My name is [name_f]Ayla[/name_f] and I hate it. I would have preferred [name_f]Isla[/name_f] - even mispronounced, is-laa or ees-la are better than being called AY-la (ay like hay)
I like both, honestly. [name_f]Isla[/name_f] is more popular so it won’t be mispronounced every time and I find the Spanish meaning very romantic, not irritating. [name_f]Ayla[/name_f] is more offbeat and classic as a Hebrew name. They are both lovely but I am not a huge fan of actress [name_f]Isla[/name_f] [name_m]Fisher[/name_m] so I slightly, by one percent, prefer [name_f]Ayla[/name_f]. But I would like to have any of these as my name. 
I know this thread probably won’t get looked at much anymore, but I figured I’d throw my two cents in there anyways. Based on looks, [name_f]Isla[/name_f], to me, is beautiful. I love the look of it. [name_f]Ayla[/name_f], to me, though also very pretty, does seem like it’s too close to the names [name_f]Kayla[/name_f] and [name_f]Layla[/name_f] (I do like [name_f]Layla[/name_f], just spelled [name_f]Leila[/name_f]), which is something that I hadn’t noticed. Though, I hadn’t heard of the name [name_f]Ayla[/name_f] being pronounced with the hard A sound before this thread. I was a big fan of the show Make It or Break It, with actress [name_f]Ayla[/name_f] Kell, who pronounced her name eye-luh kell so when I’ve heard it, it’s actually pronounced like [name_f]Isla[/name_f], which is actually the original Turkish/Hebrew pronunciation. But, if I go based on your pronunciations (since I hadn’t heard [name_f]Ayla[/name_f] pronounced with a hard A before), I would have to go, again, with [name_f]Isla[/name_f]. Going based on possible confusion of pronunciations, I’d probably rather go with [name_f]Ayla[/name_f]. I prefer the pronunciation possibilities of A-luh and eye-luh over the pronunciation possibilities is-luh, ee-luh and eye-luh. So, all in all, I’m torn! 
Definitely [name_f]Isla[/name_f].
Sums up my opinion really.
Why did we necro this thread?
Anyway, I love [name_f]Ayla[/name_f]. I don’t get how it’s less legit than [name_f]Isla[/name_f], it’s just a different background. However, I only like it said eye-la. It’s not rhymes-with-[name_f]Kayla[/name_f] at all. I actually like [name_f]Kayla[/name_f]/[name_f]Keila[/name_f]/[name_f]Kaila[/name_f] (which is legit itself) but [name_f]Ayla[/name_f] with a hard A sound gets on my nerves.
As far as which eye-la is better, neither is phonetic so I don’t get the “easier” argument. Personally I prefer the meanings/backgrounds of [name_f]Ayla[/name_f], but if I were Scottish I might feel differently.
I like [name_f]Isla[/name_f] better. It grew on me lately and I think it really is a better choice than [name_f]Ayla[/name_f] (even if this one’s pretty too). I just find [name_f]Isla[/name_f] more appealing, you know it looks and sounds like a classic yet is an exotic name.
Presumably they sound equally classic?
[name_f]Isla[/name_f]. Though I’m from the UK so there would be no pronunciation problems or mistaking it for spanish and I’m not sure how much of a problem that would be where you are. I’m not really a fan of [name_f]Ayla[/name_f], I think you’d have more pronunciation problems and I think [name_f]Isla[/name_f] is prettier.