Bailey vs Isla

Bailey 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, Bailey was ranked #215 and Isla #2 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Bailey was ranked #795 and Isla #4 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Bailey was ranked #418 and Isla #5 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Bailey was ranked #608 and Isla #13 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2009, Bailey was ranked #77 and Isla #18 among girls in New Zealand.

Bailey and Isla over time

Bailey and Isla appear together in 2 published lists, across 47 years of shared records. Isla held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Bailey in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Bailey reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Isla 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.

List by list

England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Bailey held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Isla in 29.
Highest recorded here: Bailey #337 in 2003, Isla #3 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bailey #795, Isla #4.
Republic of Ireland · Girls18 shared years, 2008–2025
Bailey held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Isla in 18.
Highest recorded here: Bailey #296 in 2019, Isla #11 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Bailey #608, Isla #13.

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 Bailey

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

Jack vs Bailey
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Jack #1 in 2003, Bailey #23 in 2004.
Jack · Bailey · 19 shared years, 1996–2014 · Peaked in the same years
See the 2004 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Mason vs Bailey
In New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Mason moved into the top 50 at #27 in 2011 as Bailey fell out of it to #63, having been #47 the year before.
Mason · Bailey · 11 shared years, 2003–2014 · One took the other's place near the top
See the 2011 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Hunter vs Bailey
In New Zealand · Boys, Hunter moved into the top 50 at #36 in 2005 as Bailey fell out of it to #67, having been #47 the year before.
Hunter · Bailey · 10 shared years, 1999–2008 · One took the other's place near the top
See the 2005 New Zealand ranking
Mitchell vs Bailey
In New Zealand · Boys, Bailey moved into the top 50 at #36 in 2003 as Mitchell fell out of it to #61, having been #36 the year before.
Mitchell · Bailey · 11 shared years, 1996–2006 · One took the other's place near the top
See the 2003 New Zealand ranking

Other comparisons involving Isla

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

Isla vs Ada
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Isla #1 in 2023, Ada #35 in 2023.
Isla · Ada · 11 shared years, 2013–2024 · Peaked in the same years
See the 2023 Northern Ireland ranking
Isla vs Alice
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Isla #1 in 2020, Alice #31 in 2018.
Isla · Alice · 20 shared years, 2004–2023 · Peaked in the same years
See the 2020 New Zealand ranking
Isla vs Annie
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Isla #1 in 2023, Annie #8 in 2022.
Isla · Annie · 21 shared years, 2004–2024 · Peaked in the same years
See the 2023 Northern Ireland ranking
Isla vs Aoife
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Isla #1 in 2023, Aoife #4 in 2024.
Isla · Aoife · 21 shared years, 2004–2024 · Peaked in the same years
See the 2024 Northern Ireland ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Bailey, Isla
Field	Bailey	Isla
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Editorially researched profile
Gender usage	male	female
Meaning	Not yet recorded	A Scottish place name; not generally treated as having a separate lexical 'meaning' beyond the river/place it names.
Origin	Not yet recorded	Scottish
Pronunciation	Not yet recorded	/ˈaɪlə/
Syllables	2	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Islay
Recorded regional usage	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025)	New South Wales, Australia · Girls #4 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	88/100	95/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	high

What the data shows

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

Bailey

Popularity journey

First recorded1996
First recorded at #848 among girls in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2014
Highest recorded position: #23 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2004 (recorded 1996–2014).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls

Isla

Popularity journey

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
Highest recorded2008–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2023 (recorded 2008–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #4 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls