Namewise

Isla vs Niamh

Isla and Niamhcompared 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 Niamh #76 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Isla was ranked #4 and Niamh #208 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Isla was ranked #8 and Niamh #47 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Isla was ranked #13 and Niamh #90 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Isla and Niamh over time

Isla and Niamh appear together in 4 published lists, across 126 years of shared records. Isla held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Niamh 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.

Niamh reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 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 moved ahead of the other

    In 2007, Isla moved ahead of Niamh in England and Wales · Girls — #93 and #63 the year before became #65 and #69.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 52 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Isla rose about as far as Niamh fell — from #382 and #120 in 1996 to #4 and #208 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Isla and Niamh were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 52 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #4 and #208.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Scotland · Girls within 2 years — Isla #2 in 2024, Niamh #76 in 2024.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Girls52 shared years, 1996–2025

    Isla held the stronger position in 41 of those years, Niamh in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Isla #3 in 2014, Niamh #40 in 2000.

    The order changed in 2007: Isla moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #93 and #63; by 2007 that had become #65 and #69.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Isla #4, Niamh #208.

  • Scotland · Girls29 shared years, 2024–2024

    Isla held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Niamh in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Isla #2 in 2024, Niamh #76 in 2024.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Isla #2, Niamh #76.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Isla #11 in 2023, Niamh #8 in 2002.

    The order changed in 2017: Isla moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #53 and #41; by 2017 that had become #40 and #47.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Isla #13, Niamh #90.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 2004–2024

    Isla held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Niamh in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Isla #1 in 2023, Niamh #5 in 2005.

    The order changed in 2014: Isla moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #27 and #25; by 2014 that had become #14 and #20.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Isla #8, Niamh #47.

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 Niamh

Pairs where Niamh 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 — mirrored each other.

All mirrored each other→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

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

England and Wales 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, Niamh
FieldIslaNiamh
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.Traditionally interpreted as 'bright' or 'radiant'. In Irish mythology, Niamh was daughter of the sea god Manannán mac Lir, who fell in love with the poet Oisín.
OriginScottishIrish (mythological)
Pronunciation/ˈaɪlə//ˈnʲiːvˠ/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesIslayNeve, Níam
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #4 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #90 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighhigh

What the data shows

  • Isla is recorded with a Scottish origin, while Niamh is recorded with a Irish (mythological) origin.
  • Isla has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Niamh.
  • Isla's recorded meaning differs from Niamh's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

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

Niamh

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #109 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1993 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #208 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls