I don't get the same association. Aila (pronounced the same) is a traditional Finnish girl's name.
Isla (pronounced as
Ayla) is a Celtic name. And
Ayla also exists as Hebrew and Turkish names. Certainly not a "made-up" name.
I think
Ayla is a very pretty name, and I would not let the heroine of a novel stop me from using it.
"But it’s all right now.
I learned my lesson well.
You see you can’t please everyone
So you got to please yourself."
Rick Nelson, GardenParty
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (
Edith Södergran 1891-1923)