The Baby Name Wizard

Reader Contributions

Contribute to, or edit, this collection of community wisdom on the name Isla!

Comments and insights on the name Isla: | Edit

Genealogy hits to the early 1800s in Scotland/England.

Its a more ageless and contemporary name in the sea of so many Ava's and Ella's.

Isler for a boy (pronounced like Tyler, without the T).

Island is an alternative name.

In the Chamorro language of Guam and the Northern Marianas Islands Isla means island and is pronounced ee sluh

Isla, pronounced ee-sluh, is also the word for island in Spanish. In most parts of the U.S. the Spanish word and its pronunciation will be more familiar than the Scottish name.

Personal experiences with the name Isla: | Edit

Its a beautiful name! That's why I named my daughter Isla.

My great grandmother's name.

My 9 month old daughter is named Isla Hope and everyone loves her name! Sure, it gets mispronounced now and then, but I don't mind much because once people "get it" they love it! She's a gorgeous little girl too, so that helps!

My 3 year old is an Isla Grace, which means Island of Beauty and she really is beautiful. She sometimes gets called IS LA but she is quick to correct them!! A really lovely name.

We also have an Isla Grace, 4 years old. We thought it was quite unusual but it has now become popular in New Zealand. I have also met someone from Islay with a daughter named Isla. We get occasional mispronunciations but people always like it when they realise how it should be said!

My 6 month year old is named Isla Skye. My boyfriend came up with Skye in reference to a place in Scotland. Both of his parents are Scottish and I thought the name fit perfectly! I adore it, and everyone comments on how beautiful and unique the name is! She may have to correct people when they called her IS-LA, but it comes with having a really different name! Oh well :)

Nicknames for Isla: | Edit

Isling (EYES ling), Isle, Isles, Lala, I, La, Ilie/Ilee (pronounced eye-lee)

Meanings and history of the name Isla: | Edit

Derived from the Isle of Islay. Islay was used as a personal name on both genders, now found predominantly on females. The Gaelic name of Islay is Ile. In 740 the island was referred to as Ili. Later Yle and also the forms Yla, Ila and Ilay. "Ile Ghorm an Fheoir" = green grassy Islay.

Scottish Background - The name of two rivers. One in Perthshire, the other Moray.

Famous real-life people named Isla: | Edit

Isla Traquair - Scottish broadcast journalist.
Isla St Clair - Scottish Singer/actress.
Isla Grant - Scottish singer/songwriter
Isla Cameron - Scottish actress/singer (1930-1980).
Isla Fisher - Australian actress.
Isla Dewar - Author from Orkney, Scotland.

Isla in song, story & screen: | Edit

Isla Fisher - played the feisty redhead in Wedding Crashers. Also stars in Confessions of a Shopaholic, Hot Rod, and Definitely, Maybe, to name a few

One of Barbie's The 12 Dancing Princesses is named Isla, although in the credits it is spelled Ilsa