit, Kannada: Simha (so Simha rasi symbol and Simha rashi symbol are both ♌)
• Hindi: Simha or Singh (सिंह); the Singh rashi symbol is also ♌
• Tamil: Simmam (சிம்மம்)
• Telugu: Simham
• Malayalam: Chingam, which is also the first month of the Malayalam calendar, the month of Onam
• Gujarati: Sinh

Leo Dates in Western and Vedic Astrology

Western dates for Leo are about 23 July to 22 August. The Vedic (sidereal) Sun enters Simha around 17 August, on Simha Sankranti, and stays until about 16 September. The gap of about 23 to 24 days is the same for every sign, as you can see on the zodiac symbols page. In Indian practice your rashi is usually your Moon sign, which can be any of the twelve whatever your birth month.

Regulus, Magha and the Nemean Lion

Leo is one of the few constellations that really looks like its animal. A backward question mark of stars, called the Sickle, forms the lion's head and mane. At its base is Regulus, a bright blue-white star. In the Indian nakshatra system, Regulus is linked with Magha.

In Greek myth the lion is the Nemean lion, whose skin could not be cut by weapons. Heracles defeated it as the first of his twelve labours, and the lion was set in the sky.

How to Type ♌ on a Mac and Elsewhere

1. On a Mac, click where you want the symbol.
2. Press Control+Command+Space to open the Character Viewer.
3. Type "Leo" in the search box and double-click ♌.

There is no Mac Option key shortcut and no Windows Alt code for ♌. On Windows, press Win+. and search "Leo". In Word, type 264C then Alt+X. In Google Docs, use Insert, Special characters. On phones, search "leo" or "lion" in the emoji keyboard.

Leo in Astrology Belief, Plus Bio Ideas

Leo is a fire sign and a fixed (sthira) sign, ruled by the Sun (Surya), written ☉. Astrology tradition describes Leo as confident, generous and fond of attention. These are beliefs, not scientific findings. Fellow fire signs are Aries and Sagittarius; the signs around Leo are Cancer and Virgo.

Bio ideas: Aryan ♌ 🦁, ☀️ ♌ born to shine, Simha rashi ♌ | August. Add a crown from our crown symbol page for a royal touch: 👑♌.