Damien vs Luke
Damien and Lukecompared 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1993, Damien was ranked #94 and Luke #6 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Damien was ranked #468 and Luke #23 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Damien was ranked #395 and Luke #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Damien was ranked #619 and Luke #50 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Damien was ranked #747 and Luke #138 among boys in England and Wales.
Damien and Luke over time
Damien and Luke appear together in 4 published lists, across 137 years of shared records. Luke held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Damien in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Damien reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Luke in 1. 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 1991, Luke moved ahead of Damien in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #53 and #58 the year before became #60 and #51.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 25 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Damien and Luke averaged 40.2 places apart, ending at #94 and #6.
- Longest-running competitions
Damien and Luke were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #468 and #23.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Damien held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Luke in 35.
Highest recorded here: Damien #34 in 1982, Luke #7 in 2006.
The order changed in 1991: Luke moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #53 and #58; by 1991 that had become #60 and #51.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Damien #468, Luke #23.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Damien held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Luke in 29.
Highest recorded here: Damien #280 in 2003, Luke #11 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Damien #747, Luke #138.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys25 shared years, 1969–1993
Damien held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Luke in 19.
Highest recorded here: Damien #34 in 1974, Luke #6 in 1993.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1993: Damien #94, Luke #6.
Northern Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 1997–2023
Damien held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Luke in 21.
Highest recorded here: Damien #134 in 1999, Luke #13 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Damien #395, Luke #42.
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 | Damien | Luke |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | From Latin Lucas, from Greek Loukas — probably 'from Lucania' (a region of southern Italy), or possibly connected to Lucius. Luke was a physician who accompanied Paul and is traditionally credited as author of the third Gospel and Acts. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Greek/Latin, biblical |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈluk/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #468 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #23 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Luke has a recorded origin (Greek/Latin, biblical); Damien does not have one recorded yet.
- Damien and Luke both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Luke; Damien doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Damien
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #75 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1969–1993
Highest recorded position: #34 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1974 (recorded 1969–1993).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #468 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Luke
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #105 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1967–2024
Highest recorded position: #5 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1994 (recorded 1967–2024).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #322 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys