Arthur vs Lucas
Arthur and Lucascompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #4 and Lucas #25 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Arthur was ranked #11 and Lucas #16 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #19 and Lucas #14 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #16 and Lucas #30 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #24 and Lucas #23 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #83 and Lucas #24 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #57 and Lucas #64 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Arthur and Lucas over time
Arthur and Lucas appear together in 6 published lists, across 146 years of shared records. Lucas held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Arthur in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Lucas reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Arthur in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2017, Arthur moved ahead of Lucas in England and Wales · Boys — #30 and #27 the year before became #19 and #25.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Arthur and Lucas changed places 5 times in Norway · Boys between 1979 and 2025, ending at #83 and #24.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Arthur and Lucas averaged 52.4 places apart, ending at #4 and #25.
- Longest-running competitions
Arthur and Lucas were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 42 years, from 1979 to 2025, ending at #83 and #24.
List by list
Norway · Boys42 shared years, 1979–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Lucas in 37.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #74 in 2020, Lucas #12 in 2012.
The order changed in 1992: Lucas moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #328 and #493; by 1992 that had become #420 and #380.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #83, Lucas #24.
Republic of Ireland · Boys36 shared years, 1979–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Lucas in 24.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #47 in 2024, Lucas #55 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #57, Lucas #64.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Lucas in 21.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #3 in 2020, Lucas #17 in 2009.
The order changed in 2017: Arthur moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #30 and #27; by 2017 that had become #19 and #25.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #4, Lucas #25.
Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 2004–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Lucas in 12.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #14 in 2023, Lucas #22 in 2013.
The order changed in 2018: Arthur moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #42 and #42; by 2018 that had become #21 and #39.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #16, Lucas #30.
New Zealand · Boys10 shared years, 2014–2023
Arthur held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Lucas in 8.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #11 in 2023, Lucas #5 in 2019.
The order changed in 2022: Arthur moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #20 and #7; by 2022 that had become #12 and #19.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Arthur #11, Lucas #16.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys9 shared years, 2017–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lucas in 9.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #18 in 2024, Lucas #5 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #19, Lucas #14.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Arthur | Lucas |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Meaning debated — no single origin is established with confidence. | The Latin form of the Greek name Loukas, ultimately linked to the English name Luke. The deeper root meaning is itself disputed — possibly a shortened form of 'from Lucania' (a region of southern Italy), or alternatively derived from the Latin name Lucius. |
| Origin | Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman | Latin, via Greek Loukas |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑɹθər/ | /ˈluːkəs/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Art, Artie | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #19 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #14 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Arthur is recorded with a Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman origin, while Lucas is recorded with a Latin, via Greek Loukas origin.
- Arthur and Lucas both have 2 syllables.
- Arthur's recorded meaning differs from Lucas's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Arthur a "high" Data Confidence level and Lucas a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Arthur
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #153 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in England and Wales, in 2020 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #19 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Lucas
Popularity journey
First recorded1976
First recorded at #607 among boys in Norway in 1976 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1980–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2011 (recorded 1980–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #14 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys