Giselle as a name, has somewhat of an ominous meaning, however history has made it so much more than that. A lot of names have negative meanings and some, like Giselle, have risen to become popular, and in doing so, they've changed their vibe. One does not think of “hostage” or “pledge” when they hear the name, instead it has come to represent elegance, grace, and brilliance. Keep reading to find out more about this baby name.
Meaning of the name Giselle:
German: Pledge, to owe
French: Bright pledge
Origin of the name Giselle:
German. Giselle is derived from the Germanic word “gisil” which means “pledge, hostage”. This meaning comes from the medieval practice of exchanging children with rival factions as a pledge of peace between the two.
Symbolism of the name Giselle:
Giselle symbolizes grace, and elegance given its history with the ballet of the same name.
Style of the name Giselle:
Classic
Gender of the name Giselle:
Giselle is a baby girl's name.
Pronunciation of the name Giselle:
jiz-ELLE
Syllables in the name Giselle:
Two
Emotion evoked from the name Giselle:
The name Giselle evokes a feeling of sophistication, class, and romance.
Alternative spellings for the name Giselle:
Gisele, Gisèle, Gisell, Gisselle, Ghisele
Nicknames for the name Giselle:
Gigi, Elle, El, Selle
Popularity of the name Giselle:
According to the Social Security Administration index, Giselle was ranked as the 331st most popular girl name in 2020. Since 2000 its highest ranking has been 134th which occurred in both 2007 and 2009.
Related names for the name Giselle:
Gisela, Gisella, Giselda, Giza, Gizela
Great middle names for Giselle and their meanings:
- Adeline (noble one)
- Catarina (pure)
- Nova (new)
- Olivia (olive tree)
- Reagan (descendent of Riagan)
- Taylor (tailor)
Famous people with the name Giselle:
- Giselle Bündchen (supermodel)
- Giselle Loren (actor)
- Giselle Toengi (actor)
- Giselle Itié (actor)
- Giselle Bonilla (actor)
Giselle in movies/pop culture:
- Giselle (character in the ballet Giselle)
- Giselle (character in 2007 Disney film “Enchanted”)
- Giselle (character in the “Open Season” movies)
- Gisele Yashar (character in “The Fast and the Furious” movies)