Joseph vs Luca
Joseph 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.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Joseph was ranked #69 and Luca #3 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Joseph was ranked #33 and Luca #4 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Joseph was ranked #82 and Luca #6 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Joseph was ranked #56 and Luca #7 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Joseph was ranked #34 and Luca #7 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Joseph was ranked #64 and Luca #11 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Joseph was ranked #465 and Luca #60 among boys in Norway.
Joseph and Luca over time
Joseph and Luca appear together in 6 published lists, across 163 years of shared records. Joseph held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Luca in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 6 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Joseph reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 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 took the other's place near the top
In Republic of Ireland · Boys, Luca moved into the top 50 at #30 in 2022 as Joseph fell out of it to #62, having been #48 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2021, Luca moved ahead of Joseph in England and Wales · Boys — #38 and #45 the year before became #46 and #28.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Joseph and Luca changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Boys between 2004 and 2023, ending at #69 and #3.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Joseph and Luca averaged 26.7 places apart, ending at #33 and #4.
- Mirrored each other
Over 30 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Luca rose about as far as Joseph fell — from #29 and #299 in 1994 to #64 and #11 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Joseph and Luca were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 38 years, from 1973 to 2025, ending at #465 and #60.
List by list
Norway · Boys38 shared years, 1973–2025
Joseph held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Luca in 25.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #275 in 2017, Luca #60 in 2025.
The order changed in 2004: Luca moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #333 and #542; by 2004 that had become #411 and #320.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Joseph #465, Luca #60.
Republic of Ireland · Boys30 shared years, 1994–2025
Joseph held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Luca in 4.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #29 in 1994, Luca #11 in 2025.
The order changed in 2022: Luca moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #48 and #54; by 2022 that had become #62 and #30.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Joseph #64, Luca #11.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Joseph held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Luca in 4.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #7 in 2000, Luca #7 in 2023.
The order changed in 2021: Luca moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #38 and #45; by 2021 that had become #46 and #28.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Joseph #56, Luca #7.
Northern Ireland · Boys25 shared years, 2000–2024
Joseph held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Luca in 3.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #22 in 2013, Luca #7 in 2024.
The order changed in 2022: Luca moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #40 and #63; by 2022 that had become #48 and #16.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Joseph #34, Luca #7.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys21 shared years, 2005–2025
Joseph held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Luca in 8.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #32 in 2005, Luca #4 in 2024.
The order changed in 2018: Luca moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #47 and #54; by 2018 that had become #47 and #41.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Joseph #33, Luca #4.
New Zealand · Boys20 shared years, 2004–2023
Joseph held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Luca in 10.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #26 in 2004, Luca #3 in 2023.
The order changed in 2016: Luca moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #33 and #35; by 2016 that had become #47 and #38.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Joseph #69, Luca #3.
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 | Joseph | 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 | /ˈluːkə/ | |
| 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 #33 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #4 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 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
- Luca has a recorded origin (Italian, via Greek Loukas); Joseph does not have one recorded yet.
- Joseph and Luca both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Luca; Joseph doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Joseph
Popularity journey
First recorded1949
First recorded at #326 among boys in Norway in 1949 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in England and Wales, in 2000 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #33 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · 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