Luke
LYOOK /luːk/
Meaning of Luke
Luke is the English form of the Latin Lukas / Lucas, from Greek Λουκᾶς (Loukas) — traditionally interpreted as 'a man from Lucania,' a region of southern Italy. Luke the Evangelist is the credited author of both the Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles; the name has been in use in English since the medieval period. Luke and Lucas are the same name; Lucas is the more formal Latin form.
Current popularity of Luke
Rankings from the most recent fully-published year in each national registry. Source links at the foot of the page.
| Registry | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| United States (SSA) | 2024 | #27 |
| United Kingdom (ONS) | 2024 | #24 |
Cultural notes
The Star Wars effect is well-documented in US data: the name climbed 7 positions in 1977 (the year of the first film) and climbed again after each franchise release.
Notable bearers of Luke
Luke the Evangelist; Luke Skywalker (Star Wars); Luke Bryan (musician).
Similar names & variants
Cognates, spelling variants and close relatives. Click any name with an underline to read its own page.
Sibling-name suggestions
Names that pair stylistically with Luke — useful as middle names or for siblings.
About this entry
Compiled by the Baby Name Finder editorial team following the rules in our Methodology and Editorial guidelines. If you spot an error, please tell us; our corrections policy is at /editorial-guidelines#corrections.
Sources
Last reviewed: 2026-05-31