Year of the Goat
Gentle, creative, compassionate. Years, personality, love, work and compatibility of the Goat.
The Goat is the eighth sign. In English it is also called the Sheep or the Ram, because the Chinese character can mean any of the three, and each name is used on different sites.
Quick answer. You are a Goat if you were born in 2003, 2015, 2027, 2039 or any other year in the cycle (every 12 years), from that year’s Chinese New Year to the day before the next one. The latest Goat year began on 6 February 2027 and ended on 25 January 2028.
| Order in the zodiac | 8 of 12 |
| Earthly branch | Wei |
| Own element and polarity | Earth, yin |
| Recent years | 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027, 2039 |
| Harmonious with | Rabbit, Pig, Horse |
| Challenging with | Ox, Rat |
| Lucky numbers (traditional) | 3, 4, 9 |
| Lucky colours (traditional) | brown, red, purple |
Find your Chinese zodiac sign
Goat years: are you a Goat?
You are a Goat if you were born in a Goat year, from its Chinese New Year to the day before the next. Recent Goat years are 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027, 2039. The table lists every Goat year from 1900 to 2100 with its exact dates. A January or early February birthday often belongs to the previous animal: Chinese New Year in 2027 was on 6 February 2027, for instance, so anyone born earlier that January was a Horse.
| Year | Sign | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1907 | Fire Goat | 13 February 1907 | 1 February 1908 |
| 1919 | Earth Goat | 1 February 1919 | 19 February 1920 |
| 1931 | Metal Goat | 17 February 1931 | 5 February 1932 |
| 1943 | Water Goat | 5 February 1943 | 24 January 1944 |
| 1955 | Wood Goat | 24 January 1955 | 11 February 1956 |
| 1967 | Fire Goat | 9 February 1967 | 29 January 1968 |
| 1979 | Earth Goat | 28 January 1979 | 15 February 1980 |
| 1991 | Metal Goat | 15 February 1991 | 3 February 1992 |
| 2003 | Water Goat | 1 February 2003 | 21 January 2004 |
| 2015 | Wood Goat | 19 February 2015 | 7 February 2016 |
| 2027 | Fire Goat | 6 February 2027 | 25 January 2028 |
| 2039 | Earth Goat | 24 January 2039 | 11 February 2040 |
| 2051 | Metal Goat | 11 February 2051 | 31 January 2052 |
| 2063 | Water Goat | 29 January 2063 | 16 February 2064 |
| 2075 | Wood Goat | 15 February 2075 | 4 February 2076 |
| 2087 | Fire Goat | 3 February 2087 | 23 January 2088 |
| 2099 | Earth Goat | 21 January 2099 | 8 February 2100 |
Check a birth year
Goat age chart for 2027
How old are people born in Goat years in 2027? The age depends on the birthday, so each row gives two ages: the lower one if the birthday in 2027 has not yet come, and the higher one after it.
| Year | Sign | Chinese year | Age in 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 | Water Goat | 5 February 1943 – 24 January 1944 | 83 or 84 |
| 1955 | Wood Goat | 24 January 1955 – 11 February 1956 | 71 or 72 |
| 1967 | Fire Goat | 9 February 1967 – 29 January 1968 | 59 or 60 |
| 1979 | Earth Goat | 28 January 1979 – 15 February 1980 | 47 or 48 |
| 1991 | Metal Goat | 15 February 1991 – 3 February 1992 | 35 or 36 |
| 2003 | Water Goat | 1 February 2003 – 21 January 2004 | 23 or 24 |
| 2015 | Wood Goat | 19 February 2015 – 7 February 2016 | 11 or 12 |
| 2027 | Fire Goat | 6 February 2027 – 25 January 2028 | -1 or 0 |
The legend of the Goat
In the Great Race, the Goat is said to have crossed the river with the Monkey and the Rooster, helping each other on a raft. Many tellings use this to show the Goat's cooperative, peaceful nature.
Goat personality
Goats are traditionally described as gentle, creative and kind. They are compassionate, love beauty and prefer harmony to conflict. They tend to be shy at first, can be indecisive, and are said to need security and support to do their best work.
Strengths
- Kindness and compassion
- Creativity and imagination
- Peacefulness and tact
- Patience
- A feel for beauty and comfort
Weaknesses
- Indecision
- Pessimism and worry
- Reliance on others
- Sensitivity to stress and criticism
Goat at home and in the family
At home the Goat is described as a gentle, caring presence who creates a warm and beautiful place. Goat parents are thought to be kind and patient, and to need support to cope with pressure.
Goat as a friend
As a friend the Goat is kind, sympathetic and good at making people feel at ease. Tradition says Goats are loyal to those who are gentle with them and can become withdrawn if criticised.
Goat in love and relationships
In love, the Goat is described as caring, romantic and loyal. It needs reassurance and a calm home. The usual friction is insecurity, as a Goat can take small things to heart. Tradition suggests partners who are patient, supportive and verbally warm.
Goat career and work style
Traditional descriptions place the Goat in creative and caring careers: the arts, design, teaching, healthcare, counselling, hospitality and charity. Goats are said to do best in a harmonious team and to dislike pressure and deadlines.
In a team the Goat is described as the creative and supportive member who values harmony. It works best with encouragement and clear expectations and can struggle with deadlines and conflict.
Goat and money
Goats are traditionally seen as generous and not much interested in money for its own sake. They are said to do best when someone steadier helps with the budget.
Goat under stress
Under stress a Goat is said to worry, doubt itself and become dependent or moody. Gentle company, creative outlets and a calm routine are the usual suggestions.
Advice for the Goat
The traditional advice for a Goat is to trust its own judgement, to say no more often and to make small decisions faster.
Goat compatibility
In the traditional system the Goat is harmonious with Rabbit, Pig (its trine) and with Horse, its secret friend. Its opposite sign, which tradition calls a clash, is the Ox, and the Rat forms a harm pair with it. Every other pairing has no special relationship. These are conversation starters and not predictions.
| Sign | With the Goat | What tradition says |
|---|---|---|
| 🐀 Rat | Harm pair | A harm pair. The Goat’s gentle and the Rat’s quick-witted can misread each other, so honesty and patience matter. |
| 🐂 Ox | Clash: opposite sign | Opposite signs. The Goat’s gentle meets the Ox’s diligent, which attracts and irritates in equal measure. |
| 🐅 Tiger | No special relationship | No classical link. The Goat’s gentle and the Tiger’s brave meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐇 Rabbit | Trine: the same group of three | Natural allies in the same trine. The Goat’s gentle goes well with the Rabbit’s gentle, and the two tend to share an outlook. |
| 🐉 Dragon | No special relationship | No classical link. The Goat’s gentle and the Dragon’s ambitious meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐍 Snake | No special relationship | No classical link. The Goat’s gentle and the Snake’s wise meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐎 Horse | Secret friend | Secret friends. The Goat’s gentle is balanced by the Horse’s energetic, a bond described as close and complementary. |
| 🐐 Goat | Same sign | Two Goats share the same strengths and the same blind spots, so they understand each other quickly and can also repeat each other’s habits. |
| 🐒 Monkey | No special relationship | No classical link. The Goat’s gentle and the Monkey’s clever meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐓 Rooster | No special relationship | No classical link. The Goat’s gentle and the Rooster’s observant meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐕 Dog | No special relationship | No classical link. The Goat’s gentle and the Dog’s loyal meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐖 Pig | Trine: the same group of three | Natural allies in the same trine. The Goat’s gentle goes well with the Pig’s generous, and the two tend to share an outlook. |
Compare two Chinese zodiac signs
The five kinds of Goat
The element of the year adds a second layer to the animal. Wood is described as growth and creativity, Fire as passion and leadership, Earth as stability, Metal as discipline and Water as adaptability. Here are the Goat years of each element, with how tradition describes each kind. Read more in our guide to the Chinese zodiac elements.
| Sign | Years (1900–2100) | Described as |
|---|---|---|
| Wood Goat | 1955, 2015, 2075 | The Wood Goat is described as the most generous and compassionate Goat, creative, sociable and devoted to others. |
| Fire Goat | 1907, 1967, 2027, 2087 | The Fire Goat is described as more outspoken and passionate, a Goat with a spark who can still be moody. |
| Earth Goat | 1919, 1979, 2039, 2099 | The Earth Goat is described as steadier and more practical, patient, loyal and good with money. |
| Metal Goat | 1931, 1991, 2051 | The Metal Goat is described as more determined and independent, with a gentle surface and a strong will. |
| Water Goat | 1943, 2003, 2063 | The Water Goat is described as very intuitive and sensitive, a good listener who needs reassurance. |
Famous people born in Goat years
Based on publicly reported dates of birth, and using the exact Chinese New Year of each birth year, these well-known people belong to the Goat: Steve Jobs (24 February 1955); Bill Gates (28 October 1955); Ed Sheeran (17 February 1991); Robert De Niro (17 August 1943); Frida Kahlo (6 July 1907). Whether the sign says anything about them is a matter of interpretation.
The Goat in 2027, the Year of the Fire Goat
This is the Goat’s own year. The year of your own sign, called a benmingnian, is said in folklore to call for extra care, and many people wear red during it for protection. This is folklore, not a forecast. See the Chinese New Year 2027 page for every sign.
Lucky numbers and colours
One commonly quoted list gives the lucky numbers 3, 4, 9 and the lucky colours brown, red, purple for the Goat. Such lists differ between sources and belong to popular folklore, not to any fixed rule.
The neighbouring signs
The Horse comes before the Goat and the Monkey comes after it. See all twelve in our guide to the Chinese zodiac.
Frequently asked questions
What years are the Goat years?
Recent Goat years are 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027, 2039. Each one runs from that year’s Chinese New Year to the day before the next. For example, the 2027 Goat year runs from 6 February 2027 to 25 January 2028. See the years chart for every date.
Am I a Goat if I was born in January or February?
Only if your birthday is on or after that year’s Chinese New Year. For example, Chinese New Year in 2027 was on 6 February 2027, so a person born on 10 January 2027 belongs to the previous animal, the Horse, and not to the Goat.
What is the personality of the Goat?
Gentle, creative, compassionate. Goats are traditionally described as gentle, creative and kind. They are compassionate, love beauty and prefer harmony to conflict. They tend to be shy at first, can be indecisive, and are said to need security and support to do their best work.
What are the Goat’s strengths?
Kindness and compassion; Creativity and imagination; Peacefulness and tact; Patience; A feel for beauty and comfort.
What are the Goat’s weaknesses?
Indecision; Pessimism and worry; Reliance on others; Sensitivity to stress and criticism. Every sign has both strengths and weaknesses in this tradition.
What are the best careers for the Goat?
Traditional descriptions place the Goat in creative and caring careers: the arts, design, teaching, healthcare, counselling, hospitality and charity. Goats are said to do best in a harmonious team and to dislike pressure and deadlines.
How does the Goat behave in love?
In love, the Goat is described as caring, romantic and loyal. It needs reassurance and a calm home. The usual friction is insecurity, as a Goat can take small things to heart. Tradition suggests partners who are patient, supportive and verbally warm.
Which signs are compatible with the Goat?
Traditionally the Goat is harmonious with Rabbit, Pig and Horse, and challenging with Ox and Rat. See the full compatibility chart.
What is the Goat’s element?
The Goat is a Earth animal and a yin sign. Each year also has its own element, so Goat years can be Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water. The table on this page lists them all.
How old is a Goat in 2027?
People born in 2027, 2015, 2003, 1991 turn 0, 12, 24, 36 in 2027, and are one year younger until their birthday. The table on this page gives the ages for every Goat year since 1940.
Which animal comes before and after the Goat?
The Horse comes before the Goat and the Monkey comes after it.
What are the Goat’s lucky numbers and colours?
One commonly quoted list gives the numbers 3, 4, 9 and the colours brown, red, purple. Such lists differ between sources and belong to folklore.
Other signs
For culture and entertainment. The Chinese zodiac is a traditional system of folklore and symbolism. It cannot predict events, and it is not medical, financial, legal or relationship advice. See the full disclaimer.