Guide

Rashi Names: The 12 Vedic Zodiac Signs Explained

Rashi is the Sanskrit word for zodiac sign, and all 12 rashi names map directly onto the 12 signs used in Western astrology. But "what is my rashi" and "what is my sun sign" do not always have the same answer, and knowing why matters more than the name mapping itself.

The 12 rashi names and their English zodiac sign

Each rashi corresponds to exactly one Western sign, in the same order around the zodiac. The names are Sanskrit, the underlying 30-degree slice of sky is identical.

Mesh = Aries
Vrishabh = Taurus
Mithun = Gemini
Kark (or Karka) = Cancer
Singh = Leo
Kanya = Virgo
Tula = Libra
Vrishchik = Scorpio
Dhanu = Sagittarius
Makar = Capricorn
Kumbh = Aquarius
Meen = Pisces

Why your rashi can differ from your sun sign

In everyday Indian usage, "rashi" usually means Chandra Rashi, your Moon sign, not your Sun sign. Vedic astrology has always treated the Moon's position as central, since it moves fast enough (about one rashi every two to three days) to describe daily mood and timing in a way the Sun cannot. Western astrology defaults to the Sun sign instead. So when someone asks "what is your rashi", they are very often asking for your Moon sign, and the honest answer needs your birth date, time and place, not just your birthday.

A second reason the two can disagree: sidereal vs tropical

Even Sun-sign astrology itself can give a different rashi than a Western horoscope app, because Vedic astrology uses the sidereal zodiac (fixed to the actual constellations, via the Lahiri ayanamsa) while Western astrology uses the tropical zodiac (fixed to the seasons). The two have drifted apart by roughly 24 degrees, which is enough to shift a birthday near the edge of a sign into the previous rashi. Someone born on what a Western app calls "early Aries" can have a Vedic rashi of Meen (Pisces) instead.

How to actually find your rashi

For your Moon-based rashi (the one most people mean), you need your birth date, time and place, since the Moon changes rashi every two to three days. For your Sun-based rashi, your birth date alone is usually enough, though someone born within about a day of a sign boundary should still check the exact time.

Rashi names in daily use

Rashi names are also used to choose a baby's name (the first syllable is often picked to match the birth nakshatra's rashi), and daily "rashifal" (rashi-based predictions) are published for all 12 rashi across Indian newspapers, TV and apps, parallel to how Western media publishes Sun-sign horoscopes.

Frequently asked questions

Is rashi the same as zodiac sign?

Yes, in the sense that each rashi is one of the same 12 zodiac divisions used in Western astrology. The names are Sanskrit rather than Latin/Greek, and the calculation is usually sidereal rather than tropical.

Is my rashi my sun sign or my moon sign?

In everyday Indian usage, "rashi" most often means your Moon sign (Chandra Rashi), not your Sun sign. Ask which one someone means if it matters for the context.

Why did an online rashi calculator give me a different sign than I expected?

Most likely it used the tropical zodiac (Western) instead of the sidereal zodiac (Vedic), which can shift the result by one sign near a birthday close to a sign boundary.

What are all 12 rashi names in order?

Mesh, Vrishabh, Mithun, Kark, Singh, Kanya, Tula, Vrishchik, Dhanu, Makar, Kumbh and Meen — corresponding in order to Aries through Pisces.

Astrology, tarot, numerology and related practices are offered for reflection and entertainment and are not medical, legal or financial advice.