Type Eight: Common romantic pairings

Blueprint | November 9, 2023

What are the most common romantic pairings for Enneagram type 8s?

The marriage data we compiled and analyzed was broken down by gender, with Female 8s most often marrying 9s, 4s, and 5s, and Male 8s most often marrying 2s, 4s, and 6s (in that order).

Certain type 8 pairings are more common than others, though any type combination can occur and thrive. The marriage data we compiled and analyzed was broken down by gender, with Female 8s most often marrying 9s, 4s, and 5s, and Male 8s most often marrying 2s, 4s, and 6s (in that order).

Eights tend to be less compatible with a wider variety types, especially female Eights who overwhelmingly marry male Nines.

When we remove gender as a variable, 8s overall most often marry 9s, 4s, and 2s, and least often marry 3s, 7s, and 8s. All type combinations bring shared and unique elements to the relationship!

Most common:

8s and 9s share independence, intuition, willpower. 8s bring realism, action, vitality, while 9s bring optimism, receptiveness, calm. 8s and 4s share raw authenticity, intuition, vitality. 8s bring action, practicality, solidity, while 4s bring creativity, depth, sensitivity. 8s and 2s share action, passion, impact. 8s bring protection, confidence, strength, while 2s bring nurture, thoughtfulness, compassion.

Average:

8s and 6s share realism, protectiveness, honor. 8s bring decisiveness, action, confidence, while 6s bring analytic foresight, advising, warmth. 8s and 5s share independence, truth, strength. 8s bring decisiveness, intuition, protection, while 5s bring subtlety, analytic foresight, curiosity. 8s and 1s share justice, decisiveness, purpose. 8s bring raw authenticity, practicality, vitality, while 1s bring polish, thoroughness, idealism.

Least common:

8s and 3s share action, confidence, practicality. 8s bring solidity, raw authenticity, independence, while 3s bring adaptability, diplomacy, and sociability. 8s and 7s share vitality, independence, willpower. 8s bring realism, strength, perseverance, while 7s bring optimism, adventure, curiosity. 8s and 8s share action, independence, passion. 8s bring endurance, self-reliance, strength, while other 8s bring vitality, charm, confidence.

Sources: "Are You My Type, Am I Yours?" by Elizabeth Wagele and Renee Baron, 9types.com, and our own internal survey data.