Ellie vs Isla
Ellie 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, Ellie was ranked #35 and Isla #2 among girls in Scotland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Ellie was ranked #40 and Isla #3 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ellie was ranked #88 and Isla #4 among girls in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Ellie was ranked #32 and Isla #4 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ellie was ranked #18 and Isla #8 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ellie was ranked #15 and Isla #13 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Ellie and Isla over time
Ellie and Isla appear together in 5 published lists, across 103 years of shared records. Isla held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Ellie 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.
Ellie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Isla 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 2010, Isla moved ahead of Ellie in England and Wales · Girls — #27 and #30 the year before became #29 and #22.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Ellie #25 in 2023, Isla #1 in 2023.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ellie held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Isla in 15.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #2 in 2003, Isla #3 in 2014.
The order changed in 2010: Isla moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #27 and #30; by 2010 that had become #29 and #22.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ellie #88, Isla #4.
Republic of Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 2002–2025
Ellie held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Isla in 2.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #6 in 2023, Isla #11 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #15, Isla #13.
Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 2004–2024
Ellie held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Isla in 11.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #3 in 2005, Isla #1 in 2023.
The order changed in 2014: Isla moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #21 and #27; by 2014 that had become #18 and #14.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ellie #18, Isla #8.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls18 shared years, 2008–2025
Ellie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Isla in 18.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #25 in 2023, Isla #1 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #32, Isla #4.
New Zealand · Girls13 shared years, 2011–2023
Ellie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Isla in 13.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #31 in 2021, Isla #1 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ellie #40, Isla #3.
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 | Ellie | Isla |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A diminutive of several longer names, particularly Eleanor, Ellen and Elizabeth. | A Scottish place name; not generally treated as having a separate lexical 'meaning' beyond the river/place it names. |
| Origin | Various, diminutive form | Scottish |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛl.i/ | /ˈaɪlə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 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 | Republic of Ireland · Girls #15 (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
- Ellie is recorded with a Various, diminutive form origin, while Isla is recorded with a Scottish origin.
- Ellie and Isla both have 2 syllables.
- Ellie'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 Ellie 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
Ellie
Popularity journey
First recorded1987
First recorded at #488 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1987 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #32 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · 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