Ailsa

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Ailsa

Pronounced AIL-sah /ˈeɪl.sə/Medium

Meaning: Ailsa is a Scottish girl's name taken from Ailsa Craig, a granite island in the Firth of Clyde; the place name is thought to derive from a Norse or Gaelic phrase, sometimes read as 'Alfsigr's island' or 'fairy rock.' It functions as a place-and-nature name.Low

In 30 seconds: Ailsa is a Scottish girl's name from Ailsa Craig, an island in the Firth of Clyde. It stayed rare in the United States, peaking around 2003 (said AIL-sah).

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Origin MediumScottish, Norse

MeaningAilsa is a Scottish girl's name taken from Ailsa Craig, a granite island in the Firth of Clyde; the place name is thought to derive from a Norse or Gaelic phrase, sometimes read as 'Alfsigr's island' or 'fairy rock.' It functions as a place-and-nature name.

U.S. rank (2024)#15313 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2003

Total births (all-time)≈ 538

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Ailsa is a Scottish name drawn from Ailsa Craig, a granite island in the Firth of Clyde whose name likely comes from Norse or Gaelic roots. Long established in Scotland, it is scarce in United States records and reads as a fresh, nature-linked import.

Ailsa was never common here, given to only about twenty girls a year at its faint peak around 2003, and it stays rare. It sits stylishly beside Isla and Elsa for parents drawn to soft Scottish names.

Did you know? Ailsa comes from Ailsa Craig, a lone granite island off the Scottish coast famous as the source of the stone for curling stones.

Overall data confidence 55%

References - Ailsa — Scottish name from Ailsa Craig island; Norse/Gaelic roots

Variations

AilsahElsa

Nicknames

AilieElsa

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Ailsa…

Elsa— a like soft two-beat name

Isla— a like Scottish island name

Ailish— a like Ai- Scottish/Irish name

Iona— another Scottish island name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Ailsa mean?

It is a Scottish name from Ailsa Craig, an island in the Firth of Clyde, likely of Norse or Gaelic roots.

How do you pronounce Ailsa?

It is said AIL-sah /ˈeɪl.sə/, two syllables with the stress on the first.

Is Ailsa a boy or girl name?

Ailsa is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Ailsa?

It has always been rare in the United States, given to only about twenty girls a year at its peak in the early two-thousands.