Namewise

Isla vs Meabh

Isla and Meabhcompared 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 Meabh #351 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Isla was ranked #4 and Meabh #1229 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Isla was ranked #8 and Meabh #17 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Isla was ranked #13 and Meabh #413 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Isla and Meabh over time

Isla and Meabh appear together in 3 published lists, across 65 years of shared records. Isla held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Meabh in 0.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Isla reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Meabh 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 2009, Isla moved ahead of Meabh in Northern Ireland · Girls — #95 and #91 the year before became #65 and #104.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Isla #1 in 2023, Meabh #17 in 2024.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls24 shared years, 1979–2025

    Isla held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Meabh in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Isla #11 in 2023, Meabh #76 in 2017.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Isla #13, Meabh #413.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 2004–2024

    Isla held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Meabh in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Isla #1 in 2023, Meabh #17 in 2024.

    The order changed in 2009: Isla moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #95 and #91; by 2009 that had become #65 and #104.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Isla #8, Meabh #17.

  • England and Wales · Girls20 shared years, 1999–2025

    Isla held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Meabh in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Isla #3 in 2014, Meabh #952 in 2024.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Isla #4, Meabh #1229.

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 Meabh

Pairs where Meabh 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 — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

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, Meabh
FieldIslaMeabh
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA Scottish place name; not generally treated as having a separate lexical 'meaning' beyond the river/place it names.The modern Irish form of the older name Medb (Anglicised 'Maeve'), traditionally associated with the mythological warrior-queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle.
OriginScottishIrish
Pronunciation/ˈaɪlə//ˈmʲeːw/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesIslayNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #4 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #413 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Isla is recorded with a Scottish origin, while Meabh is recorded with a Irish origin.
  • Isla has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Meabh.
  • Isla's recorded meaning differs from Meabh's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
  • The available evidence gives Isla a "high" Data Confidence level and Meabh 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

Meabh

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1976

    First recorded at #392 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1976 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #17 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2024 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1229 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls