Moon Phase Match: Can This TikTok Trend *Really* Pinpoint Your Soulmate?

From the hobbies you enjoy the most to the way you communicate, your personal astrology can offer valuable insight into a variety of aspects of your life, perspective and relationships. While the zodiac sign that the sun was moving through is what you’ll inevitably refer to as your “sign,” every person has a unique natal or birth chart that denotes where not only the sun, but the moon and all of the planets were when they were born. So where does you moon phase match come in?

What is a moon phase and how do I find mine?

Because the moon orbits Earth and the Earth moves around the sun, we get a different view of the moon depending on the time of the month. Each view or shape, such as a waxing crescent or full moon, is considered a moon phase.

Moon phase is different than a moon sign. The moon changes signs every two to two-and-a-half days, and whatever sign it was in at the time of your birth is your moon sign. This is different from a moon phase, which is is the phase the moon was in when you were born.

You can determine which moon phase you were born under by Googling your full birthdate, e.g. “April 17, 1975” and “moon phase.” Or you can use a moon phase calculator.

What is a moon phase match?

Since moon phases indicate the emotional tone of your life, it’s no wonder that a new social media trend centers around calculating your moon phase match, or the compatibility of two people based on their moon phases (and emotional personalities) just as it's often done based on the compatibility of their sun signs.

To consider whether or not two people are compatible — or possibly even soulmates — astrologers like myself look at particular details shared between two birth charts. We will occasionally look at the moon phase a person was born under to gain insight into the emotional themes that inform their personality.

That’s the thinking underlying the TikTok trend that involves researching the moon phase you were born under and comparing that to the moon phase of a significant other to see if your connection is a fated one.

"Apparently, if your moon phases match up, you are soulmates," TikTok user kaylahouston03 shared in a post, showing how a person born under a first quarter moon and a third quarter moon are a perfect moon phase match, because those two phases “complete” one another to create a complete full moon.

People jumping on the trend are using their birthdate and Googling which moon phase they were born under, pinpointing the moon phase their partner was born under by checking their significant others' birthdate, and then downloading photos of each phase to their phone. They then download an app called CapCut, on which there’s a moon phase template that allows you to insert photos of both moon phases as well as the text of both people’s birthdates.

What are the best moon phase matches?

According to the TikTok moon phase match trend, these are the four main moon phase matches that are most compatible:

New moon and full moon

A person born under a new moon, which occurs when the sky is entirely dark, much like a blank canvas, harbor quite a bit of romanticism about the possibilities that the future could hold. They’re spiritual-minded dreamers. By comparison, people born under a luminous full moon are intensely emotionally expressive, sensitive and action-oriented. In turn, these two people might offer one another what the other lacks.

Waxing crescent and waning gibbous

While a person born under the waning crescent moon phase is spontaneous, free-spirited and potentially spotlight-loving, someone born under a waning gibbous is a grounded mentor who excels at communication. They’ll connect on being forward-thinking.

Waning crescent and waxing gibbous

Someone born under the waning crescent moon phase is a bold go-getter and direct communicator, whereas a person who came into the world during a waxing gibbous moon phase is truly pragmatic, compassionate and similarly committed to being straightforward.

First quarter and third quarter

First quarter moon people are courageous and on a mission to create change, while those born under the third quarter moon phase are truth-seeking and adventurous. This could make for a passionate match.

What does it mean if you and your partner were born under the same moon phase?

According to the TikTok trend, the most compatible pairings do not include matching moon phases. However, you can rest assured that if you and your significant other were born under the same moon phase, you’ll likely be more in sync than this trend would have you believe. After all, being born under the same moon phase means you’ll approach emotions in a similar way.

For instance, if you were both born at the new moon, you are equally imaginative and hopeful. If you were both born at the full moon, you’ll both pour the same amount of fervor into your connection.

What if my moon phase match is negative?

By researching the moon phases you and a partner were born under, you’ll inevitably learn a bit more about how you both process emotions, which can’t help but boost mutual understanding. But, in practice, moon phases are just one very small piece of a complex puzzle that speaks to your astrological compatibility. There are a bevy of astrological details that will speak to soulmate potential, from looking at both Venus (the planet of romance) and Mars (which oversees passion) signs to noting the houses of the natal chart that your sun, moon and other planets fall in.

The bottom line on the moon phase match trend

While it can be fun to learn more about the moon phase you were born under and check to see if it “matches” with your significant other, the method isn’t one that astrologers like myself are signing off on. If you’re invested in gaining celestial insight into your bond, it’s wise to read up on synastry (the astrology of relationships) or even work one-on-one with a professional astrologer. And ultimately, you can take heart that the results of this TikTok trend won't make or break any relationship.

Maressa Brown is a seasoned, Los Angeles–based journalist and astrologer who has written parenting, astrology, pop culture, and general lifestyle content for nearly two decades. In addition to serving as a regular contributor to Woman's World, her writing appears in/on First for Women, Yahoo, InStyle, Shape, Washington Post, PopSugar, Astrology.com, and many other outlets. A graduate of Emerson College, Brown is a member of the Authors Guild, the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), and the  International Society for Astrological Research (ISAR). She is the author of Raising Baby by the Stars: A New Parent’s Guide to Astrology (Artisan 2023) and a forthcoming book from Workman.