John vs Lucas
John and Lucascompared 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 2019, John was ranked #97 and Lucas #6 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2021, John was ranked #86 and Lucas #7 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, John was ranked #78 and Lucas #23 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, John was ranked #161 and Lucas #24 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, John was ranked #164 and Lucas #25 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, John was ranked #29 and Lucas #64 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, John was ranked #67 and Lucas #30 among boys in Northern Ireland.
John and Lucas over time
John and Lucas appear together in 6 published lists, across 186 years of shared records. Lucas held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, John in 2.
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.
John reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Lucas 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 took the other's place near the top
In New Zealand · Boys, Lucas moved into the top 50 at #31 in 2006 as John fell out of it to #63, having been #47 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2005, Lucas moved ahead of John in England and Wales · Boys — #64 and #75 the year before became #72 and #58.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, John and Lucas averaged 55.1 places apart, ending at #97 and #6.
- Mirrored each other
Over 21 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Lucas rose about as far as John fell — from #40 and #43 in 2001 to #86 and #7 in 2021.
- Longest-running competitions
John and Lucas were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 44 years, from 1976 to 2025, ending at #161 and #24.
List by list
Norway · Boys44 shared years, 1976–2025
John held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Lucas in 21.
Highest recorded here: John #31 in 1979, Lucas #12 in 2012.
The order changed in 2005: Lucas moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #78 and #94; by 2005 that had become #98 and #67.
Most recent shared year, 2025: John #161, Lucas #24.
Republic of Ireland · Boys36 shared years, 1979–2025
John held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Lucas in 0.
Highest recorded here: John #1 in 1979, Lucas #55 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: John #29, Lucas #64.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
John held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Lucas in 20.
Highest recorded here: John #46 in 1996, Lucas #17 in 2009.
The order changed in 2005: Lucas moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #64 and #75; by 2005 that had become #72 and #58.
Most recent shared year, 2024: John #164, Lucas #25.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys28 shared years, 1980–2019
John held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Lucas in 14.
Highest recorded here: John #19 in 1981, Lucas #2 in 2011.
The order changed in 2004: Lucas moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #57 and #65; by 2004 that had become #70 and #67.
Most recent shared year, 2019: John #97, Lucas #6.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
John held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Lucas in 15.
Highest recorded here: John #17 in 1997, Lucas #22 in 2013.
The order changed in 2018: Lucas moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #32 and #42; by 2018 that had become #60 and #39.
Most recent shared year, 2024: John #67, Lucas #30.
New Zealand · Boys21 shared years, 2001–2021
John held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Lucas in 17.
Highest recorded here: John #40 in 2001, Lucas #4 in 2011.
The order changed in 2006: Lucas moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #47 and #54; by 2006 that had become #63 and #31.
Most recent shared year, 2021: John #86, Lucas #7.
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 | John | Lucas |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From Hebrew Yochanan, 'Yahweh is gracious', via Greek Ioannes and Latin Iohannes. One of the most widespread names in Christian Europe, associated with both John the Baptist and the apostle John. | The Latin form of the Greek name Loukas, ultimately linked to the English name Luke. The deeper root meaning is itself disputed — possibly a shortened form of 'from Lucania' (a region of southern Italy), or alternatively derived from the Latin name Lucius. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Latin, via Greek Loukas |
| Pronunciation | /ˈjɔn/ | /ˈluːkəs/ |
| 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 #29 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #14 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- John is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Lucas is recorded with a Latin, via Greek Loukas origin.
- John has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Lucas.
- John's recorded meaning differs from Lucas'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
John
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #20 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2019
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–2019).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #161 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Lucas
Popularity journey
First recorded1976
First recorded at #607 among boys in Norway in 1976 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1980–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2011 (recorded 1980–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #14 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys