Lucas is a name with a long history, beginning with the Greek name Loukas or Λουκᾶς which means, "man from Lucania." The name of this region in Southern Italy is thought to have been inspired by a word meaning "shining" or "bright."
The name Lucas is the Latin form of the Greek name, and it means "bringer of light." It's a fitting name for a new baby who will bring light into their family's life. Since Biblical times, Lucas and its variations have been used as a first name – and today, Lucas is more popular than ever.
One common variation of the name Lucas is Luke. Luke was an early Christian and is credited as the author of the Gospel of Luke. He is believed to have been a doctor who traveled with the Apostle Paul. Luke is recognized as the patron saint of artists, doctors, and surgeons.
The name Lucas is most commonly pronounced "loo-kus" or "loo-kas." In France, it's pronounced with a silent s, like "loo-kah."
While Lucas has a long history, it has exploded in popularity over the last few decades. The name began to take off in the 1970s, probably due to the influence of Star Wars director George Lucas and his main character, Luke Skywalker.
In the Social Security Administration's list of top baby boy names in the United States, Lucas has been in the top ten names since 2018. (The name Lucas, interestingly, ranks higher than Luke.)
Lucas is popular internationally, too. In Spain, the Netherlands, France, and New Zealand, Lucas has recently found a spot in the top-10 baby names for boys.
Lucas is typically a masculine name, but there are many feminine variations of the name, including Luciana, Lucia, Lucinda, and Lucille. There are also two gender-neutral names similar to Lucus – Luka and Luca. Luca is the name of a Disney/Pixar movie released in 2021 that could spark interest in this charming name for boys and girls.
Given how enduring the name Lucas has been over centuries – and how popular it's become around the world more recently – we won't be surprised to see this name and its variations topping the charts for years to come.
Lucas Cranach (the Elder) : German painter
Lucas Cranach (the Younger) : German Renaissance painter
Lucas Bryant : Actor known for The Vow, Haven, and 7 Days to Vegas
Lucas Hedges : Academy Award-nominated actor known for Manchester By the Sea, Lady Bird, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and Boy Erased
Lucas Grabeel : Actor known for the High School Musical movie series and Switched at Birth
Lucas Wong : Hong Kong rapper, singer, and model
Lucas Barrios : soccer player
Lucas Black : actor
Lucas Malet : author
Lucas Neill : soccer player
Lucas Turk : baseball player