Luca vs William
Luca and Williamcompared 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, Luca was ranked #3 and William #14 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Luca was ranked #60 and William #3 among boys in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Luca was ranked #4 and William #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Luca was ranked #6 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Luca was ranked #7 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Luca was ranked #7 and William #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Luca was ranked #11 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2016, Luca was ranked #3609 and William #5785 among girls in England and Wales.
Luca and William over time
Luca and William appear together in 6 published lists, across 164 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Luca in 0.
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.
William 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2022, Luca moved ahead of William in England and Wales · Boys — #28 and #21 the year before became #12 and #24.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Luca and William averaged 46.8 places apart, ending at #4 and #11.
- Mirrored each other
Over 25 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Luca rose about as far as William fell — from #277 and #27 in 2000 to #7 and #64 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Luca and William were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 39 years, from 1973 to 2025, ending at #60 and #3.
List by list
Norway · Boys39 shared years, 1973–2025
Luca held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 39.
Highest recorded here: Luca #60 in 2025, William #1 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Luca #60, William #3.
Republic of Ireland · Boys30 shared years, 1994–2025
Luca held the stronger position in 5 of those years, William in 25.
Highest recorded here: Luca #11 in 2025, William #39 in 1997.
The order changed in 2021: Luca moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #61 and #51; by 2021 that had become #54 and #57.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Luca #11, William #73.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Luca held the stronger position in 3 of those years, William in 26.
Highest recorded here: Luca #7 in 2023, William #7 in 2006.
The order changed in 2022: Luca moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #28 and #21; by 2022 that had become #12 and #24.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Luca #7, William #27.
Northern Ireland · Boys25 shared years, 2000–2024
Luca held the stronger position in 4 of those years, William in 21.
Highest recorded here: Luca #7 in 2024, William #26 in 2001.
The order changed in 2022: Luca moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #63 and #61; by 2022 that had become #16 and #67.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Luca #7, William #64.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys21 shared years, 2005–2025
Luca held the stronger position in 3 of those years, William in 18.
Highest recorded here: Luca #4 in 2024, William #1 in 2009.
The order changed in 2023: Luca moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #7 and #4; by 2023 that had become #6 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Luca #4, William #11.
New Zealand · Boys20 shared years, 2004–2023
Luca held the stronger position in 2 of those years, William in 18.
Highest recorded here: Luca #3 in 2023, William #3 in 2008.
The order changed in 2022: Luca moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #10 and #9; by 2022 that had become #5 and #10.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Luca #3, William #14.
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 | William |
|---|---|---|
| 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). | Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection. |
| Origin | Italian, via Greek Loukas | Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈluːkə/ | /ˈwɪljəm/ |
| 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 #4 (2025) | Norway · Boys #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Luca is recorded with a Italian, via Greek Loukas origin, while William is recorded with a Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) origin.
- Luca and William both have 2 syllables.
- Luca's recorded meaning differs from William'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
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
William
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #277 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2009 (recorded 1952–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys