Girls · #28 in 2025
Isla: Meaning, Origin & Popularity
- Origin
- Scottish place name used as a given name
- Meaning
- From Islay; the place name's deeper meaning is uncertain
- Pronunciation
- EYE-luh
- Nickname options
- Usually used in full
Origin and meaning
Isla is a given-name spelling associated with the Scottish island of Islay. The deeper origin of the place name is uncertain. Spanish isla means island, but that word has a different pronunciation and is not the same name history.
Origin sources: Behind the Name — isla.
U.S. popularity
Isla ranked #28 for girls in the United States in 2025, with 6,012 girls given this spelling. Its highest recorded U.S. rank was #28, reached in 2025. Historical coverage: 1880–2025. Peak refers to rank, not the largest number of births.
Source: Social Security Administration; historical peaks calculated from its national name files. Rankings count each spelling separately within the listed sex.
The Hello Baby Names take
Isla feels spacious despite its short spelling. The quiet consonants and open ending create a gentle, almost weightless sound. It is a natural choice for parents who like understated names and are comfortable with a spelling that is not fully phonetic in English.
Things to consider
The S is silent in the usual Scottish-derived name, though depending on a person's background they may be more inclined to say "ees-luh" or "es-luh." Ayla may sound similar in some families, but it has different histories.
If you love Isla, consider…
- Ivy: Keeps the opening with a sharper middle.
- Ava: Offers similar brevity and open vowels.
- Mila: Adds a little more consonant definition.
- Ella: Shares the soft, compact feeling.
- Nora: Brings a more grounded two-syllable sound.
- Luna: Adds celestial imagery to the gentle style.
- Iona: Offers a longer, similarly airy alternative.
- Ayla: Provides a close sound with different spelling traditions.