Girl · #31 in 2026

Isla

Isla is a feminine given name traditionally of primarily Scottish usage, derived from "Islay", which is the name of an island off the west coast of Scotland. It is also the name of two Scottish rivers. The root word has no known origin.

Current Rank
#31
Peak Rank
#31 (2026)
Total Babies
63K
5-Yr Trend
+33%
1886
First Year
2026
Last Year
2026
Peak Year
#31
Peak Rank
63K
Total Count
120
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Isla

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Isla is a feminine given name traditionally of primarily Scottish usage, derived from "Islay", which is the name of an island off the west coast of Scotland. It is also the name of two Scottish rivers. The root word has no known origin.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Isla

Isla first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1886, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 5,577 Islas were born — ranking #31 that year. As of 2026, Isla ranks #31 for baby girls with 5,577 births, rising sharply (+33% over the past five years). In total, more than 63K Islas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Isla

Phonetically similar names — useful when Isla is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Isla

What does the name Isla mean?
Isla is a feminine given name traditionally of primarily Scottish usage, derived from "Islay", which is the name of an island off the west coast of Scotland. It is also the name of two Scottish rivers. The root word has no known origin.
How popular is Isla in 2026?
In 2026, Isla ranks #31 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5,577 babies given the name that year.
When was Isla most popular?
Isla reached its peak popularity in 2026, ranking #31 that year with 5,577 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Isla most popular?
Isla has historically been most popular in Hawaii, U.S. Territories, Montana. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Isla.
Is Isla a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Isla is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Isla?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Isla include Eva, Elsie, Peggy. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Isla

Isla is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1886 and has accumulated 63K births in the dataset. Isla's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #31. Use the chart and map above to compare Isla's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.