If you like Isla . . .

Lovely Isla is a Scottish place name, a popular actress, and a Spanish word name. A mega-hit across the pond, and even the name of one of Queen Elizabeth's great-granddaughters, it's no wonder Isla has rapidly climbed the charts. Here are some great alternatives!
  1. Ava
    • Origin:

      Hebrew, Latin or Germanic
    • Meaning:

      "life; bird; water, island"
    • Description:

      Ava is one of the prime examples of a modern classic name, rising thought the course of a generation into the Top 10, where it has lingered for nearly 20 years.
  2. Iris
    • Origin:

      Flower name; Greek
    • Meaning:

      "rainbow"
    • Description:

      Iris has so much going for it. It's a fashionable flower name. It's a mythological name, from the Greek goddess of the rainbow. And it's a classic name, always ranking in the girls' Top 1000 but now at its highest point ever.
  3. Lyra
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "lyre"
    • Description:

      Lyra is a name with ancient and celestial roots that's found new popularity thanks to its starring role in Philip Pullman's book series, His Dark Materials and its subsequent movie and TV adaptions. Simple yet starry, Lyra is familiar but not overused in the US, where it ranks in the Top 500.
  4. Nora
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Honora or Eleonora, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "honor or meaning unknown"
    • Description:

      Nora is a lovely, refined name that conjures up images of Belle Epoch ladies in fur-trimmed coats skating in Central Park. Long seen as a quintessentially Irish name though its roots are not in Ireland, Nora is a quietly stylish favorite that's tiptoed to the top of the popularity ladder.
  5. Ayla
    • Origin:

      Hebrew or Turkish
    • Meaning:

      "oak tree; halo, moonlight"
    • Description:

      Bright, fresh, and sunny, Ayla is a fashionable and exciting international choice for girls. Reminiscent of other trending names such as Layla, Isla, and Ava, Ayla has recently found its place in the Top 100.
  6. Lila
    • Origin:

      Arabic, Sanskrit
    • Meaning:

      "night; play"
    • Description:

      Lila is one of the girl names with a double l sound — Lila, Lola, Layla, Leila, Lily et al — that have caught on in a major way., Delicate yet dynamic, Lila has a slightly international flair.
  7. Stella
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "star"
    • Description:

      Stella is a name with star quality and sparkle, that manages to sound both ethereal and earthy. Celestial but not otherworldly, it lands somewhere between the popular Ella and bold Seraphina.
  8. Maya
    • Origin:

      Sanskrit, English, Hebrew, Estonian
    • Meaning:

      "illusion, magic; mother; water; beloved, bitter, drop of the sea"
    • Description:

      Maya, which has an almost mystical image, has been steadily climbing in popularity in the US and the English-speaking world, along with a range of other countries, including France, Germany, Israel, and Brazil. It's ranked in the US Top 100 since the turn of this century, but has never risen to the top of the list, which you may consider a good thing.
  9. Ella
    • Origin:

      German; English
    • Meaning:

      "all, completely; fairy maiden"
    • Description:

      Ella is a sweet, simple name that owes much of its current popularity to the popularity of other names, from Emma to Bella to Emily to Ellie.
  10. Emma
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "universal"
    • Description:

      Emma has now been among the top girl names in the United States for several years, claiming the Number 1 crown in 2008 and again from 2015 to 2018 before dropping back to second place.
  11. Delilah
    • Origin:

      Hebrew or Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "delicate"
    • Description:

      Melodic and lively, Delilah has cut itself (mostly) free from its treacherous past to become a contemporary favorite.
  12. Willa
    • Origin:

      Feminine variation of William
    • Meaning:

      "resolute protection"
    • Description:

      Willa has become increasingly fashionable, with its combination of Willa (born Wilella) Cather-like pioneer strength and the graceful beauty of the willow tree.
  13. Kaia
    • Origin:

      Latin, Scandinavian, or Hawaiian
    • Meaning:

      "to rejoice or sea"
    • Description:

      The new Maia, the next Kayla, Kaia has been on the charts since the year 2000. You might see it as a female form of the also-rising Kai, which means sea in Hawaiian and is sometimes used for girls as well, or as a Kardashianization of the ancient goddess name Caia.
  14. Fiona
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "white, fair"
    • Description:

      Fiona entered the American consciousness with the opening of the 1954 Broadway musical Brigadoon, but didn't come onto the U.S. popularity list until 1990.
  15. Hannah
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "grace"
    • Description:

      Hannah is one of the nation's top biblical girls' names — it surpassed Sarah in 1998, and ranks in the Top 100 along with Elizabeth, Abigail, Chloe, and Naomi. Hannah is a name with many sources of appeal: Old Testament roots, soft and gentle sound, and a homey yet aristocratic image.
  16. Leah
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "weary"
    • Description:

      Strong but sweet, Leah is a classic name that doesn't feel dull or dusty. It's got plenty of dignity, grace, and pluck, making it a solid choice in the 21st century.
  17. Lola
    • Origin:

      Spanish, diminutive of Dolores
    • Meaning:

      "lady of sorrows"
    • Description:

      A hot starbaby name – chosen by Kelly Ripa, Chris Rock, Lisa Bonet, Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen, Carnie Wilson, and Annie Lennox, and used as the nickname of Madonna's Lourdes – Lola manages to feel fun and sassy without going over the top. Be warned, though: "Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets," to quote a song from the show Damn Yankees.
  18. Elsa
    • Origin:

      German diminutive of Elisabeth
    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"
    • Description:

      Lost in limbo for decades and decades, Elsa now stands a good chance of following along in the progression from Emma to Ella to Etta, thanks to the ice queen heroine who "Let It Go" in the wildly popular Disney movie Frozen. The name shot all the up to Number 286 (its highest ranking since the 1890s) in the year after the release of the movie, though it's now dropped back down the list in the US.
  19. June
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "young"
    • Description:

      June, a sweetly old-fashioned month name derived from the goddess Juno, was long locked in a time capsule with June Allyson (born Ella) and June Cleaver, but is rising again especially as a middle name.
  20. Sylvia
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "from the forest"
    • Description:

      The musical, sylvan Sylvia seems poised to join former friends Frances and Beatrice and Dorothy back in the nursery.