UK girl's name
Islay
From Scottish origin, an island of the Inner Hebrides.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Islay is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Islay popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3015, with 8 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2012, with 18 births.
This profile covers 242 England and Wales registrations across 26 recorded years from 1997 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 44% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 506 living people in the UK are called Islay. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Islay ranked #3015 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 8 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2012, when 18 girls were registered as Islay.
- • Islay ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #244 in 2024.
- • About 506 living people in the UK are estimated to have Islay as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3015
2024
Births in 2024
8
Latest year
Peak year
2012
18 births
Estimated living
506
2026
Meaning
What does Islay mean?
The name Islay is derived from the Hebridean island of the same name, which is the southernmost of the Inner Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland. The island's name is thought to originate from the Old Norse word "ìl" meaning "island" or "isle".
The name Islay has been recorded as a given name for both men and women since the early 19th century, reflecting the island's historical significance as a center of whisky production and cultural traditions. The earliest known record of the name Islay appears in the Scottish census of 1841, where it is listed as a feminine name.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the name Islay was Islay Campbell (1818-1904), a Scottish noblewoman and philanthropist who was actively involved in various charitable organizations and social causes during the Victorian era. Another early bearer of the name was Islay Ferrier (1857-1920), a Scottish feminist and social reformer who campaigned for women's rights and education.
In the 20th century, the name gained some popularity in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries. One notable figure was Islay Muir (1890-1970), a British author and academic who wrote extensively on literature and language. Another was Islay Napier (1918-2005), a Scottish artist and sculptor whose works were exhibited in various galleries across the United Kingdom.
One of the most famous individuals with the name Islay was Islay Macleod (1912-2000), a Scottish musician and folklorist who played a significant role in preserving and promoting traditional Scottish music and culture. She was widely recognized for her contributions and received numerous honors, including an MBE and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Scottish Trad Music Awards.
While the name Islay is relatively uncommon, it has gained some popularity in recent years, particularly among families with Scottish heritage or connections to the Isle of Islay. The name evokes a sense of cultural richness, tradition, and a connection to the natural beauty of the Scottish islands.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Islay over time
The chart below shows babies named Islay registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Islay, the clearest high point is 2012. The latest England and Wales figure is 8 births in 2024, compared with 18 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Islay by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Islay was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3067 | 42 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2230 | 122 | 10 |
| 2000s | #2633 | 65 | 8 |
| 1990s | #3160 | 13 | 3 |
Geography
Where Islay is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Islay. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Islay ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #244 in 2024.
Across the UK
Islay in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#244 in 2024
33 years of NRS records, 267 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Islay
-
Islay Watson
windsurfer
British female windsurfer
2000-
-
Islay Stopford Sackville
analyst
(born 1998)
1998-
Related
Names similar to Islay
- Isabella 58,822
- Isla 51,854
- Isabelle 46,163
- Imogen 33,758
- Ivy 23,306
- Isabel 20,895
- Isobel 19,706
- Iris 10,353
- India 8,371
- Iqra 4,452
- Indie 3,873
- Iona 3,682
FAQ
Islay: questions and answers
How popular is the name Islay in the UK right now?
In 2024, Islay was ranked #3015 for girls in England and Wales, with 8 births registered.
When was Islay most popular?
The peak year on record was 2012, with 18 babies registered as Islay in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Islay?
From Scottish origin, an island of the Inner Hebrides.
How many people are called Islay in the UK?
A total of 242 babies have been registered as Islay across the 26 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 267 more in Scotland.
Where is Islay most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Islay ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #244 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.