Eabha vs Isla
Eabha 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, Eabha was ranked #431 and Isla #2 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Eabha was ranked #1262 and Isla #4 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Eabha was ranked #13 and Isla #8 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Eabha was ranked #413 and Isla #13 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Eabha and Isla over time
Eabha and Isla appear together in 3 published lists, across 61 years of shared records. Isla held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Eabha in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 2 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, Eabha 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 2009, Isla moved ahead of Eabha in Northern Ireland · Girls — #78 and #95 the year before became #138 and #65.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Eabha and Isla averaged 48.4 places apart, ending at #13 and #8.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Eabha #13 in 2024, Isla #1 in 2023.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 2002–2025
Eabha held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Isla in 9.
Highest recorded here: Eabha #45 in 2016, Isla #11 in 2023.
The order changed in 2017: Isla moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #45 and #53; by 2017 that had become #50 and #40.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Eabha #413, Isla #13.
Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 2004–2024
Eabha held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Isla in 17.
Highest recorded here: Eabha #13 in 2024, Isla #1 in 2023.
The order changed in 2009: Isla moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #78 and #95; by 2009 that had become #138 and #65.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Eabha #13, Isla #8.
England and Wales · Girls18 shared years, 2004–2024
Eabha held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Isla in 18.
Highest recorded here: Eabha #1069 in 2021, Isla #3 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Eabha #1262, Isla #4.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Eabha | Isla |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Traditionally treated as the Irish form of the name Eve, carrying the same underlying sense of 'life' or 'living one'. | A Scottish place name; not generally treated as having a separate lexical 'meaning' beyond the river/place it names. |
| Origin | Irish | Scottish |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeːwə/ | /ˈaɪlə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Islay |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #413 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #4 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Eabha is recorded with a Irish origin, while Isla is recorded with a Scottish origin.
- Eabha and Isla both have 2 syllables.
- Eabha'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.
- The available evidence gives Eabha 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
Eabha
Popularity journey
First recorded1990
First recorded at #517 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1990 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded2001–2024
Highest recorded position: #13 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2024 (recorded 2001–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #413 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