Finn vs Luke
Finn 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Finn was ranked #15 and Luke #57 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Finn was ranked #15 and Luke #23 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Finn was ranked #17 and Luke #50 among boys in Scotland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Finn was ranked #32 and Luke #38 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2024, Finn was ranked #43 and Luke #96 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Finn was ranked #83 and Luke #138 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Finn was ranked #153 and Luke #322 among boys in Norway.
Finn and Luke over time
Finn and Luke appear together in 5 published lists, across 143 years of shared records. Luke held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Finn in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 5 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Luke reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Finn 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 2018, Finn moved ahead of Luke in England and Wales · Boys — #96 and #76 the year before became #76 and #94.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 26 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Finn and Luke averaged 22.5 places apart, ending at #32 and #38.
- Mirrored each other
Over 26 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Finn rose about as far as Luke fell — from #80 and #20 in 1998 to #32 and #38 in 2023.
- Longest-running competitions
Finn and Luke were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 41 years, from 1982 to 2025, ending at #15 and #23.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys41 shared years, 1982–2025
Finn held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Luke in 35.
Highest recorded here: Finn #6 in 2020, Luke #7 in 2006.
The order changed in 2020: Finn moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #22 and #9; by 2020 that had become #6 and #14.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Finn #15, Luke #23.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Finn held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Luke in 22.
Highest recorded here: Finn #72 in 2021, Luke #11 in 1997.
The order changed in 2018: Finn moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #96 and #76; by 2018 that had become #76 and #94.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Finn #83, Luke #138.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Finn held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Luke in 20.
Highest recorded here: Finn #7 in 2020, Luke #13 in 2005.
The order changed in 2017: Finn moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #29 and #13; by 2017 that had become #25 and #26.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Finn #15, Luke #57.
New Zealand · Boys26 shared years, 1998–2023
Finn held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Luke in 19.
Highest recorded here: Finn #25 in 2020, Luke #14 in 2003.
The order changed in 2017: Finn moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #34 and #33; by 2017 that had become #29 and #33.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Finn #32, Luke #38.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys19 shared years, 2005–2024
Finn held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Luke in 9.
Highest recorded here: Finn #39 in 2017, Luke #12 in 2005.
The order changed in 2015: Finn moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #70 and #56; by 2015 that had become #64 and #67.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Finn #43, Luke #96.
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 | Finn | Luke |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Traditionally associated with the Irish hero Fionn mac Cumhaill; functions as the usual Anglicised spelling of the Irish name Fionn. | 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 | Irish | Greek/Latin, biblical |
| Pronunciation | /fɪn/ | /ˈluk/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | 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 | Republic of Ireland · Boys #15 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #23 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Finn is recorded with a Irish origin, while Luke is recorded with a Greek/Latin, biblical origin.
- Finn has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Luke.
- Finn's recorded meaning differs from Luke's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Finn
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #31 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1982–2025
Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2020 (recorded 1982–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #52 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · 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