How I Met Your Mother spanned nine seasons, and no matter how controversial its ending was, fans still spent those years growing closer to the five group members and Ted’s seemingly never-ending string of romantic partners.
With every main character on the show having such a distinct personality, it’s easy for every fan to see a little bit of themselves in one of them. Here’s a list of characters assigned to the Chinese zodiac sign they’re most like. Many of them fit into other signs in some way, but they definitely fit into some more than others.
Rat: Stella
The Rat is a master at using any situation to their advantage. Able to detect the silver lining in anything negative situation and leverage it in their favor, Stella was quick to jump ship when Ted accidentally opened up the proverbial door between her and her ex-husband Tony.
She likely used the Rat’s gift of foresight in her decision to leave Ted - knowing that she wasn’t the one for him.
Ox: Barney
If you can say one thing about the Ox, it’s that they’re tireless in getting what they want. Barney excels in getting whatever his focus is on that day - whether it’s picking up a woman in some new scheme or whatever he’s trying to force the group into doing.
The Ox loves to display the signs of their achievements and wealth, and Barney’s office and apartment are practically shrines to himself.
Tiger: Zoey
If there’s a rebel among the Chinese Zodiac, you’ll find it in the Tiger. Zoey is disruptive and critical, even to people she’s fond of, and her drive for the freedom the Tiger desires never quite lets her fit entirely with any of the groups you see her in.
Individualism is important to her, and perhaps even more so since she can’t quite seem to find herself.
Rabbit: Lily
Lily (and the Rabbit) can be pretty outspoken about what they think, even when they don’t have a leg to stand on. She has the need, typical of the sign, to be alone and go her own way every so often, even when it’s detrimental to those closest to her.
She tends to be blinded by the romantic aura surrounding things, and not so good at seeing their downsides. That said, like many Rabbits, she generally brings joy and happiness to those around her.
Dragon: Robin
Robin definitely has the spirit of the Dragon - she wants to do what she wants, and she doesn’t want anyone in the way of her plans.
If something is standing in the way of what she wants, she’ll find a way to make it not there anymore, and she’s more than willing to take chances to get there. On the downside, her ambitions and drive to achieve them stand in the way of her personal life.
Snake: Ted
Ted is full of loyalty and devotion - in his own way. He’s more focused in some ways on the here and now, preferring to have fun and live life rather than work round the clock. He often displays the tendency of the Snake to appear snooty - even his friends realize the way he thinks he’s superior.
He also has the vengefulness of the angered Snake - if he thinks he’s been wrong, he’ll go to quite some lengths to get revenge.
Horse: Tracy
If you think Tracy might not have the quick thinking associated with the Horse, just look at how quickly she made herself a friend to each member of the core group, one by one.
She has the ability to zone in people and make connections as soon as she meets them. Like the Horse tends to do, she was willing to jump right in for a promise of love.
Goat: Lily
Lily is a shoo-in for the emotionally volatile Goat. Talented and sensitive, she sometimes lets her impressive imagination get the better of her and convince her that things are happening, even when they definitely aren’t.
With a tendency to be moody, she can have volatile blowups when she feels she’s slighted. She also suffers from the sign’s tendency to be more than a little materialistic.
Monkey: Victoria
Victoria has the playfulness of the Monkey, shown by her cupcake making and even the way she met Ted. She’s not into the idea of letting an ordinary life hold her back, which helped immensely when she moved to Germany to pursue her dream.
Her Monkey ability to be so persuasive managed to make Ted look past her faults for quite a while before he realized them.
Rooster: Ted
Of all the characters, Ted is definitely the Rooster. Although he can change his tendency to stick to the plan when it suits him, anything out of order on the parts of other people gets under his skin.
Even when it’s clearly not welcome, he freely hands out advice and tries to keep the others on the path he wants. He also needs to be admired for his accomplishments, even when no one else thinks they’re quite worth it.
Dog: Marshall
The Dog is always looking for that special someone and never stops until they find them - luckily for Marshall, that happened in college.
A Dog isn’t quite themselves without their companion, and Marshall fell completely apart without Lily by his side. He also is very much a Dog through his desire to always be as just and fair as he can be, and defend those who need it.
Pig: Barney
A Pig has a weakness for the pleasures of the flesh and for wealth, and no one fits the description better than Barney. Pigs also tend to try and keep their own life separate and somewhat secret from others - a perfect description of a man whose best friends didn’t know what his actual job was for years.
On top of everything else, nothing can throw them from a path once they’ve set their sights on it.