Luca (given name)

Luca (also spelt Louca, Louka, Lucca) is a given name used predominantly for males, mainly in Latin America, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Georgia. It is derived from the Latin name Lucas, which itself is derived from the Latin word "lux" (light). It may also come from the Latin word "lucus" meaning "sacred wood" (a cognate of lucere). The name is common among Christians as a result of Luke the Evangelist. Similarly, the name Luka is also commonly found as a male given name in Eastern Europe and particularly the Balkans with the name sharing the same origin. Luca is also a Hungarian and Croatian female given name, but pronounced differently as "LOO-tsah" the equivalent of the English name Lucy.