Isobel

femaleStatistical record

What official birth registration shows about Isobel: which national registrars published it, in which years, and how its recorded position changed.

No researched meaning, origin or pronunciation yet — what that means.

Isobel: Recorded since 1964, it reached #50 in 2003, and it stood at #239 in 2025.

5registrars recorded it
112times a registrar ranked it
62years from first to last
#50highest recorded position
21groupings it qualifies for

What stands out in Isobel's record

England and Wales registered 1,098 births with the name in 2005, its largest count from any one registrar. Names by yearly birth count
Held at least one birth in every 2,000 for 20 years. Names by sustained share

Region

Falling

among girls in England and Wales · 1996–2024

View as table

England and Wales · Girls rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#94
1997	#77
1998	#76
1999	#55
2000	#56
2001	#55
2002	#53
2003	#50
2004	#53
2005	#51
2006	#54
2007	#57
2008	#59
2009	#60
2010	#75
2011	#80
2012	#98
2013	#89
2014	#111
2015	#113
2016	#136
2017	#149
2018	#145
2019	#151
2020	#159
2021	#160
2022	#195
2023	#220
2024	#230

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

FallingEngland and Wales · Girls

Recorded in official data among girls in Republic of Ireland in 60 of the 62 years from 1964 to 2025.

In 2024: #207 among girls in Scotland, #212 among girls in Northern Ireland, #230 among girls in England and Wales, #259 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Official data from 5 national registrars across 5 regions, 1964–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1964
First recorded at #234 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
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #50 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #239 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls

Isobel appears in 4 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Republic of Ireland · Girls, which has ranked it in 60 years beginning in 1964, and has registered 1,504 births with the name.

Isobel across 4 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

Isobel's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
Republic of Ireland · Girls	#234 (1964)	#81 (2008)	#239 (2025)	60 of 62	1,504 (1964–2025)	86 (2008)
England and Wales · Girls	#94 (1996)	#50 (2003)	#230 (2024)	29 of 29	19,706 (1996–2024)	1,098 (2005)
Northern Ireland · Girls	#291 (1999)	#150 (2013)	#212 (2024)	20 of 26	135 (1999–2024)	13 (2013)
New Zealand · Girls	#99 (2011)	#88 (2014)	#88 (2014)	2 of 4	85 (2011–2014)	43 (2011)

Isobel by decade in Republic of Ireland · Girls

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with Isobel in Republic of Ireland · Girls, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1960s	49	6 of 10	8
1970s	76	9 of 10	8
1980s	54	10 of 10	5
1990s	154	9 of 10	17
2000sbusiest	564	10 of 10	56
2010s	483	10 of 10	48
2020s	124	6 of 10	21

Across Republic of Ireland · Girls, the 2000s were its busiest decade, averaging 56 births a year.

See the names Republic of Irelandhas recorded the most births with →

Isobel appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

Popularity data

Official popularity data is available for 5 regions, from 1964 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #50 in England and Wales in 2003.

Isobel's recorded popularity observations by year, region and administrative category, including rank, registered births, source confidence and when each region's data was last reviewed.
Year	Region	Category	Rank	Births registered	Confidence	Status
2024	England and Wales	female	#230	208	High	Verified
2023	England and Wales	female	#220	213	High	Verified
2022	England and Wales	female	#195	263	High	Verified
2021	England and Wales	female	#160	324	High	Verified
2020	England and Wales	female	#159	315	High	Verified
2019	England and Wales	female	#151	334	High	Verified
2018	England and Wales	female	#145	357	High	Verified
2017	England and Wales	female	#149	366	High	Verified
2016	England and Wales	female	#136	412	High	Verified
2015	England and Wales	female	#113	516	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	female	#111	509	High	Verified
2013	England and Wales	female	#89	615	High	Verified
2012	England and Wales	female	#98	585	High	Verified
2011	England and Wales	female	#80	754	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	female	#75	817	High	Verified
2009	England and Wales	female	#60	1,017	High	Verified
2008	England and Wales	female	#59	1,064	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	female	#57	1,095	High	Verified
2006	England and Wales	female	#54	1,047	High	Verified
2005	England and Wales	female	#51	1,098	High	Verified
2004	England and Wales	female	#53	1,075	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	female	#50	1,048	High	Verified
2002	England and Wales	female	#53	960	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	female	#55	947	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	female	#56	947	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	female	#55	945	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	female	#76	702	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	female	#77	651	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	female	#94	522	High	Verified
2014	New Zealand	female	#88	42	High	Verified
2011	New Zealand	female	#99	43	High	Verified
2024	Northern Ireland	female	#212	8	High	Verified
2023	Northern Ireland	female	#328	4	High	Verified
2022	Northern Ireland	female	#266	6	High	Verified
2021	Northern Ireland	female	#164	13	High	Verified
2020	Northern Ireland	female	#333	4	High	Verified
2019	Northern Ireland	female	#424	3	High	Verified
2018	Northern Ireland	female	#361	4	High	Verified
2016	Northern Ireland	female	#276	6	High	Verified
2015	Northern Ireland	female	#195	10	High	Verified
2014	Northern Ireland	female	#191	10	High	Verified
2013	Northern Ireland	female	#150	13	High	Verified
2012	Northern Ireland	female	#268	7	High	Verified
2011	Northern Ireland	female	#311	5	High	Verified
2010	Northern Ireland	female	#194	10	High	Verified
2008	Northern Ireland	female	#171	12	High	Verified
2007	Northern Ireland	female	#268	6	High	Verified
2005	Northern Ireland	female	#377	3	High	Verified
2004	Northern Ireland	female	#316	4	High	Verified
2001	Northern Ireland	female	#343	3	High	Verified
1999	Northern Ireland	female	#291	4	High	Verified
2025	Republic of Ireland	female	#239	18	High	Verified
2024	Republic of Ireland	female	#259	16	High	Verified
2023	Republic of Ireland	female	#202	22	High	Verified
2022	Republic of Ireland	female	#266	16	High	Verified
2021	Republic of Ireland	female	#184	26	High	Verified
2020	Republic of Ireland	female	#178	26	High	Verified
2019	Republic of Ireland	female	#165	31	High	Verified
2018	Republic of Ireland	female	#169	31	High	Verified
2017	Republic of Ireland	female	#158	35	High	Verified
2016	Republic of Ireland	female	#156	35	High	Verified
2015	Republic of Ireland	female	#136	45	High	Verified
2014	Republic of Ireland	female	#123	48	High	Verified
2013	Republic of Ireland	female	#114	54	High	Verified
2012	Republic of Ireland	female	#125	49	High	Verified
2011	Republic of Ireland	female	#97	71	High	Verified
2010	Republic of Ireland	female	#81	84	High	Verified
2009	Republic of Ireland	female	#82	86	High	Verified
2008	Republic of Ireland	female	#81	86	High	Verified
2007	Republic of Ireland	female	#89	68	High	Verified
2006	Republic of Ireland	female	#104	54	High	Verified
2005	Republic of Ireland	female	#88	64	High	Verified
2004	Republic of Ireland	female	#113	45	High	Verified
2003	Republic of Ireland	female	#110	46	High	Verified
2002	Republic of Ireland	female	#128	35	High	Verified
2001	Republic of Ireland	female	#97	49	High	Verified
2000	Republic of Ireland	female	#132	31	High	Verified
1999	Republic of Ireland	female	#92	45	High	Verified
1998	Republic of Ireland	female	#166	21	High	Verified
1997	Republic of Ireland	female	#226	19	High	Verified
1996	Republic of Ireland	female	#181	25	High	Verified
1995	Republic of Ireland	female	#250	14	High	Verified
1994	Republic of Ireland	female	#350	7	High	Verified
1993	Republic of Ireland	female	#300	10	High	Verified
1992	Republic of Ireland	female	#338	8	High	Verified
1990	Republic of Ireland	female	#409	5	High	Verified
1989	Republic of Ireland	female	#377	6	High	Verified
1988	Republic of Ireland	female	#407	5	High	Verified
1987	Republic of Ireland	female	#386	6	High	Verified
1986	Republic of Ireland	female	#521	3	High	Verified
1985	Republic of Ireland	female	#519	3	High	Verified
1984	Republic of Ireland	female	#320	9	High	Verified
1983	Republic of Ireland	female	#365	7	High	Verified
1982	Republic of Ireland	female	#523	3	High	Verified
1981	Republic of Ireland	female	#423	5	High	Verified
1980	Republic of Ireland	female	#370	7	High	Verified
1979	Republic of Ireland	female	#330	9	High	Verified
1978	Republic of Ireland	female	#348	8	High	Verified
1977	Republic of Ireland	female	#296	11	High	Verified
1976	Republic of Ireland	female	#329	8	High	Verified
1974	Republic of Ireland	female	#324	8	High	Verified
1973	Republic of Ireland	female	#374	6	High	Verified
1972	Republic of Ireland	female	#471	3	High	Verified
1971	Republic of Ireland	female	#250	13	High	Verified
1970	Republic of Ireland	female	#272	10	High	Verified
1969	Republic of Ireland	female	#265	10	High	Verified
1968	Republic of Ireland	female	#307	6	High	Verified
1967	Republic of Ireland	female	#253	8	High	Verified
1966	Republic of Ireland	female	#276	7	High	Verified
1965	Republic of Ireland	female	#238	9	High	Verified
1964	Republic of Ireland	female	#234	9	High	Verified
2024	Scotland	female	#207	18	High	Verified

England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
New Zealand hub — collected by NZ Department of Internal Affairs
Northern Ireland hub — collected by NISRA
Republic of Ireland hub — collected by CSO Ireland
Scotland hub — collected by National Records of Scotland

See methodology and data sources for how popularity data is collected and what "confidence" means.

What the record shows

Recorded by 5 registrars between 1964 and 2025, ranked in 60 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #50, first reached in 2003.

It held a top-100 place in 19 years, 19 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 1,098 births, registered in England and Wales in 2005.

Its record falls into 3 separate stretches, with a longest absence of 1 year.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1996, and 60 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Ismail · #218, 68y
Ismay · #2096, 25y
Isobella · #354, 29y
Isobelle · #265, 30y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 5 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Lynda · #48, 56y
Hugh · #53, 64y
Ronnie · #46, 60y
Clare · #45, 62y

Also first recorded in the 1960s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1960 and 1969.

Dion · #50, 46y
Padraig · #50, 62y
Celina · #51, 57y
Dominic · #51, 62y

Isobel was ranked #50 in England and Wales · Girls in 2003. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

Isobel and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,573 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Isobel without appearing here.

Isobel moved ahead of

Helen Compare
In 2012 they stood at #311 and #311 in Northern Ireland · Girls; by 2013 that had become #150 and #440.
Shania Compare
In 2012 they stood at #311 and #246 in Northern Ireland · Girls; by 2013 that had become #150 and #440.
Kerry Compare
In 2012 they stood at #311 and #246 in Northern Ireland · Girls; by 2013 that had become #150 and #370.
Judith Compare
In 1992 they stood at #338 and #322 in Republic of Ireland · Girls; by 1993 that had become #300 and #516.

Moved ahead of Isobel

Holly Compare
In 1984 they stood at #320 and #365 in Republic of Ireland · Girls; by 1985 that had become #519 and #242.
Amy Compare
In 1971 they stood at #250 and #277 in Republic of Ireland · Girls; by 1972 that had become #471 and #224.
Jessica Compare
In 1971 they stood at #250 and #383 in Republic of Ireland · Girls; by 1972 that had become #471 and #237.
Caoimhe Compare
In 1971 they stood at #250 and #289 in Republic of Ireland · Girls; by 1972 that had become #471 and #300.

Moved the opposite way to Isobel

Jenny Compare
Between 1972 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Isobel went from #471 to #239 while Jenny went from #471 to #885.
Kerry Compare
Between 1968 and 2020 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Isobel went from #307 to #178 while Kerry went from #357 to #834.
Carmel Compare
Between 1964 and 2015 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Isobel went from #234 to #136 while Carmel went from #21 to #896.
Therese Compare
Between 1964 and 2015 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Isobel went from #234 to #136 while Therese went from #127 to #896.

Moved the same way as Isobel

Ivy Compare
Between 1972 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Isobel went from #471 to #239 and Ivy from #471 to #50.
Lily Compare
Between 1981 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Isobel went from #423 to #239 and Lily from #471 to #1.
Robyn Compare
Between 1982 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Isobel went from #523 to #239 and Robyn from #523 to #19.
Sofia Compare
Between 1982 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Isobel went from #523 to #239 and Sofia from #523 to #23.

What's not yet available

Meaning
Origin
Pronunciation
Nicknames and spelling variants

Absence from this list does not mean the name isn't genuinely meaningful or widely used — only that Namewise hasn't sourced and reviewed that content yet. Absence from a specific year or geography above does not prove zero use there either; official statistics only publish names above a minimum threshold.

Official popularity data is available for 5 regions, from 1964 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #50 in England and Wales in 2003. Source data last verified 2026-07-21.

Isobel

Isobel at a glance

What stands out in Isobel's record

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Isobel across 4 official records

Isobel by decade in Republic of Ireland · Girls

Isobel appears in

Popularity data

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1960s

Names published alongside Isobel

Isobel and the names beside it

Isobel moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Isobel

Moved the opposite way to Isobel

Moved the same way as Isobel

Isobel at a glance

What stands out in Isobel's record

Isobel across 4 official records

Isobel by decade in Republic of Ireland · Girls

Isobel appears in

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1960s

Names published alongside Isobel

Isobel and the names beside it

Isobel moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Isobel

Moved the opposite way to Isobel

Moved the same way as Isobel