Fiadh vs Isla
Fiadh 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, Fiadh was ranked #72 and Isla #2 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Fiadh was ranked #3 and Isla #8 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Fiadh was ranked #3 and Isla #13 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Fiadh was ranked #374 and Isla #4 among girls in England and Wales.
Fiadh and Isla over time
Fiadh and Isla appear together in 3 published lists, across 49 years of shared records. Isla held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Fiadh 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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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 2024, Fiadh moved ahead of Isla in Northern Ireland · Girls — #2 and #1 the year before became #3 and #8.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 20 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Fiadh and Isla averaged 48.4 places apart, ending at #3 and #13.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Fiadh #2 in 2023, Isla #1 in 2023.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls20 shared years, 2002–2025
Fiadh held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Isla in 6.
Highest recorded here: Fiadh #1 in 2021, Isla #11 in 2023.
The order changed in 2013: Fiadh moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #146 and #129; by 2013 that had become #82 and #101.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Fiadh #3, Isla #13.
Northern Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 2008–2024
Fiadh held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Isla in 14.
Highest recorded here: Fiadh #2 in 2023, Isla #1 in 2023.
The order changed in 2024: Fiadh moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #2 and #1; by 2024 that had become #3 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Fiadh #3, Isla #8.
England and Wales · Girls12 shared years, 2013–2024
Fiadh held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Isla in 12.
Highest recorded here: Fiadh #355 in 2021, Isla #3 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Fiadh #374, 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 | Fiadh | Isla |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Carries dual meanings in Modern Irish: 'wild, wild animal, deer' (from Irish 'fia'), or alternatively 'respect'. | A Scottish place name; not generally treated as having a separate lexical 'meaning' beyond the river/place it names. |
| Origin | Irish (modern) | Scottish |
| Pronunciation | /ˈfʲiə/ | /ˈaɪlə/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 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 #3 (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
- Fiadh is recorded with a Irish (modern) origin, while Isla is recorded with a Scottish origin.
- Fiadh has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Isla.
- Fiadh'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 Fiadh 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
Fiadh
Popularity journey
First recorded2002
First recorded at #620 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 2002 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded2002–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2021 (recorded 2002–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #3 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