Heidi vs Isla
Heidi 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.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2022, Heidi was ranked #99 and Isla #1 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Heidi was ranked #95 and Isla #2 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Heidi was ranked #107 and Isla #4 among girls in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2019, Heidi was ranked #99 and Isla #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Heidi was ranked #65 and Isla #8 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Heidi was ranked #91 and Isla #13 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Heidi and Isla over time
Heidi and Isla appear together in 3 published lists, across 73 years of shared records. Isla held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Heidi 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.
Heidi 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 2003, Isla moved ahead of Heidi in England and Wales · Girls — #244 and #276 the year before became #214 and #200.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Heidi and Isla averaged 49.8 places apart, ending at #65 and #8.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Heidi #76 in 2016, Isla #3 in 2014.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Heidi held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Isla in 22.
Highest recorded here: Heidi #76 in 2016, Isla #3 in 2014.
The order changed in 2003: Isla moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #244 and #276; by 2003 that had become #214 and #200.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Heidi #107, Isla #4.
Republic of Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 1980–2025
Heidi held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Isla in 13.
Highest recorded here: Heidi #74 in 2019, Isla #11 in 2023.
The order changed in 2013: Isla moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #118 and #129; by 2013 that had become #105 and #101.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Heidi #91, Isla #13.
Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 2004–2024
Heidi held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Isla in 18.
Highest recorded here: Heidi #48 in 2021, Isla #1 in 2023.
The order changed in 2007: Isla moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #184 and #238; by 2007 that had become #162 and #131.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Heidi #65, 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 | Heidi | Isla |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A German diminutive of Adelheid. Gained wide recognition through Johanna Spyri's 1880 children's novel Heidi, and its 1937 film adaptation starring Shirley Temple. | A Scottish place name; not generally treated as having a separate lexical 'meaning' beyond the river/place it names. |
| Origin | Germanic, diminutive of Adelheid | Scottish |
| Pronunciation | /ˈhaɪ̯.di/ | /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 #91 (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
- Heidi is recorded with a Germanic, diminutive of Adelheid origin, while Isla is recorded with a Scottish origin.
- Heidi and Isla both have 2 syllables.
- Heidi'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 Heidi 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
Heidi
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #188 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: #2 among girls in Norway, in 1965 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #437 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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