Many ask me a lot about name compatibility. This idea is from the over-simplification of Chinese astrology compatibility concept.

Relax, Ma'am. Don't need to be alarmed. It is certainly not like that.

The clashes and combinations are based on the 12 Chinese Zodiac Signs and the 5 Elements concept. The lack of knowledge in this area confuses many people.

I can bet your chopsticks. Even many Chinese don't know that.

Let's take a look at the combinations and clashes. And how they apply to name compatibility.

The above Earthly Branches 6 Combinations shows peaceful combinations. The zodiacal animals are paired up and form an element that may or not be the same with their own ones.

Rat and Ox form earth element.

Pig and Tiger form wood element. Also known as Spring pair combination.

Dog and Rabbit form fire element. Summer.

Rooster and Dragon form metal element. Fall.

Monkey and Snake form water element. Winter.

Finally, Horse and Goat form fire element.

In the art of name selection, the Chinese characters are usually compatible for each pair.

Example, the Chinese word filial 孝 (xiao) can be used by both the Pig and Tiger years born people. This word is a water element word. Suitable for both Pig (water element) and Tiger (wood element).

A child's name must complements the parents. Example, the father was born in Pig year and the son in Tiger year. Then the word filial 孝 can be used comfortably by the child.

What if the parents and child do not belong in the same pairing? There are other combinations to look at.

The above Earthly Branches 3 Sided Frames are powerful combinations in the Chinese astrology compatibility study.

They are also known as the 4 seasons combinations. Each zodiac sign also represents a Chinese month. You can see there are 4 combinations above. The 4 seasons in a year.

Example, the Pig month (the 10th lunar month) starts in early November. And the Ox month (the 12th lunar month) ends in late January or early February. This period is the winter season. Of course, it's based on the seasons in China where Chinese astrology comes from.

Pig, Rat and Ox - water frame. Winter season.

In advanced Chinese astrology, you can see each animal in the water frame has water element in them. Same for other frames. Each zodiac animal has the element of the elemental frame they are in.

Tiger, Rabbit and Dragon - wood frame. Spring season.

Snake, Horse and Goat - fire frame. Fire season.

Monkey, Rooster and Dog - metal frame. Fall season.

By now, you can see that name compatibility is based on the elements. Therefore it is best for a child's elements in the Chinese name to complement the parents' elements. Water complements Wood. Wood complements Fire and so on.

Between spouses and partners? Well, well. This is altogether another discussion under Chinese astrology compatibility. I will touch on this later.

The above is another peaceful combination chart. Again, three zodiac signs form a harmony structure.

These structures are based on the 4 pivotal zodiac signs - Rat, Horse, Rooster and Rabbit 子午酉卯.

Rat, Dragon and Monkey - Water structure.

Horse, Dog and Tiger - Fire structure.

Rooster, Ox and Snake - Metal structure.

Rabbit, Goat and Pig - Wood structure.

In name compatibility, some Chinese characters can be used by people born in the years of the same structure. Example, Horse, Dog and Tiger years born people can commonly use the word horse 马 (fire element word). It complements the elements of three zodiacs.

Now, let's look at the opposite of Chinese astrology compatibility charts. The clashing charts.

The Earthly Branches 6 Clashes chart shows how each zodiac sign has a clashing relationship with another opposite sign.

This is where most people refer to when they talked about clashes of zodiacal signs. And the misconception towards name compatibility.

Rat clashes with Horse.

Ox clashes with Goat.

Tiger clashes with Monkey.

Rabbit clashes with Rooster.

Dragon clashes with Dog.

Snake clashes with Pig.

If you understand the Earthly Branches 3 Sided Frames relationships, you can see why the clashes are logical. They are the opposite elements. Example, Rat is water and Horse is fire. Water puts out Fire in the 5 elements concept. Not a harmonious relationship.

How to have name compatibility between parents and child born on clashing zodiacal years?

We use the mitigating element. We can use a Chinese word that is wood element. This can result in a more harmonious relationship for Horse fire and Rat water. Wood produces fire. And water produces wood.

See: How to choose compatible Chinese characters for your name.

Note that other factors have to be taken into consideration too. We have to look at the elements in the Chinese names strokes as well.

The above is another clashing chart. The zodiac sign harms the other one. I know it is getting confusing.

You can see some zodiac signs have the same element and yet harm each other. Why?

This is explained in more advanced Chinese astrology compatibility study. There is a concept of hidden stems element. Yes, the Rabbit and Dragon are in the same Wood Frame. But they have some hidden elements within themselves that disagree.

Alright, that's it. You have now seen all the combinations and clashes.

But I have promised you to talk a little bit on Chinese astrology compatibility. For this, we need to look at a person's Chinese birth chart.

The Chinese birth chart is written with the Year on the right. And working from the right to left, we have the month, day and hour.

You can see there are a total of 8 characters in a person's birth chart. And they formed the 4 pillars.

What we have discussed so far above in name compatibility are only touching on just one character - the Year's Earthly Branch!

That is what most people refer to when they talk about "my zodiac sign is Rat".

So you see now? The Year Zodiac sign is only one eighth of the overall birth chart's elements. Not forgetting that I have also mentioned the advanced concept of hidden stems elements. Plus other more advanced concepts not shown here.

Don't worry too much about about your spouse or partner's Year zodiac element. It is not a big issue in name compatibility. They don't have ill effects on your relationship with each other.

Your relationship with spouse and partner? It is more about the overall Chinese astrology compatibility in the birth chart. You will need a good expert to give you a thorough reading on this.

In addition, in Chinese astrology, we don't treat things in a fixed way. We believe that the elements move in a dynamic way. A person goes through life moving into favorable period of time. As well as unfavorable time.

Example, if you were born in a Rat year, the Horse (clashing) year may bring certain uneventful changes to your life. And then in the Ox (peaceful combination) year, you may reap some fortunate results. Life has its ups and downs.

Name compatibility is more for parents-child names relationship. Remember, we want the child's name to complement the parents'. This is to bring some good fortune to the family.

Understanding Chinese Zodiac Signs And Your Name
Find out the special connection of Chinese Zodiac Signs or Zodiac Animals with your names.