ESC Name Rank Total Searching... No names found Try searching for: Emma, Liam, Olivia, Noah... 1999 First Year 2026 Last Year 2021 Peak Year #3154 Peak Rank 412 Total Count 22 Years Active 🌍 ## Meaning & Origin of Islay What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures. Islay is the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Known as "The Queen of the Hebrides", it lies in Argyll and Bute just south west of Jura and around 40 kilometres north of the Northern Irish coast. The island's capital is Bowmore where the distinctive round Kilarrow Parish Church and a distillery are located. Port Ellen is the main port. Source: [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islay) (CC BY-SA 3.0). [Read more → ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islay) ### Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name) * Scottish 🏛️Origin & history Port nan Gallan, The Oa , with the shadowy outline of Kintyre (mainland Scotland) in the far distance [![Wikipedia thumbnail for Islay](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/Port_Ellen%2C_Islay.jpg/330px-Port_Ellen%2C_Islay.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islay) 📖 ## The Story of Islay The earliest SSA record of Islay as a baby girl name dates back to 1999, when 6 babies received it. 2021 was its biggest year on record, with 51 newborns named Islay — #3,154 in the national rankings. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 60% of all recorded Islays. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #4,765 among baby girl names with 28 births, holding steady (+5%). In total, more than 412 Islays have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s 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 🔗 ## Variants & Related Forms of Islay Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Islay. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name. * [Isla](/isla) 🎶 ## Names that sound like Islay Phonetically similar names — useful when Islay is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name. * Ously * Aslo * Mislay * [Asli](/asli) * Isly * [Esli](/esli) * [Issei](/issei) * Elais * [Eisley](/eisley) * [Owsley](/owsley) * [Isaly](/isaly) * Ousley Source: [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated. ❓ ## Frequently Asked Questions about Islay What does the name Islay mean? Islay is the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Known as "The Queen of the Hebrides", it lies in Argyll and Bute just south west of Jura and around 40 kilometres north of the Northern Irish coast. The island's capital is Bowmore where the distinctive round Kilarrow Parish Church and a distillery are located. Port Ellen is the main port. What is the origin of the name Islay? Islay has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Scottish. How popular is Islay in 2026? In 2026, Islay ranks #4,765 among girls' names in the U.S., with 28 babies given the name that year. When was Islay most popular? Islay reached its peak popularity in 2021, ranking #3,154 that year with 51 babies given the name. In which U.S. states is Islay most popular? Islay has historically been most popular in Washington, Indiana, California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Islay. Is Islay a unisex name? In U.S. Social Security records, Islay is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name. What names go well with Islay? Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Islay include Halsey, Raevyn, Ivoree. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data. What are nicknames or variants of Islay? Common variants and related forms of Islay include Isla. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms. ## Similar Names [👧HalseyPeak #3154](/halsey)[👧RaevynPeak #3154](/raevyn)[👧IvoreePeak #3154](/ivoree)[👧ChareePeak #3155](/charee)[👧BuffiPeak #3155](/buffi)[👧AlnisaPeak #3155](/alnisa)[👧DanyalPeak #3155](/danyal)[👧ElthaPeak #3152](/eltha) ## About the name Islay Islay is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1999 and has accumulated 412 births in the dataset. Islay's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #3,154\. Use the chart and map above to compare Islay's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices. ### Continue exploring * [ Top names of 2021 → ](/year/2021) * [ Names of the 2020s → ](/decade/2020s) * [ Names starting with "I" → ](/letter/i) * [ Browse all girl names → ](/names/girls) * [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026) Data sources * Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. [Social Security Administration ](https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/). 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 ](https://www.behindthename.com/) (used under their public API terms). * Meaning prose and editorial summary — [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/) article extracts, licensed under [CC BY-SA 3.0 ](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/). * Predicted nationality distribution — [Nationalize.io ](https://nationalize.io/). * Phonetically similar names — [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). 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.