Name meaning & stats
Luke
Luke means “from Lucania (light)”. 317,932 US babies since 1940, peak 2014. Notable Lukes are 2.2× over-represented as footballers.
What it means
“from Lucania (light)”
Well documented
In US birth records
Peak year: 2014
317,932 US babies were named Luke between 1940 and 2025.
Where Lukes end up
Not enough notable Lukes yet, so this uses the spelling family: Luke, Luc.
| Career | vs expected | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Footballer | 2.2× | High · 147 people |
| Actor | 1.4× | High · 79 people |
| Politician | 0.7× | High · 50 people |
| Basketball player | 0.9× | High · 44 people |
Among notable men who are footballers, the Luke family show up 2.2× as often as you'd expect from how common the name is.
Notable people born 1940–2005 in the US, UK, Canada and Australia (Wikidata). Patterns, not destiny.
One more thing…
Luke has a surprise career: 2.7×
Spelling family
Luke is the main spelling
Names that sound the same, grouped by Heyotag. Share of US babies since 1940.
Name twins (peaked around 2014)