The name Luke is a male first name and, less often, a last name. It is the English version and shortened form of the Latin name Lucas. The origin of the name is debated by scholars. According to Oxford's A Dictionary of First Names, the name comes from the Greek name Λουκᾶς (Loukas) and means "a person from Lucania." The Roman poet Virgil suggested that the Latin name lucas or luca was derived from Lucanus, meaning "a person from Lucania," a view supported by modern scholars. Another theory is that the name comes from the Latin name Lucius, which could mean "the bright one" or "the one born at dawn." A different theory suggests the name may have come from the Etruscan name Lauchum (or Lauchme), meaning "king," which later became Lucumo in Latin.

The most famous historical use of the name is in the Gospel of Luke, written around 70 to 90 AD. Luke the Evangelist, believed to have written the Gospel of Luke, was a doctor who lived between 30 and 130 AD. He is also credited with writing the Book of Acts in the Bible. Luke is mentioned by the Apostle Paul in some of Paul’s letters to early Christian communities.

People

• Luke the Evangelist (died 84), one of the Four Evangelists
• Uncle Luke (born 1960), American rapper, promoter, and record executive

• Luke Abbott, English electronic musician
• Luke Ablett (born 1982), Australian rules footballer
• Luke Abraham (born 1983), English rugby union footballer
• Luke Adam (born 1990), Canadian ice hockey player
• Luke Adams (disambiguation), multiple people
• Luke Adamson (born 1987), English rugby league footballer
• Luke Aikins (born 1973), American skydiver
• Luke Akehurst (born 1972), British politician
• Luke Alker (born 2006), English footballer
• Luke Allen (1978–2022), American baseball player
• Luke Allen-Gale (born 1984), British actor
• Luke Altmyer (born 2002), American football player
• Luke Ambler (born 1989), Irish rugby league footballer
• Luke Amos (born 1997), English footballer
• Luke Andrews (born 1976), New Zealand rugby union footballer
• Luke Anguhadluq (1895–1982), Canadian artist
• Luke Anowtalik (1932–2006), Native Canadian artist
• Luke Anthony (born 1976), Australian actor
• Luke Appling (1907–1991), American baseball player
• Luke Archer (1899–1988), American baseball player
• Luke Armstrong (born 1996), English footballer
• Luke Arnold (born 1984), Australian actor
• Luke Arscott (born 1984), English rugby union footballer
• Luke Ashworth (born 1989), English footballer
• Luke Askew (1932–2012), American actor
• Luke Ayling (born 1991), English footballer

• Luke Babbitt (born 1989), American basketball player
• Luke Bailey (disambiguation), multiple people
• Luke Bain (born 2000), Scottish rugby league footballer
• Luke Baines (born 1990), English-Australian actor
• Luke Bakhuizen (born 1993), Australian photographer
• Luke Baldauf (born 1969), Virgin Island windsurfer
• Luke Ball (born 1984), Australian rules footballer
• Luke Baldwin (rugby union) (born 1990), English rugby union footballer
• Luke Baldwin (racing driver) (born 2006), American stock car racing driver
• Luke Bambridge (born 1995), British tennis player
• Luke Bard (born 1990), American baseball player
• Luke Barker (born 1992), American baseball player
• Luke Barker (American football) (born 1991), American football coach
• Luke Barnatt (born 1988), English mixed martial artist
• Luke Bateman (born 1995), Australian rugby league footballer
• Luke Bateman (trade unionist) (1873–1914), British trade unionist
• Luke Batten (born 1989), Australian cricketer
• Luke Batten (footballer) (born 1993), English footballer
• Luke Batten (rugby league) (born 1995), English rugby league footballer
• Luke Batten (rugby union) (born 1998), English rugby union footballer
• Luke Batten (sprinter) (born 1999), English sprinter
• Luke Batten (wrestler) (born 2001), English wrestler
• Luke Batten (youth footballer) (born 2003), English youth footballer
• Luke Batten (youth rugby union) (born 2004), English youth rugby union footballer
• Luke Batten (youth rugby league) (born 2005), English youth rugby league footballer
• Luke Batten (youth sprinter) (born 2006), English youth sprinter
• Luke Batten (youth wrestler) (born 2007), English youth wrestler
• Luke Batten (youth cricketer) (born 2008), English youth cricketer
• Luke Batten (youth footballer) (born 2009), English youth footballer
• Luke Batten (youth rugby union) (born 2010), English youth rugby union footballer
• Luke Batten (youth rugby league) (born 2011), English youth rugby league footballer
• Luke Batten (youth sprinter) (born 2012), English youth sprinter
• Luke Batten (youth wrestler) (born 2013), English youth wrestler
• Luke Batten (youth cricketer) (born 2014), English youth cricketer
• Luke Batten (youth footballer) (born 2015), English youth footballer
• Luke Batten (youth rugby union) (born 2016), English youth rugby union footballer
• Luke Batten (youth rugby league) (born 2017), English youth rugby league footballer
• Luke Batten (youth sprinter) (born 2018), English youth sprint

Fictional characters

• Lucky Luke, the main character in a Belgian comic book series set in the American Old West
• Luke Castellan, one of the main villains in Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson & The Olympians series
• Luke Antonio, a character in the Filipino drama series Abot-Kamay na Pangarap
• Luke Duke, the older cousin of two brothers in the 1985 television series Dukes of Hazzard
• Luke Dunphy, a character in the television show Modern Family
• Luke Cage, a comic superhero in the Marvel Universe
• Luke the Dog, a character who appears in many American silent comedy films from the 1910s
• Luke fon Fabre, the main character in the video game Tales of the Abyss
• Luke Hobbs, a character in the Fast & Furious movie series
• Luke Malloy, the main character in the 2007 film The Last Day of Summer
• Luke Ross, one of the four main characters in the Disney Channel sitcom Jessie
• Luke Skywalker, the main hero in the Star Wars original trilogy
• Luke Smith, a character in the BBC series The Sarah Jane Adventures
• Luke Snyder, a character in the long-running daytime drama As the World Turns
• Luke Spencer, a character in the long-running soap opera General Hospital
• Luke Triton, a character from the Professor Layton video game series