Luca vs Theodore
Luca and Theodorecompared 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 2025, Luca was ranked #4 and Theodore #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Luca was ranked #3 and Theodore #6 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Luca was ranked #6 and Theodore #36 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Luca was ranked #7 and Theodore #8 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Luca was ranked #7 and Theodore #32 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Luca was ranked #11 and Theodore #44 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Luca and Theodore over time
Luca and Theodore appear together in 5 published lists, across 92 years of shared records. Luca held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Theodore in 1.
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.
Theodore reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2002, Luca moved ahead of Theodore in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #369 and #369 the year before became #174 and #451.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Luca and Theodore changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Boys between 2013 and 2023, ending at #3 and #6.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Luca and Theodore averaged 39.4 places apart, ending at #7 and #8.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Luca #7 in 2023, Theodore #8 in 2022.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Luca held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Theodore in 11.
Highest recorded here: Luca #7 in 2023, Theodore #8 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Luca #7, Theodore #8.
Republic of Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1998–2025
Luca held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Theodore in 0.
Highest recorded here: Luca #11 in 2025, Theodore #44 in 2025.
The order changed in 2002: Luca moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #369 and #369; by 2002 that had become #174 and #451.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Luca #11, Theodore #44.
Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 2001–2024
Luca held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Theodore in 3.
Highest recorded here: Luca #7 in 2024, Theodore #32 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Luca #7, Theodore #32.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys11 shared years, 2015–2025
Luca held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Theodore in 10.
Highest recorded here: Luca #4 in 2024, Theodore #3 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Luca #4, Theodore #3.
New Zealand · Boys11 shared years, 2013–2023
Luca held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Theodore in 4.
Highest recorded here: Luca #3 in 2023, Theodore #6 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Luca #3, Theodore #6.
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 | Luca | Theodore |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | The Italian and Romanian form of Lucas, itself probably a shortened form of the Greek 'Loukanos', meaning 'from Lucania' (a region of southern Italy). | Gift of God. |
| Origin | Italian, via Greek Loukas | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈluːkə/ | /ˈθiəˌdɔɹ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Teddy |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #4 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Luca is recorded with a Italian, via Greek Loukas origin, while Theodore is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Luca has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Theodore.
- Luca's recorded meaning differs from Theodore's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Luca a "medium" Data Confidence level and Theodore a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
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
Theodore
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #214 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 recorded2015–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2024 (recorded 2015–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys