Namewise

Keith vs Luke

Keith 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 2010, Keith was ranked #339 and Luke #17 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Keith was ranked #577 and Luke #23 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1969, Keith was ranked #97 and Luke #82 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Keith was ranked #3688 and Luke #138 among boys in England and Wales.

Keith and Luke over time

Keith and Luke appear together in 3 published lists, across 100 years of shared records. Luke held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Keith 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.

Keith reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Luke 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 1993, Luke moved ahead of Keith in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #31 and #41 the year before became #44 and #31.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Keith and Luke were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 59 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #577 and #23.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Keith #379 in 1996, Luke #11 in 1997.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1964 they stood at #96 and #105 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #577 and #23.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys59 shared years, 19642025

    Keith held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Luke in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Keith #17 in 1975, Luke #7 in 2006.

    The order changed in 1993: Luke moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #31 and #41; by 1993 that had become #44 and #31.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Keith #577, Luke #23.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Keith held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Luke in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Keith #379 in 1996, Luke #11 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Keith #3688, Luke #138.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys12 shared years, 19972010

    Keith held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Luke in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Keith #143 in 1997, Luke #13 in 2005.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2010: Keith #339, Luke #17.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Keith, Luke
FieldKeithLuke
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedFrom 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.
OriginNot yet recordedGreek/Latin, biblical
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈluk/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #577 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #23 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Luke has a recorded origin (Greek/Latin, biblical); Keith does not have one recorded yet.
  • Keith has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Luke.
  • A meaning is recorded for Luke; Keith doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Keith

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #40 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #17 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1975 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #577 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

Luke

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1967–2024

    Highest recorded position: #5 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1994 (recorded 1967–2024).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #322 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys