Isla is a girl name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Isla means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Isla across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Isla has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Isla is a girl name of Scottish origin meaning “from the isle of Islay”. From the Scottish island Islay, also linked to a Spanish word for island.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 58,271 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 51,122 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 8,474 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 1,802 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 2,255 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 3,589 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Isla per year, United States (1886 to 2025). United States peaked in 2025 (6,019/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2014 (4,012/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2014 (435/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2022 (228/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2017 (153/yr).
Isla has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 2025, when it ranked #77 nationally (given to 8,434 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 2020s.
Ella · Ayla · Eula · Ola · Ila · Iola · Willa
Not sure if it's the one? The best way to know is to see if your partner loves it too. Swipe baby names with your partner and match on the ones you both ❤️, free, no account needed to start.
Find your name together →