In 2014, Lucas is the most common male name given to newborns. Very popular in the French-speaking and German-speaking countries of Europe, this first name is very popular in "BCBG" families, but not only. It is emblematic of first names that owe their success to a fashion phenomenon since the 80s. Party on October 18.
Origin and etymology of the first name Lucas
This first name has its roots in the Latin Lucas and from the Greek Lukas , of uncertain origins. The frequently established connection between Lucas and lux, "light", is not proven. On the other hand, it is very probable that Lucas derives from Lucanus, an ethnic name meaning "which comes from Lucania", a region of Italy today called Basilicata. The simplified form of Lucas is Luke. Most Western languages have a Lucas equivalent, and French has borrowed several. Lucas is the common form in French, Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch. Luca comes from Italian, Lukas from German, Luka from Russian, with the French variants Lucca, Lucka, Luckas.
Lucas is celebrated on September 28 in honor of a Spanish Saint Lucas, Dominican missionary in Japan, killed in Nagasaki in 1633 and beatified in 1981 by John Paul II , or October 18, St. Luke's Day.
Use and popularity of the first name Lucas
Very uncommon in France before the 20th century, Lucas only really came out of the shadows from 1980. The influence of the German Lukas is unlikely, contrary to what is often thought. We should rather see this choice as one of the signs of the profound renewal of the stock of first names at that time. The fashion of Lucas, from 1990, moreover completely exceeds the French sphere:French-speaking Switzerland, Wallonia, Germany and Austria opt for this first name at the same time. The immense success of Lucas has brought out the borrowed forms Luca, Luk, Lukas, unknown before.
Among the few famous Lucases are the German Renaissance painters Lucas Cranach the Young and the Old, the French novelist Lucas Fournier and more recently several footballers. The fictional character Lucas Scott from the American series The Scott Brothers has given for ten years a second force to this first name.
To go further
- 2000 first names and their history, by Omer Englebert. Albin Michel, 2015.
- The Book of My First Name - Lucas. first, 2017.