Rising since 1985, #14 for boys today.
Popularity of Luca since 1915
Babies named Luca per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 24 |
| 1920s | 41 |
| 1930s | 0 |
| 1940s | 5 |
| 1950s | 0 |
| 1960s | 48 |
| 1970s | 121 |
| 1980s | 252 |
| 1990s | 720 |
| 2000s | 7,233 |
| 2010s | 24,939 |
| 2020s | 44,138 |
Meaning & origin
A century ago Luca marked a family as recently arrived from Naples or Palermo; today it reads as effortlessly international, equally at home in Milan, Munich, and Minneapolis. The name first registered in American records in 1915, at the crest of Italian immigration, then idled quietly for seventy years.
The modern climb dates to 1985 and has never reversed, Pixar's 2021 film of the same name arrived when the rise was already steep, carrying Luca to No. 14 in 2025, its peak year, with about 1 in every 195 boys. It now outranks many of the Anglo classics it once stood apart from, part of the same wave that lifted Enzo, Mateo, and Leo.
Geography still remembers the name's roots: Rhode Island and Connecticut, the historic heart of Italian-American southern New England, post its highest state numbers, joined by Hawaii. Parents choosing it tend to favor vowel-forward, two-syllable company, Gemma and Luna for sisters, Enzo and Milo for brothers.
Luca is the Italian descendant of Greek Loukas, understood as "man from Lucania," the ancient region of southern Italy, the same source as Luke and Latin Lucas. The occasional claim that it derives from Latin lux ("light") is folk etymology; the geographic derivation is the standard account, though the name's popularity owes most to Luke the Evangelist, the physician traditionally credited with the third Gospel. Renaissance Italy supplied celebrated bearers from the mathematician Luca Pacioli to the painter Luca Signorelli. In American records the name first appears in 1915, during the peak years of Italian immigration, then stayed rare for generations; its climb began in 1985 and steepened sharply in the 2010s and 2020s as pan-European names became mainstream American taste.
Read more: Luca on Wikipedia
Where Luca is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Luca” around the world
Where Luca lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
340
babies in 2024
Ireland
#11
in 2025
New Zealand
#2
in 2025
Quebec
#43
in 2025
Australia (NSW)
#4
in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand) · Retraite Québec (Quebec) · NSW Registry of BDM (Australia (NSW)).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Lu
Famous people named Luca
- Luca Pacioli · Renaissance mathematician, father of double-entry accounting
- Luca Signorelli · Italian Renaissance painter
- Luca Guadagnino · Italian film director
Sibling names for Luca
Names that share Luca's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Gemma, Sofia, Luna, Isla, Aria, Gianna, Mia, Bianca, Carla, Gabriella, Lia, Marina, Noemi, Paola, Rosa, Rosetta, Sienna, Abriella, Adelina, Adria, Alaia, Alba, Alessa, Alessandra, Alessia, Alina, Amora, Annalisa, Antonella, Antonia, Bettina, Corina, Cristina, Daniella, Elia, Elianna, Elvia, Francesca, Gia, Giada, Giana, Giavanna, Giuliana, Izabella, Jianna, Jovanna, Katia, Lennon, Liana, Lidia, Livia, Luisa, Malaya, Mariella, Martina, Milani, Nicola, Raina, Renata, Romina, Rosalia, Rosalina, Rosanna, Rosina, Siena, Stefani, Tehya, Vianca, Vianna, Zara, Aida, Alasia, Allegra, Amore, Analise, Angeli, Anitra, Annalia, Araya, Arayah, Avary, Bianka, Calia, Dafne, Daniele, Dominica, Ellena, Felica, Franchesca, Gabriele, Gala, Giavonna, Gigi, Gisella, Giulia, Giulianna, Ilah, Italy, Julietta, Keaira, Khali, Kiona, Korina, Lala, Luci, Lucia, Marlow, Mattea, Mayla, Melania, Melena, Melita, Mica, Michela, Milania, Mirabella, Nailea, Nicoletta, Pia, Rachele, Ria, Rina, Romana, Romi, Sabella, Saray, Sena, Solana, Stefania, Tea, Violetta, Vittoria, Xyla, Adaia, Aithana, Alegra, Alesandra, Alessi, Allora, Ambra, Analaya, Angelli, Angelly, Anina, Ariani, Ariele, Armanii, Atiana, Betina, Bruna, Byanca, Calise, Camilia, Carisma, Catalaya, Chela, Chianti, Cira, Donata, Dreya, Elexa, Elyanna, Enza, Evaluna, Feliciana, Fiore, Florina, Franca, Francia, Gabryella, Geovanna, Giabella, Gianina, Giannah, Giannina, Gianny, Giavana, Giavanni, Giavonni, Gionna, Giovana, Giulietta, Graziella, Ilani, Ilaria, Ilena, Ilia, Jolanda, Keyra, Khori, Kimara, Kiyara, Kyri, Licia, Lira, Maraya, Maresa, Marialuisa, Marilena, Marinna, Mariza, Matia, Mela, Merita, Mianna, Michella, Mikaya, Milaya, Milca, Miliani, Miraya, Nani, Natalina, Rafaella, Raffaela, Renatta, Rica, Rossi, Senia, Serra, Silva, Sole, Solei, Soleia, Syrena, Talea, Tinia, Venecia, Viana, Vianka, Yari, Ysabelle, Adalida, Adri, Alaiia, Alesana, Amaura, Analena, Analeya, Analissa, Anelia, Angeleena, Aniko, Anira, Annalina, Ariabella, Atina, Azula, Bellami, Benna, Beya, Biana, Byanka, Carrera, Casia, Catia, Celisa, Chania, Cosima, Daleth, Danaja, Diamantina, Elaria, Elasia, Eleia, Elira, Eloni, Eriona, Fiora, Franci, Gabbriella, Gabriana, Gioia, Grazia, Guiliana, Guliana, Gulianna, Gyanna, Ilea, Illyana, Itali, Janova, Joia, Juliani, Kayani, Klea, Kyrra, Labella, Larua, Lauria, Lenea, Lisia, Loredana, Lunah, Lusia, Makira, Malya, Marca, Marcellina, Mariaclara, Marketta, Miara, Milanna, Milanni, Monia, Naelani, Nara, Naysa, Niana, Nica, Onica, Pachia, Roselina, Siria, Solina, Taila, Teona, Tika, Yulieth, Zelina, Ziomara, Zyrah, Alyanah, Gianelle, Lakina, Melona, Miela, Syenna, Adreena, Aitiana, Alaria, Alayza, Allesandra, Amarisa, Amavi, Ambriella, Anarosa, Aniella, Anjolina, Annina, Areona, Bianna, Biannca, Brietta, Caralina, Demii, Denya, Dolce, Elianni, Emanuella, Enisa, Gabi, Gabrella, Gianah, Giordana, Gracianna, Isabelly, Jazmina, Jiovanna, Joda, Julya, Kaijah, Kalaia, Katora, Krissia, Lachina, Lamyra, Laria, Larosa, Lenia, Lianni, Maiana, Mariajulia, Marlaya, Marsela, Marzia, Masina, Milina, Millena, Miriana, Moorea, Nesa, Nyrah, Prima, Raphaella, Rechy, Reneta, Riata, Riella, Siennah, Simara, Stachia, Stela, Tanina, Thalya, Thula, Tura, Vaniya, Veya, Yasha, Zanita, Zaryia
Brothers: Enzo, Milo, Arlo, Otto, Theo, Mateo, Thiago, Angelo, Aldo, Amare, Bruno, Danilo, Dante, Dino, Francesco, Gian, Gianni, Giovani, Lucio, Malakai, Marcello, Marco, Matteo, Mauro, Nico, Niko, Nino, Renzo, Rey, Rocco, Romeo, Santino, Zayne, Americo, Brando, Carmello, Ciro, Cristiano, Elio, Fabio, Geovani, Geovanni, Gio, Gionni, Giovonni, Guido, Jiovanni, Lauro, Lino, Loris, Maceo, Massimo, Mylo, Nikko, Paolo, Pietro, Ricco, Sandro, Teo, Amelio, Anthonio, Antoino, Caio, Camillo, Christiano, Damier, Giani, Giovannie, Jianni, Jiovani, Jiovanny, Kailo, Lando, Larenzo, Lleyton, Lorenso, Nello, Neri, Nicco, Nicoli, Olando, Piero, Primo, Reis, Yordi, Alessio, Angelino, Bosco, Burech, Capone, Cinque, Domenik, Eliano, Emileo, Franco, Giann, Giovan, Govanni, Jaeceon, Janari, Joncarlo, Jovannie, Jovonni, Kj, Macari, Marrio, Mattheo, Nekoda, Pio, Rafa, Romano, Romar, Ronrico, Savier, Savio, Tonio, Ugo, Emilo, Adante, Alesso, Amiliano, Amnen, Anjelo, Bento, Bravlio, Cataldo, Dinari, Franko, Gianno, Giordan, Jahvier, Javanni, Kiano, Louka, Lui, Maico, Mataeo, Mico, Milano, Morio, Raffael, Sante, Selso, Zay
Names like Luca
Names whose popularity has moved with Luca's over the last 50 years.
