What Does the Name Isla Mean? Origin, Meaning & Popularity

Isla is a feminine name of Scottish origin, taken from Islay, an island off the west coast of Scotland. It is popularly understood to mean “island,” though the name of the island itself is of uncertain origin. Isla has become a hugely fashionable girls’ name in recent years.

What does the name Isla mean?

Isla is most often said to mean “island,” because it comes from the Scottish island of Islay. In honesty, this is a popular interpretation rather than a documented etymology: the origin of the island’s own name is genuinely uncertain. Suggestions put forward over the years include “island divided in two,” “the law island,” and “swelling island,” and one tradition connects it to a legendary Pictish figure named Ile. Scholars generally agree the root is not Gaelic and has no firmly known meaning.

So the most accurate way to describe Isla is as a Scottish name derived from the island of Islay, commonly taken to mean “island,” with the island’s underlying name being of debated origin.

Where does the name Isla come from?

Isla is Scottish and comes from Islay (pronounced the same as Isla), the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides. The name was originally used in the forms Ilay or Islay, and it was historically a masculine name that was rare among women. Over time Isla came to be regarded as a distinctly female name, while Islay survives as a rare male name. There is also a River Isla in Scotland, which some connect to the name.

It is worth clearing up a common point of confusion: the spelling of Isla happens to match the Spanish word isla, meaning “island.” This is a coincidence. The Scottish name and the Spanish word are pronounced differently and do not share the same source, even though both end up associated with the idea of an island.

How do you pronounce Isla?

Isla is pronounced EYE-lah. The “s” is silent, just as it is in the island name Islay. It is two syllables, with the stress on the first.

How popular is the name Isla?

Isla has surged in popularity across the English-speaking world over the past couple of decades, becoming one of the most popular girls’ names in the United Kingdom and rising strongly in Australia, Canada, and the United States. Its soft sound, short length, and Scottish charm have all contributed to its appeal. It fits the broad trend toward gentle, vowel-rich names for girls.

Variations, nicknames and similar names

• Related forms: Islay, Ila, Ilay.
• Nicknames: Izzy, Lala, Is.
• Similar names: Isabella, Isadora, Iris, Ayla, Isabel.

Famous people named Isla

• Isla Fisher, the Australian actress and author.

Frequently asked questions

Is Isla a boy or girl name?

Today Isla is used as a girl’s name. In its original forms (Ilay/Islay) it was historically masculine, but that usage is now rare.

Does Isla mean “island”?

It is popularly taken to mean “island” because it comes from the island of Islay, but the island’s own name is of uncertain origin, so this is a popular interpretation rather than a proven meaning.

Is Isla a Spanish name?

No. Isla is Scottish. Its spelling coincidentally matches the Spanish word isla (“island”), but they come from different sources and are pronounced differently.

How do you pronounce Isla?

It is pronounced EYE-lah, with a silent “s.”

The bottom line

Isla is a soft, fashionable Scottish name drawn from the island of Islay and popularly understood as “island,” even though the island’s own name is of debated origin. If gentle nature-inspired names appeal to you, you can explore more baby names on the blog.