Isla

Isla was the number 4 most popular girls' name in England and Wales in 2024, given to 2,056 babies that year, according to the Office for National Statistics. It moved down 1 place from rank 3 in 2023. As general background, Isla is usually said to be of Scottish origin, meaning the island, after the Scottish island and river Islay. The popularity figures are the real ONS count and rank; the meaning is widely attested etymology, not a claim about any individual.

Isla in the ONS data

ONS rank (2024, England and Wales) 4 of the girls' names
Babies given this name (2024) 2,056
Registered as a girl's name
Change since 2023 down 1 place from rank 3 in 2023

Source: ONS Baby names in England and Wales, 2024 edition, released 2025-07-31. Accessed 2026-06-14. The rank and count are the real ONS figures for England and Wales. Refreshed each year on the ONS release.

What Isla means

Isla is usually described as a name of Scottish origin, meaning the island, after the Scottish island and river Islay. This is general etymological background drawn from established naming reference works. It describes the name's history and is not a claim about any individual who carries it.

Meanings and origins are general background, not ONS data and not advice.

Isla also appears in these lists

Isla is one of the ONS 2024 top 50 names and one of our picks for these baby name themes.

Names like Isla

Other names from the ONS 2024 rankings that share a theme with Isla.

Nearby in the girls' ranking

See the full ranked list of most popular UK baby names →

OM

Oliver Mackman

Editor, BabyData

Oliver Mackman is the named editor of BabyData and a director of Best Business Loans Ltd (Companies House 16833937), the company that operates the site. He is accountable for its editorial standards, sourcing and corrections, and requires every number to cite the underlying rule and the official UK dataset behind it, with pregnancy tools reviewed against NHS and gov.uk guidance before publication.

Last reviewed: 12 June 2026