Isla sits at rank 1707 with 60 female-leaning pet registry entries. It's a Scottish Gaelic name meaning "island" — from the Islay island off the Scottish west coast — and it has been one of the fastest-rising names in English-speaking countries since actress Isla Fisher brought it into mainstream American consciousness in the 2000s. On a pet, it reads as elegant, understated, and unmistakably Scottish-influenced.
The Actress and the Rise
Isla Fisher (born 1976) is an Australian-American actress known for Wedding Crashers, Confessions of a Shopaholic, and other roles that kept her in public view through the 2000s-2010s. Her name was unusual enough in American contexts to generate genuine interest, and the combination of beautiful sound and intriguing provenance helped Isla climb naming charts across the English-speaking world. On the human side, Isla is now in the US top 50 for girls. For pets, it's still distinctive.
Sound and Breed Fit
Isla is pronounced EYE-la — a pronunciation that surprises people who encounter the name in print first. Two syllables, clean and bright, ending on the open -a sound that dogs respond to particularly well. It suits elegant, gentle breeds: Scottish Terriers, Westies, Tollers. The Scottish geographic origin pairs particularly well with Scottish breeds.
The Counter-Read
Isla will be mispronounced as IZ-la or EE-la by people who've only seen it written. Owners should be comfortable with a brief pronunciation correction becoming a standard part of introducing their dog. The name is worth it.