Isla vs Leah
Isla and Leahcompared 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, Isla was ranked #1 and Leah #96 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Isla was ranked #2 and Leah #145 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Isla was ranked #4 and Leah #184 among girls in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Isla was ranked #4 and Leah #89 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Isla was ranked #8 and Leah #119 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Isla was ranked #13 and Leah #55 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Isla and Leah over time
Isla and Leah appear together in 6 published lists, across 128 years of shared records. Isla held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Leah in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Leah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 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 #30 in 2008 as Leah fell out of it to #66, having been #48 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2008, Isla moved ahead of Leah in England and Wales · Girls — #65 and #39 the year before became #36 and #38.
- Longest-running competitions
Isla and Leah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 38 years, from 1996 to 2024, ending at #4 and #184.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Scotland · Girls within 2 years — Isla #2 in 2024, Leah #145 in 2024.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls38 shared years, 1996–2024
Isla held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Leah in 12.
Highest recorded here: Isla #3 in 2014, Leah #24 in 2002.
The order changed in 2008: Isla moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #65 and #39; by 2008 that had become #36 and #38.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Isla #4, Leah #184.
Republic of Ireland · Girls24 shared years, 1979–2025
Isla held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Leah in 17.
Highest recorded here: Isla #11 in 2023, Leah #9 in 2005.
The order changed in 2019: Isla moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #37 and #36; by 2019 that had become #34 and #36.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Isla #13, Leah #55.
Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 2004–2024
Isla held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Leah in 10.
Highest recorded here: Isla #1 in 2023, Leah #10 in 2005.
The order changed in 2014: Isla moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #27 and #22; by 2014 that had become #14 and #27.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Isla #8, Leah #119.
New Zealand · Girls19 shared years, 2004–2022
Isla held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Leah in 3.
Highest recorded here: Isla #1 in 2020, Leah #39 in 2012.
The order changed in 2008: Isla moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #50 and #48; by 2008 that had become #30 and #66.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Isla #1, Leah #96.
Scotland · Girls16 shared years, 2024–2024
Isla held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Leah in 0.
Highest recorded here: Isla #2 in 2024, Leah #145 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Isla #2, Leah #145.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls10 shared years, 2010–2025
Isla held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Leah in 0.
Highest recorded here: Isla #3 in 2022, Leah #78 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Isla #4, Leah #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.
Side by side
| Field | Isla | Leah |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A Scottish place name; not generally treated as having a separate lexical 'meaning' beyond the river/place it names. | Likely derives from a Hebrew word meaning 'weary, grieved'; an alternative theory suggests a connection to Akkadian 'littu' ('cow'). In the Old Testament, Leah was Jacob's first wife. |
| Origin | Scottish | Biblical Hebrew, etymology disputed |
| Pronunciation | /ˈaɪlə/ | /ˈliː.ə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Islay | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #4 (2025) | Norway · Girls #12 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Isla is recorded with a Scottish origin, while Leah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, etymology disputed origin.
- Isla has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Leah.
- Isla's recorded meaning differs from Leah'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 Isla a "high" Data Confidence level and Leah 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
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
Leah
Popularity journey
First recorded1966
First recorded at #310 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1966–2025
Highest recorded position: #9 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1966–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #89 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls