Isla

updated Sept 2015

Isla ~ Island ~ Scottish

Islay, Scotland

I adore this lovely little name! Here's all you need to know about the girl's name Isla.

Pronunciation: EYE-la

The name Isla is related to the English word "island" which is a great guide for how it should be pronounced. The I is a long vowel sound and the s is silent.

So why do some people claim it's pronounced any other way? In Spanish, the word isla translates to island, and it's pronounced "ees-la". But just to settle any debates, that's not the origin of this name or the typical way to say it.

History
This name is as Scottish as they come. Isla a place name, coming from the river and beautiful island in Scotland named Islay (pronounced the same as Isla). Islay is the most popular of the Inner Hebrides and is known for its single malt whisky. The Gaelic name is Ile, and is thought to either come from the name of a goddess or the name of a Danish Princess named Yula—Islay may mean Yula's Isle. The people of Scotland didn't begin using Isla as a given name until the 1800s. Even then, Isla was a rare name in the UK and America.

Popularity
Today, Isla is rocketing up the charts. People love its soft sound, beautiful meaning, and Scottish heritage (much like Fiona). It started showing up in America's top 1,000 names in 2008 and hasn't lost steam since. The most recent stats we have show it at 150. Does that mean if you use this name you should expect that your daughter will feel her name is too common? Not exactly. Though it's gaining a lot of favor and is well-liked, I think it would have to be in the top 100 for it to feel commonplace. It's definitely on-trend and it still hasn't hit its peak.

In Scotland, the name Isla is very popular and is the #6 name for girls in the country! It's also used with more frequency in England and Wales.

Famous Namesakes

• Isla Fisher, actress
• Isla Phillips, second great grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II

Celebrity Babies

• Iyla Vue
  Actress Ashley Scott and her husband, singer Steve Hart, chose an alternate spelling of Isla for their daughter. Say it out loud with her middle name and you get I love you. Does baby naming get any sweeter? Perhaps...because combining Iyla Vue with the surname Hart brings a little extra love.