Garreth vs Luca
Garreth and Lucacompared 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 2005, Garreth was ranked #3849 and Luca #83 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2009, Garreth was ranked #701 and Luca #155 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Garreth and Luca over time
Garreth and Luca appear together in 1 published list, across 10 years of shared records. Luca held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Garreth 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.
Garreth reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Luca 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 2000, Luca moved ahead of Garreth in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #241 and #330 the year before became #390 and #177.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys10 shared years, 1994–2009
Garreth held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Luca in 6.
Highest recorded here: Garreth #130 in 1994, Luca #116 in 2006.
The order changed in 2000: Luca moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #241 and #330; by 2000 that had become #390 and #177.
Most recent shared year, 2009: Garreth #701, Luca #155.
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 | Garreth | Luca |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | The Italian and Romanian form of Lucas, itself probably a shortened form of the Greek 'Loukanos', meaning 'from Lucania' (a region of southern Italy). |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Italian, via Greek Loukas |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈluːkə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #701 (2009) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #4 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 60/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Luca has a recorded origin (Italian, via Greek Loukas); Garreth does not have one recorded yet.
- Garreth and Luca both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Luca; Garreth doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
How each name got here
Garreth
Popularity journey
First recorded1966
First recorded at #199 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1966–2009
Highest recorded position: #112 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1980 (recorded 1966–2009).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2009
Most recently recorded at #701 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2009.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Luca
Popularity journey
First recorded1973
First recorded at #603 among boys in Norway in 1973 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded2004–2023
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 2023 (recorded 2004–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #4 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys