Namewise

Isla vs Kayla

Isla and Kaylacompared 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, Isla was ranked #2 and Kayla #171 among girls in Scotland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2014, Isla was ranked #3 and Kayla #89 among girls in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Isla was ranked #4 and Kayla #386 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Isla was ranked #8 and Kayla #253 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Isla was ranked #13 and Kayla #130 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2012, Isla was ranked #21 and Kayla #83 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

Isla and Kayla over time

Isla and Kayla appear together in 5 published lists, across 131 years of shared records. Isla held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Kayla in 1.

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.

Kayla reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 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 took the other's place near the top

    In New Zealand · Girls, Isla moved into the top 50 at #50 in 2007 as Kayla fell out of it to #51, having been #44 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2007, Isla moved ahead of Kayla in New Zealand · Girls — #47 and #44 the year before became #50 and #51.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Isla and Kayla were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 50 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #4 and #386.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Scotland · Girls within 2 years — Isla #2 in 2024, Kayla #171 in 2024.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Girls50 shared years, 1996–2025

    Isla held the stronger position in 48 of those years, Kayla in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Isla #3 in 2014, Kayla #98 in 2011.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Isla #4, Kayla #386.

  • Scotland · Girls27 shared years, 2024–2024

    Isla held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Kayla in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Isla #2 in 2024, Kayla #171 in 2024.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Isla #2, Kayla #171.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 2002–2025

    Isla held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Kayla in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Isla #11 in 2023, Kayla #21 in 2011.

    The order changed in 2016: Isla moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #73 and #68; by 2016 that had become #53 and #70.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Isla #13, Kayla #130.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 2004–2024

    Isla held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Kayla in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Isla #1 in 2023, Kayla #40 in 2011.

    The order changed in 2012: Isla moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #48 and #40; by 2012 that had become #31 and #73.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Isla #8, Kayla #253.

  • New Zealand · Girls11 shared years, 2004–2014

    Isla held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Kayla in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Isla #3 in 2014, Kayla #42 in 2004.

    The order changed in 2007: Isla moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #47 and #44; by 2007 that had become #50 and #51.

    Most recent shared year, 2014: Isla #3, Kayla #89.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Isla

Pairs where Isla shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Kayla

Pairs where Kayla shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Northern Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Isla, Kayla
FieldIslaKayla
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA Scottish place name; not generally treated as having a separate lexical 'meaning' beyond the river/place it names.Not yet recorded
OriginScottishNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈaɪlə/Not yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesIslayNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #4 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #130 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Isla has a recorded origin (Scottish); Kayla does not have one recorded yet.
  • Isla and Kayla both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Isla; Kayla doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Isla a "high" Data Confidence level and Kayla a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Isla

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded2008–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2023 (recorded 2008–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #4 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Kayla

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1985

    First recorded at #68 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1985 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1986–2014

    Highest recorded position: #18 among girls in New Zealand, in 1992 (recorded 1986–2014).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #386 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls