Isla vs Poppy
Isla and Poppycompared 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 Poppy #24 among girls in Scotland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Isla was ranked #3 and Poppy #36 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Isla was ranked #4 and Poppy #8 among girls in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Isla was ranked #4 and Poppy #45 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Isla was ranked #8 and Poppy #47 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Isla was ranked #13 and Poppy #105 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Isla and Poppy over time
Isla and Poppy appear together in 6 published lists, across 143 years of shared records. Isla held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Poppy in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 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, Poppy 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 2012, Isla moved ahead of Poppy in Northern Ireland · Girls — #48 and #47 the year before became #31 and #40.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Isla and Poppy changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 2002 and 2025, ending at #13 and #105.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 43 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Isla and Poppy averaged 55.4 places apart, ending at #4 and #8.
- Longest-running competitions
Isla and Poppy were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 43 years, from 1996 to 2024, ending at #4 and #8.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Isla #3 in 2014, Poppy #5 in 2014.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls43 shared years, 1996–2024
Isla held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Poppy in 16.
Highest recorded here: Isla #3 in 2014, Poppy #5 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Isla #4, Poppy #8.
Republic of Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 2002–2025
Isla held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Poppy in 7.
Highest recorded here: Isla #11 in 2023, Poppy #89 in 2024.
The order changed in 2014: Isla moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #101 and #90; by 2014 that had become #84 and #100.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Isla #13, Poppy #105.
Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 2004–2024
Isla held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Poppy in 7.
Highest recorded here: Isla #1 in 2023, Poppy #27 in 2021.
The order changed in 2012: Isla moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #48 and #47; by 2012 that had become #31 and #40.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Isla #8, Poppy #47.
Scotland · Girls21 shared years, 2024–2024
Isla held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Poppy in 0.
Highest recorded here: Isla #2 in 2024, Poppy #24 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Isla #2, Poppy #24.
New Zealand · Girls19 shared years, 2005–2023
Isla held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Poppy in 1.
Highest recorded here: Isla #1 in 2020, Poppy #27 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Isla #3, Poppy #36.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls17 shared years, 2009–2025
Isla held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Poppy in 0.
Highest recorded here: Isla #1 in 2023, Poppy #44 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Isla #4, Poppy #45.
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 | Poppy |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Taken directly from the English word for the red flower. |
| Origin | Scottish | English, from Old English popæg, ultimately from Latin papaver |
| Pronunciation | /ˈaɪlə/ | /ˈpɒpi/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #4 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #45 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Isla is recorded with a Scottish origin, while Poppy is recorded with a English, from Old English popæg, ultimately from Latin papaver origin.
- Isla and Poppy both have 2 syllables.
- Isla's recorded meaning differs from Poppy'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 Poppy 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
Poppy
Popularity journey
First recorded1990
First recorded at #517 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1990 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in England and Wales, in 2014 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #45 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls