UK boy's name
Lucas
A masculine name derived from the Latin name Lucius, meaning "light" or "bright".
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.
Lucas is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Lucas popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #25, with 1,550 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 3,276 births.
This profile covers 49,061 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 47% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 55,181 living people in the UK are called Lucas. 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
- • Lucas ranked #25 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 1,550 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2009, when 3,276 boys were registered as Lucas.
- • Lucas ranks best in North West in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #2 in 2009.
- • About 55,181 living people in the UK are estimated to have Lucas as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#25
2024
Births in 2024
1,550
Latest year
Peak year
2009
3,276 births
Estimated living
55,181
2026
Meaning
What does Lucas mean?
The name Lucas is derived from the Latin name Lucanus, which itself originated from the word "lux" meaning "light". This name has its roots in ancient Roman culture and was particularly prevalent during the Roman Empire era.
The earliest recorded use of the name Lucas can be traced back to the New Testament of the Bible, where it is mentioned as the name of one of the four Evangelists who wrote the Gospel of Luke. This biblical figure, known as Saint Luke the Evangelist, is believed to have lived in the 1st century AD.
Throughout history, the name Lucas has been borne by various notable individuals, including Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553), a German Renaissance painter and printmaker known for his portraits of Martin Luther and other Reformation leaders. Another prominent figure was Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón (c. 1480-1526), a Spanish explorer credited with leading the first European expedition to present-day South Carolina in 1526.
In the realm of literature, Lucas is the name of a character in William Shakespeare's play "The Tempest", which was written in the early 17th century. The name also appears in the works of other famous authors, such as the Dutch writer Lucas Gisbert Prins (1915-1987), known for his novels and short stories.
During the Renaissance period, Lucas Cranach the Younger (1515-1586), the son of the aforementioned painter Lucas Cranach the Elder, also gained recognition as a German Renaissance artist and painter. His works, along with those of his father, are celebrated for their contributions to the artistic legacy of the era.
Another notable figure bearing the name Lucas was Lucas Valerio Votura (1590-1667), an Italian engraver and printmaker who was particularly renowned for his religious and mythological engravings. His intricate and detailed works were highly sought after during his lifetime and continue to be admired by art historians today.
These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have carried the name Lucas, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of human culture and achievement.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Lucas over time
The chart below shows babies named Lucas registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, 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 Lucas, the clearest high point is 2009. The latest England and Wales figure is 1,550 births in 2024, compared with 3,276 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lucas by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Lucas 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 | #24 | 8,876 | 5 |
| 2010s | #26 | 25,207 | 10 |
| 2000s | #59 | 13,624 | 10 |
| 1990s | #130 | 1,354 | 4 |
Geography
Where Lucas is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Lucas. 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.
Lucas ranks best in North West in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #2 in 2009.
Across the UK
Lucas in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#23 in 2024
36 years of NRS records, 5,064 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#30 in 2024
28 years of NISRA records, 1,414 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Lucas
-
Lucas Tindall
grandson of Anne, Princess Royal; great-grandson of Elizabeth II
2021-
-
Lucas Bond
film actor
actor
2005-
-
Lucas Towers
sport cyclist
British cyclist
2003-
-
Lucas Tomlinson
association football player
English footballer
2001-
-
Lucas Dawson
association football player
Footballer (born 1993)
1993-
-
Lucas Walshaw
rugby league player
English rugby league footballer
1992-
-
Lucas Ludwig
German Paralympic swimmer
1989-
-
Lucas Carlisle
cricketer
English cricketer (born 1988)
1988-
Related
Names similar to Lucas
- Luke 72,247
- Lewis 69,555
- Leo 63,249
- Liam 60,482
- Logan 40,771
- Louis 35,898
- Luca 30,323
- Louie 24,242
- Leon 22,308
- Levi 9,931
- Lee 7,861
- Leonardo 6,821
FAQ
Lucas: questions and answers
How popular is the name Lucas in the UK right now?
In 2024, Lucas was ranked #25 for boys in England and Wales, with 1,550 births registered.
When was Lucas most popular?
The peak year on record was 2009, with 3,276 babies registered as Lucas in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Lucas?
A masculine name derived from the Latin name Lucius, meaning "light" or "bright".
How many people are called Lucas in the UK?
A total of 49,061 babies have been registered as Lucas across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 5,064 more in Scotland and 1,414 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Lucas most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Lucas ranks best in North West, where it placed #2 in 2009. 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.