Harry vs Luke
Harry 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, Harry was ranked #13 and Luke #57 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Harry was ranked #20 and Luke #138 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Harry was ranked #25 and Luke #23 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Harry was ranked #31 and Luke #50 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2024, Harry was ranked #36 and Luke #96 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Harry was ranked #40 and Luke #38 among boys in New Zealand.
Harry and Luke over time
Harry and Luke appear together in 5 published lists, across 176 years of shared records. Luke held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Harry in 2.
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 5 of those lists, and Harry 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, Harry moved ahead of Luke in England and Wales · Boys — #14 and #12 the year before became #6 and #11.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Harry and Luke changed places 6 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1994 and 2023, ending at #40 and #38.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Harry and Luke averaged 41.8 places apart, ending at #20 and #138.
- Mirrored each other
Over 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Harry rose about as far as Luke fell — from #87 and #31 in 1997 to #13 and #57 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Harry and Luke were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 32 years, from 1992 to 2024, ending at #36 and #96.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys57 shared years, 1965–2025
Harry held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Luke in 51.
Highest recorded here: Harry #6 in 2018, Luke #7 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Harry #25, Luke #23.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys32 shared years, 1992–2024
Harry held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Luke in 17.
Highest recorded here: Harry #15 in 2018, Luke #5 in 1994.
The order changed in 2010: Harry moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #29 and #26; by 2010 that had become #28 and #32.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Harry #36, Luke #96.
New Zealand · Boys30 shared years, 1994–2023
Harry held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Luke in 26.
Highest recorded here: Harry #22 in 2018, Luke #14 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Harry #40, Luke #38.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Harry held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Luke in 4.
Highest recorded here: Harry #1 in 2011, Luke #11 in 1997.
The order changed in 2000: Harry moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #14 and #12; by 2000 that had become #6 and #11.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Harry #20, Luke #138.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Harry held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Luke in 10.
Highest recorded here: Harry #4 in 2012, Luke #13 in 2005.
The order changed in 2008: Harry moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #19 and #19; by 2008 that had become #16 and #18.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Harry #13, 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 | Harry | Luke |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | A diminutive/pet form, inheriting its meaning from Henry — 'home ruler' — and functioning, in modern times, as a nickname for both Henry and names beginning with 'Har-'. During the Middle Ages in England, Henry was generally rendered as Harry or Herry in English pronunciation. | 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 | English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry | Greek/Latin, biblical |
| Pronunciation | /ˈhæri/ | /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 | Republic of Ireland · Boys #25 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #23 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Harry is recorded with a English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry origin, while Luke is recorded with a Greek/Latin, biblical origin.
- Harry and Luke both have 2 syllables.
- Harry'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
Harry
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #70 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: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #39 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