Namewise

Luke vs Nathan

Luke and Nathancompared 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.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Luke was ranked #23 and Nathan #71 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Luke was ranked #38 and Nathan #70 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Luke was ranked #50 and Nathan #62 among boys in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Luke was ranked #57 and Nathan #118 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2018, Luke was ranked #75 and Nathan #84 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Luke was ranked #131 and Nathan #99 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Luke was ranked #322 and Nathan #344 among boys in Norway.

Luke and Nathan over time

Luke and Nathan appear together in 5 published lists, across 207 years of shared records. Luke held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Nathan in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Nathan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Luke in 1. 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 2021, Nathan moved ahead of Luke in England and Wales · Boys — #109 and #111 the year before became #117 and #99.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Luke and Nathan changed places 9 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1978 and 2023, ending at #38 and #70.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Luke and Nathan averaged 15.5 places apart, ending at #131 and #99.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Luke and Nathan were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #131 and #99.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys54 shared years, 1968–2025

    Luke held the stronger position in 54 of those years, Nathan in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Luke #7 in 2006, Nathan #26 in 1999.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Luke #23, Nathan #71.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys49 shared years, 1969–2018

    Luke held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Nathan in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Luke #5 in 1994, Nathan #10 in 1981.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2018: Luke #75, Nathan #84.

  • New Zealand · Boys46 shared years, 1978–2023

    Luke held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Nathan in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Luke #14 in 2003, Nathan #14 in 1995.

    The order changed in 1997: Luke moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #18 and #16; by 1997 that had become #18 and #20.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Luke #38, Nathan #70.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Luke held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Nathan in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Luke #11 in 1997, Nathan #24 in 2002.

    The order changed in 2021: Nathan moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #109 and #111; by 2021 that had become #117 and #99.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Luke #131, Nathan #99.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Luke held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Nathan in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Luke #13 in 2005, Nathan #15 in 2000.

    The order changed in 2004: Luke moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #17 and #16; by 2004 that had become #15 and #28.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Luke #57, Nathan #118.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Luke

Pairs where Luke shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Nathan

Pairs where Nathan shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2010s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2010 and 2019.

The 2010s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Luke, Nathan
FieldLukeNathan
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningFrom 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.Commonly interpreted as 'he gave' or 'he has given'.
OriginGreek/Latin, biblicalBiblical Hebrew
Pronunciation/ˈluk//ˈneɪθən/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #23 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #71 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Luke is recorded with a Greek/Latin, biblical origin, while Nathan is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
  • Luke and Nathan both have 2 syllables.
  • Luke's recorded meaning differs from Nathan'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

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 #131 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Nathan

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1968

    First recorded at #267 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1969–2018

    Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1981 (recorded 1969–2018).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #99 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys