Lucas Name Meaning: Origin, Popularity & Nicknames

What Does Lucas Mean?

The name Lucas comes from the Greek boy’s name Loukâs (Λουκᾶς). Loukâs comes from the ancient Greek word “leukós” (Λευκός). The word “leukós” means “bright, shining, gleaming, light-colored, pale-skinned, or weakly.”

“Leuk” is also a Proto-Indo-European root that means “light or brightness.”

One theory is that the Latinized version of Loukâs, Lucas, is an abbreviated version of the name Lucanus. Lucanus comes from the ancient Greek name Loukanós (Λουκανός).

In Greek, Loukanós means “man from Luciania,” a region in southern Italy with a name that means “white or light.”

Additionally, in Latin, Lucas means “bringer of light.”

What is the Origin of the Name Lucas?

The name Lucas is a Latin derivative of the Greek name Loukas. The name is a reference to Luciania, which was an ancient territory in southern Italy.

In the mid-5th century BC, Luciania was part of the Greek-dominated region of Oenotria. Ancient Luciania corresponds to today’s modern Italian region of Basilicata, including a large portion of Salerno and part of Cosenza ⁽¹⁾.

By 100 BC, Italy was mainly using Latin in their speech, from which the Italian language eventually developed. The Greek name Loukas in the area eventually changed to the Latinized Lucas after the Latinization of the area’s language.

How Popular is the Name Lucas?

The name Lucas is very popular in the U.S. According to the Social Security Administration, it has consistently been in the top 100 names for boys since 1993. Lucas first hit the top ten names for boys in 2018 ⁽²⁾.

Lucas hasn’t always been so popular in the U.S. In 1903, it only ranked #976 for boys. However, in 1968, it was #754 and started climbing almost consistently since then.

Between 1978 and 1981, the name Lucas saw a small bump in fame from #136 to #88. No doubt, this popularity was from the release of Star Wars, directed by George Lucas.

The name Lucas is also prevalent in countries with Latin-based languages.

How Do I Pronounce Lucas?

You should pronounce Lucas as “LOO-kuhs.” The pronunciation emphasis is on the first syllable.

Is Lucas a Boy or Girl Name?

Lucas is primarily a boy’s name. According to the Social Security Administration, it has not been among the 1000 top names for girls any time since 1900.

Variations of Lucas

There are many variations of the name Lucas, especially throughout Europe:

• Ghukas (Armenian)
• Lluc (Catalan)
• Luc (Dutch, French)
• Lúcás (Irish)
• Lúc (Irish)
• Luk (Cornish)
• Luka (Albanian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Danish, Faroese, Finnish, Georgian, German, Iranian, Macedonian, Norwegian, Russian, Serbian, Slovene, Swedish)
• Lukács (Hungarian-Magyar)
• Lukão (Brazilian Portuguese)
• Lukas (Basque, Danish, Dutch, German, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Swedish)
• Lukáš (Czech, Slovak)
• Lúkas (Hungarian-Magyar, Icelandic)
• Lukauskis (Lithuanian)
• Lúkasz (Hungarian-Magyar)
• Lūkas (Latvian)
• Łukasz (Polish)
• Łukaszek (Polish)
• Lukaz (Breton, Danish, Finnish, Swedish)
• Luke (Danish, Dutch, Finnish, German, Irish, Norwegian, Scottish, Swedish, Welsh)
• Lukošius (Lithuanian)
• Lukoševičius (Lithuanian)
• Lúks (Latvian)
• Lukša (Lithuanian)
• Lūqā (Arabic)
• Luuk (Dutch)
• Luuka (Finnish)
• Luukas (Estonian, Finnish)

Nicknames for Lucas

Some common nicknames for Lucas include:

• Lou
• Louie
• Luca
• Lucky
• Lucy
• Luke
• Lukie

Similar Names to Lucas

Other names that are similar to Lucas in sound, origin, or meaning include:

• Albus
• Brighton
• Kiran
• Lito
• Luca
• Lucian
• Lucius
• Luke
• Meyer
• Oran
• Pradeep
• Uri
• Zain

Middle Names for Lucas

If you’re trying to think of a good middle name to go with Lucas, here are some options:

• Alexander
• Andrew
• Benjamin
• Blaine
• Blake
• Charles
• Christopher
• Dane
• Edward
• Emerson
• Flynn
• Julian
• Lachlan
• Samuel
• Sullivan
• Vincent
• Zachary

Sibling Names for Lucas

If you’re looking for a sibling name that pairs well with Lucas, we have some ideas for you.

Lucas’ brother’s name could be:

• Daniel
• Elliot
• Isaac
• Landon
• Liam
• Logan
• Ryan

Lucas’ sister’s name could be:

• Emily
• Hannah
• Lauren
• Layla
• Leia
• Lexie
• Olivia

Famous People Named Lucas

Lucas can be both a first and last name, so we’ve included both first and last names on our list.

Famous people with Lucas as a first name include:

• Lucas Adams: American actor.
• Lucas Babin: American actor.
• Lucas Black: American actor.
• Lucas Bryant: Canadian actor.
• Lucas Cruikshank: American comedian, actor, and YouTube personality.
• Lucas di Grassi: Brazilian racing driver.
• Lucas Gabreel: American actor, producer, singer, and songwriter.
• Lucas Lucco: Brazilian singer, songwriter, and actor.
• Lucas Malvacini: Brazilian model.
• Lucas Neff: American actor.
• Lucas Till: American actor.
• Lucas Watson (Sp33dy): American internet celebrity.

Famous people with Lucas as a last name include:

• George Lucas: American Director.
• Isabel Lucas: Australian actress and model.
• Jessica Lucas: Canadian actress and singer.
• Josh Lucas: American actor.
• Marcia Lucas: American film editor.

Lucas in Popular Culture

Lucas is also a name that has worked its way into popular culture.

Some fictional characters with the first name Lucas include:

• Lucas Fitzgerald: Character in the Neighbours soap opera.
• Lucas Goodwin: Character in the House of Cards tv show.
• Lucas Gottesman: Character in the Pretty Little Liars tv show.
• Lucas Hellinger: Character in the FlashForward tv show.
• Lucas Holden: Character in the Home and Away soap opera.
• Lucas Jackson: Character in the Cool Hand Luke movie.
• Lucas Lee: Character in the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World movie.
• Lucas Kane: Character in the Fahrenheit video game.
• Lucas Roberts: Character in the Days of Our Lives soap opera.
• Lucas Scott: Character in the One Tree Hill tv show.
• Lucas Sinclair: Character in the Stranger Things tv series.

Lucas FAQs

Here are some questions that people ask about the name Lucas.