Namewise

Ada vs Isla

Ada and Islacompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Ada was ranked #44 and Isla #2 among girls in Scotland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2023, Ada was ranked #78 and Isla #3 among girls in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Ada was ranked #40 and Isla #4 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Ada was ranked #47 and Isla #8 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Ada was ranked #45 and Isla #13 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Ada and Isla over time

Ada and Isla appear together in 3 published lists, across 63 years of shared records. Isla held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Ada in 0.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Isla reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Ada in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Ada and Isla were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #40 and #4.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Ada #35 in 2023, Isla #1 in 2023.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Ada held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Isla in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Ada #36 in 2022, Isla #3 in 2014.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #40, Isla #4.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 2002–2025

    Ada held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Isla in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Ada #34 in 2023, Isla #11 in 2023.

    The order changed in 2008: Isla moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #373 and #404; by 2008 that had become #430 and #230.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #45, Isla #13.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 2013–2024

    Ada held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Isla in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Ada #35 in 2023, Isla #1 in 2023.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #47, Isla #8.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Ada

Pairs where Ada shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Isla

Pairs where Isla shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Northern Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Ada, Isla
FieldAdaIsla
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA short form of Germanic names beginning with 'adal' meaning 'noble', such as Adelaide or Adelina. Notably borne by Ada Lovelace, who assisted Charles Babbage with early computer development.A Scottish place name; not generally treated as having a separate lexical 'meaning' beyond the river/place it names.
OriginGermanicScottish
Pronunciation/ˈeɪ.də//ˈaɪlə/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedIslay
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #18 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #4 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Ada is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Isla is recorded with a Scottish origin.
  • Ada and Isla both have 2 syllables.
  • Ada's recorded meaning differs from Isla's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Ada a "medium" Data Confidence level and Isla a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Ada

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #229 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #6 among girls in Norway, in 2019 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #40 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Isla

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1979

    First recorded at #467 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1979 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded2008–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2023 (recorded 2008–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #4 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls