Elise vs Isla
Elise 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, Elise was ranked #188 and Isla #2 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Elise was ranked #335 and Isla #4 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Elise was ranked #337 and Isla #8 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2014, Elise was ranked #82 and Isla #13 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2011, Elise was ranked #87 and Isla #13 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Elise was ranked #381 and Isla #13 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Elise and Isla over time
Elise and Isla appear together in 3 published lists, across 72 years of shared records. Isla held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Elise in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Elise reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 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.
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 2006, Isla moved ahead of Elise in England and Wales · Girls — #116 and #125 the year before became #125 and #93.
- Mirrored each other
Over 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Isla rose about as far as Elise fell — from #175 and #382 in 1996 to #335 and #4 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Elise and Isla were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #335 and #4.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Elise held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Isla in 20.
Highest recorded here: Elise #96 in 2002, Isla #3 in 2014.
The order changed in 2006: Isla moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #116 and #125; by 2006 that had become #125 and #93.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elise #335, Isla #4.
Republic of Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 2002–2025
Elise held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Isla in 19.
Highest recorded here: Elise #132 in 2014, Isla #11 in 2023.
The order changed in 2007: Isla moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #303 and #394; by 2007 that had become #468 and #404.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elise #381, Isla #13.
Northern Ireland · Girls20 shared years, 2004–2024
Elise held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Isla in 19.
Highest recorded here: Elise #160 in 2010, Isla #1 in 2023.
The order changed in 2005: Isla moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #169 and #372; by 2005 that had become #377 and #278.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Elise #337, 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.
Side by side
| Field | Elise | Isla |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A short form of Elizabeth, used across Germanic and Scandinavian languages. | A Scottish place name; not generally treated as having a separate lexical 'meaning' beyond the river/place it names. |
| Origin | Hebrew, via German/Scandinavian transmission | Scottish |
| Pronunciation | /eˈliː.seh/ | /ˈaɪlə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Islay |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #63 (2025) | England and Wales · 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
- Elise is recorded with a Hebrew, via German/Scandinavian transmission origin, while Isla is recorded with a Scottish origin.
- Elise has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Isla.
- Elise's recorded meaning differs from Isla's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Elise 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
Elise
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #223 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #23 among girls in Norway, in 2001 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #335 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · 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 England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls