Luke vs Sean
Luke and Seancompared 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 2007, Luke was ranked #15 and Sean #83 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2007, Luke was ranked #22 and Sean #85 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Luke was ranked #23 and Sean #141 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Luke was ranked #57 and Sean #48 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Luke was ranked #50 and Sean #234 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Luke was ranked #138 and Sean #638 among boys in England and Wales.
Luke and Sean over time
Luke and Sean appear together in 5 published lists, across 189 years of shared records. Luke held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Sean in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Sean reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 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 took the other's place near the top
In Republic of Ireland · Boys, Luke moved into the top 50 at #7 in 2018 as Sean fell out of it to #74, having been #5 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1974, Luke moved ahead of Sean in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #52 and #43 the year before became #39 and #44.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Luke and Sean changed places 6 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #57 and #48.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 40 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Luke and Sean averaged 42.8 places apart, ending at #22 and #85.
- Longest-running competitions
Luke and Sean were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 40 years, from 1967 to 2007, ending at #22 and #85.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Luke #11 in 1997, Sean #49 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Luke held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Sean in 54.
Highest recorded here: Luke #7 in 2006, Sean #1 in 1997.
The order changed in 2018: Luke moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #7 and #5; by 2018 that had become #7 and #74.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Luke #23, Sean #141.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys40 shared years, 1967–2007
Luke held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Sean in 7.
Highest recorded here: Luke #5 in 1994, Sean #29 in 1967.
The order changed in 1974: Luke moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #52 and #43; by 1974 that had become #39 and #44.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Luke #22, Sean #85.
New Zealand · Boys30 shared years, 1978–2007
Luke held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Sean in 0.
Highest recorded here: Luke #14 in 2003, Sean #28 in 1995.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Luke #15, Sean #83.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Luke held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Sean in 0.
Highest recorded here: Luke #11 in 1997, Sean #49 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Luke #138, Sean #638.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Luke held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Sean in 11.
Highest recorded here: Luke #13 in 2005, Sean #13 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Luke #57, Sean #48.
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 | Luke | Sean |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From 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. | The Irish form of John, ultimately carrying the meaning 'Yahweh is gracious' via its Hebrew ancestry. |
| Origin | Greek/Latin, biblical | Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John |
| Pronunciation | /ˈluk/ | /ʃɔːn/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| 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 | Republic of Ireland · Boys #23 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #141 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Luke is recorded with a Greek/Latin, biblical origin, while Sean is recorded with a Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John origin.
- Luke has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Sean.
- Luke's recorded meaning differs from Sean'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
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
Highest recorded1967–2024
Highest recorded position: #5 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1994 (recorded 1967–2024).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #322 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Sean
Popularity journey
First recorded1963
First recorded at #82 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1963 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1997 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #141 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys