What does Iona mean?
Iona is the name of a sacred Hebridean island, a cradle of Celtic Christianity.
What does Kirsty mean?
Kirsty is a Scottish form of Christine, “follower of Christ.”
Iona vs Kirsty
Which is more popular?
Iona is more popular than Kirsty today: about 65 US babies were given the name Iona in 2025, compared with 0 named Kirsty.
| Iona | Kirsty | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Island | Follower of Christ |
| Origin | Scottish | Scottish |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | eye-OH-nah | KEER-stee |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1961 |
| Peak year | 1918 (404) | 1991 (99) |
| In 2025 | 65 | 0 |
| Trend | Rising | Vintage |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Iona
Kirsty
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Iona | Kirsty |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 376 | 0 |
| 2010s | 543 | 10 |
| 2000s | 305 | 81 |
| 1990s | 126 | 508 |
| 1980s | 139 | 179 |
| 1970s | 198 | 130 |
| 1960s | 290 | 37 |
| 1950s | 610 | 0 |
| 1940s | 887 | 0 |
| 1930s | 1,747 | 0 |
| 1920s | 3,151 | 0 |
| 1910s | 2,362 | 0 |
| 1900s | 838 | 0 |
| 1890s | 455 | 0 |
| 1880s | 224 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Iona or Kirsty more popular?
Iona is more popular than Kirsty today: about 65 US babies were given the name Iona in 2025, compared with 0 named Kirsty.
What is the difference between Iona and Kirsty?
Iona means Island (Scottish origin), while Kirsty means Follower of Christ (Scottish origin).
Which name is older, Iona or Kirsty?
In US records, Iona first appears in 1880 and Kirsty in 1961, so Iona has the longer recorded history.