UK name, mostly boys
Luca
From Italian origin meaning "bright" or "bringer of light".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Luca is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Luca popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #7, with 2,814 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 3,195 births.
This profile covers 30,323 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 88% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 33,305 living people in the UK are called Luca. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Luca ranked #7 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 2,814 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2023, when 3,195 boys were registered as Luca.
- • Luca ranks best in Wales in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #2 in 2024.
- • About 33,305 living people in the UK are estimated to have Luca as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 99.2% of Luca registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#7
2024
Births in 2024
2,814
Latest year
Peak year
2023
3,195 births
Estimated living
33,305
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Luca
In England and Wales birth records, Luca has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 99.2% of registrations are for boys and 0.8% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Luca registered for boys
- Ranked #7 in 2024
- 2,814 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2023 (3,195 births)
Luca registered for girls
- Ranked #3,318 in 2024
- 7 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2003 (12 births)
Meaning
What does Luca mean?
The name Luca has its origins in the Latin language and culture, dating back to ancient Roman times. It is believed to be derived from the Latin word "lucus," which means "grove" or "sacred wood." This connection suggests that the name may have been associated with nature and spiritual significance in its early use.
One of the earliest recorded historical references to the name Luca can be found in the New Testament of the Bible. The Gospel of Luke, one of the four canonical gospels, is attributed to a man named Lucas or Luca, who was a physician and companion of the apostle Paul. While the exact date of his birth is unknown, scholars estimate that he lived in the first century AD.
During the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods, the name Luca gained popularity across Europe, particularly in Italy. One notable figure from this time was the Italian painter and architect Luca Signorelli, who was born in 1441 and died in 1523. He is renowned for his frescoes in the Basilica of San Brizio in Orvieto, which depict scenes from the Last Judgment.
In the realm of science, the Italian physicist and mathematician Luca Valerio (1552-1618) made significant contributions to the field of optics. He is best known for his work on the theory of refraction and the construction of lenses.
Another prominent figure bearing the name Luca was the Italian composer Luca Marenzio (1553-1599), who was a leading figure in the development of the madrigal, a type of secular vocal music composition.
In the world of literature, the Italian writer and philosopher Luca Giordano (1634-1705) was known for his philosophical dialogues and treatises on various subjects, including metaphysics and ethics.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have carried the name Luca. While its origins can be traced back to ancient Rome, the name has transcended time and cultures, becoming a beloved and respected name across various regions and societies.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Luca over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Luca in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Luca, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 2,814 births in 2024, compared with 3,195 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Luca by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Luca was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #20 | 11,764 | 5 |
| 2010s | #57 | 11,266 | 10 |
| 2000s | #94 | 6,760 | 10 |
| 1990s | #238 | 533 | 4 |
Geography
Where Luca is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Luca. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Luca ranks best in Wales in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #2 in 2024.
Across the UK
Luca in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#6 in 2024
31 years of NRS records, 2,402 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#7 in 2024
25 years of NISRA records, 785 total registered
Related
Names similar to Luca
- Luke 72,247
- Lewis 69,555
- Leo 63,249
- Liam 60,482
- Lucas 49,061
- Logan 40,771
- Louis 35,898
- Louie 24,242
- Leon 22,308
- Levi 9,931
- Lee 7,861
- Leonardo 6,821
FAQ
Luca: questions and answers
How popular is the name Luca in the UK right now?
In 2024, Luca was ranked #7 for boys in England and Wales, with 2,814 births registered.
When was Luca most popular?
The peak year on record was 2023, with 3,195 babies registered as Luca in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Luca?
From Italian origin meaning "bright" or "bringer of light".
How many people are called Luca in the UK?
A total of 30,323 babies have been registered as Luca across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 2,402 more in Scotland and 785 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Luca most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Luca ranks best in Wales, where it placed #2 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.