What does Giovanni mean?
Giovanni is the Italian form of John, “God is gracious.”
What does Luca mean?
Luca is the Italian form of Luke, from the Greek Loukas, “from Lucania.” It is a top boys’ name in Italy and increasingly beyond.
Giovanni vs Luca
Which is more popular?
Luca is more popular than Giovanni today: about 8,759 US babies were given the name Luca in 2025, compared with 2,939 named Giovanni.
| Giovanni | Luca | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | God is gracious | From Lucania; light |
| Origin | Italian | Italian |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | joh-VAH-nee | LOO-kah |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1907 | 1915 |
| Peak year | 2010 (3,434) | 2025 (8,759) |
| In 2025 | 2,939 | 8,759 |
| Trend | Steady | Near its peak |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Giovanni
Luca
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Giovanni | Luca |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 17,879 | 44,138 |
| 2010s | 30,418 | 24,939 |
| 2000s | 24,227 | 7,233 |
| 1990s | 10,931 | 720 |
| 1980s | 3,359 | 252 |
| 1970s | 1,418 | 121 |
| 1960s | 579 | 48 |
| 1950s | 153 | 0 |
| 1940s | 20 | 5 |
| 1930s | 56 | 0 |
| 1920s | 135 | 41 |
| 1910s | 175 | 24 |
| 1900s | 18 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Giovanni or Luca more popular?
Luca is more popular than Giovanni today: about 8,759 US babies were given the name Luca in 2025, compared with 2,939 named Giovanni.
What is the difference between Giovanni and Luca?
Giovanni means God is gracious (Italian origin), while Luca means From Lucania; light (Italian origin).
Which name is older, Giovanni or Luca?
In US records, Giovanni first appears in 1907 and Luca in 1915, so Giovanni has the longer recorded history.