Cusp Sign Nomenclature

(aka, Piscaries & Geminancer & Sagicorn, Oh My!)

As someone born on the cusp of two signs (Aries on the Pisces cusp), I have always felt at my core that I’m a bit of both worlds. I used to look at zodiacs in the newspapers (remember newspapers?), and I’d read both the Pisces and Aries sections because I felt that neither was truly speaking to me.

I’m not sure when I discovered that there’s a word for those born when I was, which is Piscarian, but it struck me recently that we need words for all cusp signs. I am a completionist, after all.

Firstly, let’s look at the actual words we use to describe the twelve signs of the Zodiac and those born under those signs:

• Aries members are Arians
• Taurus members are Taureans
• Gemini members are Geminians
• Cancer members are Cancerians
• Leo members are Leonians
• Virgo members are Virgoans
• Libra members are Librans
• Scorpio members are Scorpians
• Sagittarius members are Sagittarians
• Capricorn members are Capricornians
• Aquarius members are Aquarians
• Pisces members are Pisceans

Yes, these are all real words, as confirmed by Google and the Oxford Dictionary. Specifically of note, a Scorpian is someone born during Scorpio, while a scorpion is an animal with a tail… both may sting you.

Using these as starting places, what follows is a portmanteau’d proposal for all cusp names as well as the names for those born on those cusps:

• Piscaries (Pisces/Aries) cusp members are Piscarians
• Araurus (Aries/Taurus) cusp members are Araureans
• Taurmini (Taurus/Gemini) cusp members are Taurminians
• Geminancer (Gemini/Cancer) cusp members are Geminancerians
• Canceo (Cancer/Leo) cusp members are Canceonians
• Leorgo (Leo/Virgo) cusp members are Leorgoans
• Virbra (Virgo/Libra) cusp members are Virbrans
• Lirpio (Libra/Scorpio) cusp members are Lirpians
• Scorpittarius (Scorpio/Sagittarius) cusp members are Scorpittarians
• Sagicorn (Sagittarius/Capricorn) cusp members are Sagicornians
• Capriquarius (Capricorn/Aquarius) cusp members are Capriquarians
• Aquasces (Aquarius/Pisces) cusp members are Aquasceans

Of these, Geminancer and Sagicorn are two of my favorite mash-ups.

So… now what?

This exercise was mainly to have a common language to talk about cusps, and also proved (to myself at least) an enjoyable way to create some silly words.

That said, I do believe it’s important to question our patterns of thinking, especially when we unconsciously put ourselves in boxes. Astrology tends to generalize signs based on central characteristics, but those on cusps may feel somehow left out or ill-fitting those generalizations. Creating new words gives us new spaces to play within, new ways to talk about ourselves and our experiences, and they are uncharted territory to look for patterns and insights.

To all you cusp-folk out there, I’d be happy to hear your thoughts about these labels, and whether or not you prefer other variant names to those I provided.

Thank you for reading.

Michael is an astrologer and psychic and can be contacted at hello@michaelsollazzo.com