Islay
From Scottish origin, an island of the Inner Hebrides.
Name Census estimates that about 351 living Americans carry the first name Islay. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Islay today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Islay births was 2021 (51 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Islay. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
351
~ 1 in 976,508 Americans
Peak year
2021
51 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,498
Tracked since 1999
Popularity
Islay: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Islay from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 188 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Islay by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Islay during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Islays live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, Washington, Indiana recorded the most babies named Islay, while Indiana, Washington, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 10 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Islay
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.
People
Islay + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Islay as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with I
Other first names starting with I with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Islay: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Islay?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 351 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Islay going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 976,508 US residents.
Is Islay a common name?
We classify Islay as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 354 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Islay most popular?
The single biggest year for Islay was 2021, when 51 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Islay is about 8 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Islay a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Islay in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.