George vs Luke
George 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #6 and Luke #138 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, George was ranked #7 and Luke #38 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, George was ranked #112 and Luke #23 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #24 and Luke #96 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #40 and Luke #57 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #48 and Luke #50 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, George was ranked #364 and Luke #244 among boys in Norway.
George and Luke over time
George and Luke appear together in 5 published lists, across 223 years of shared records. Luke held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, George in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 3 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 4 of those lists, George 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 2006, George moved ahead of Luke in England and Wales · Boys — #17 and #13 the year before became #14 and #17.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
George and Luke changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1978 and 2023, ending at #7 and #38.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, George and Luke averaged 41.4 places apart, ending at #6 and #138.
- Mirrored each other
Over 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, George rose about as far as Luke fell — from #124 and #31 in 1997 to #40 and #57 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
George and Luke were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 58 years, from 1967 to 2024, ending at #24 and #96.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
George held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Luke in 43.
Highest recorded here: George #52 in 1964, Luke #7 in 2006.
The order changed in 1984: Luke moved ahead. In 1983 they stood at #96 and #111; by 1984 that had become #109 and #89.
Most recent shared year, 2025: George #112, Luke #23.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys58 shared years, 1967–2024
George held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Luke in 39.
Highest recorded here: George #24 in 2023, Luke #5 in 1994.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: George #24, Luke #96.
New Zealand · Boys46 shared years, 1978–2023
George held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Luke in 34.
Highest recorded here: George #5 in 2021, Luke #14 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: George #7, Luke #38.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
George held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Luke in 10.
Highest recorded here: George #2 in 2018, Luke #11 in 1997.
The order changed in 2006: George moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #17 and #13; by 2006 that had become #14 and #17.
Most recent shared year, 2024: George #6, Luke #138.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
George held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Luke in 23.
Highest recorded here: George #25 in 2023, Luke #13 in 2005.
The order changed in 2023: George moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #38 and #21; by 2023 that had become #25 and #42.
Most recent shared year, 2024: George #40, Luke #57.
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 | George | Luke |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Farmer, earth-worker. | 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 | Greek | Greek/Latin, biblical |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒɔːdʒ/ | /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, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #24 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #23 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 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
- George is recorded with a Greek origin, while Luke is recorded with a Greek/Latin, biblical origin.
- George and Luke both have 2 syllables.
- George'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
George
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #345 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in England and Wales, in 2018 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #24 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