Namewise

Aoife vs Isla

Aoife 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, Aoife was ranked #87 and Isla #2 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Aoife was ranked #192 and Isla #4 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Aoife was ranked #4 and Isla #8 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Aoife was ranked #34 and Isla #13 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Aoife and Isla over time

Aoife and Isla appear together in 3 published lists, across 75 years of shared records. Aoife held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Isla in 1.

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 2 of those lists, Aoife in 1. 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.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2021, Isla moved ahead of Aoife in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #24 and #26 the year before became #32 and #17.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 24 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Isla rose about as far as Aoife fell — from #21 and #467 in 1979 to #34 and #13 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Aoife and Isla were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #192 and #4.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Aoife #167 in 2015, Isla #3 in 2014.

List by list

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

    Aoife held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Isla in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Aoife #167 in 2015, Isla #3 in 2014.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Aoife #192, Isla #4.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls24 shared years, 1979–2025

    Aoife held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Isla in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Aoife #2 in 2002, Isla #11 in 2023.

    The order changed in 2021: Isla moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #24 and #26; by 2021 that had become #32 and #17.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Aoife #34, Isla #13.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 2004–2024

    Aoife held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Isla in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Aoife #4 in 2024, Isla #1 in 2023.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Aoife #4, 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 Aoife

Pairs where Aoife 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 Aoife, Isla
FieldAoifeIsla
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedA Scottish place name; not generally treated as having a separate lexical 'meaning' beyond the river/place it names.
OriginNot yet recordedScottish
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈaɪlə/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedIslay
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IEAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #34 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #4 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Isla has a recorded origin (Scottish); Aoife does not have one recorded yet.
  • Aoife and Isla both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Isla; Aoife doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
  • The available evidence gives Aoife 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

Aoife

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #206 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2000 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #192 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