An internationally successful Lu- name faces off a strong Scottish surname in today’s baby name battle between the much-loved Lucas and Logan. It’s going to be a pretty tight competition, as both of these stylish monikers currently reside in the top 10, making them solid and well-liked choices. This is all in good fun, so if one of your favorites doesn’t prevail, it doesn’t mean that the name you treasure is second to another name. It just means that the perks of the other name appeal more to my standards. So, with that out of the way, let’s let the battle begin!
Lucas
Popularity in 2018: #8
Origin: Latin
Pros: Lucas is considered by some as a full name for long-time favorite Luke, which was the association that most likely propelled this name into the top ten in the first place. Others think of Lucas as a more modern update on Luke as opposed to a full form. Either way, Lucas’s ties to the adored Luke make him a hot commodity today, and add to the long list of his appealing qualities. Another aspect of Lucas to take into consideration is his worldwide fame. The #1 name in several European countries, including The Netherlands, Norway, and Spain, Lucas’s charm seems to translate through multiple continents. The final attribute that draws so many people to this Latin name meaning “man from Lucania” (an ancient name for a southern region in Italy) is the modern and fresh but also classic and simple sound and feel. Lucas feels grounded in past trends and sound patterns, but also new and novel for parents today, similar to the style of boy names like Owen and Ethan.
Cons: Although it’s clear that many people across the world hear Lucas as a modification of Luke, others can’t disassociate the name and short form Luke from mucus and puke, two rhyming words that elementary school kids might not be so gracious about. In addition to the possibly unpleasant nicknames, there’s also a popularity concern surrounding this name. Not only does Lucas rank at #8 in 2018, there’s also Luca at #106, Lucca at #630, Luke at #29, and alternative spelling Lukas at #233. All of the alternative spellings and similar sounding names combined makes Lucas even more intensely popular than he first appears. When combining all of the names mentioned above, you find that 26,801 babies with the name Lucas or a variant were born in the U.S. in 2018 alone, and the chances of a couple of those babies landing in your child’s school are pretty high. If popularity concerns you, Lucas would not be my recommendation, and low popularity is a must on many parents’ lists.
Logan
Popularity in 2018: #10
Origin: Scottish
Pros: One big perk that Logan has against Lucas is his lack of alternative spellings. And perhaps you’ve met a Loegyne or a Logunn, but no other spelling places in the top 1,000, making Logan just as popular as his #10 status suggests. Not only does a lack of alternative spellings or very similar variants make Logan significantly less popular than Lucas, it also makes him easier for others to spell. Another aspect of the name that appeals to expecting parents is his surname name style and his contemporary vibe. Names like Hudson and Jackson are shooting up the charts, but if the -son ending doesn’t work with your surname, Logan, Ethan, and other names of a similar style are perfect. One last perk of the name Logan is the way characters with the name are portrayed in pop culture. In the show Veronica Mars and the movie series X-Men, Logan is a love interest of many, and rendered as strong and handsome men. These popular movie and tv associations make a parent’s view of someone with the name Logan positive.
Cons: Something I always search for in a name is nickname options, and Logan lacks nicknames, which immediately puts me off. However, some people like to find names without nicknames, so that might belong in the Pros section for someone else. Logan also had a unisex stint in the 90s, with Logan peaking for girls at #257 in 1996. Since Logan is so popular for boys, its use for girls seems a little unnatural compared to truly gender neutral choices like Rowan and Riley. Again, my opinion on Logan being used for both genders is negative, because of it's strong favoritism for one gender, but it may be positive for someone else. Although characters called Logan are portrayed as charming and charismatic men, the most famous real life Logan is Logan Paul, a YouTuber shrouded in controversy after he posted a video turning suicide into humor by planting a hanged dummy in a forest to “find” for views, and facing endless accusations of racism. Unfortunately, that is one of my stronger associations with the name Logan, and because of his fame, for many others, as well.
I’ve finally come to a decision, after wrestling with the two options for a while, and I believe that my first impression of these two names was correct. When measuring both Logan and Lucas up against my criteria, I found that Lucas was the clear winner. Although the popularity issue is a definite downside, I find the sound and the modern yet classic vibe much more appealing than Logan’s surname style and unisex qualities. But, if you love Logan, I can completely see the draw of the simple spelling and charismatic sound.
Sincerely,
~Delphina Moon
Do you agree with the final verdict? Are Logan and Lucas not your style? Then submit my form with two names that are similar in sound or style to have them battle!
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