Giselle
Giselle is a girl's name of Germanic origin.
Meaning
Pledge or hostage.
Origin and history
Giselle is a female given name of Germanic origin that entered English usage via French. Derived from the ancient root 'gisil', it traditionally means 'pledge' or 'hostage'. In the United States, it gained steady popularity in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, influenced in part by pop culture and the famous 19th-century romantic ballet of the same name.
Popularity in the United States
50,186 babies in the United States have been named Giselle since 1880. It ranks #582 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #354.
States where it is most popular
- CA (32.8 %)
- TX (16.6 %)
- NY (7.7 %)
- IL (6 %)
- FL (5.3 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 0 |
| 1900-1910 | 0 |
| 1910-1920 | 0 |
| 1920-1930 | 0 |
| 1930-1940 | 0 |
| 1940-1950 | 5 |
| 1950-1960 | 481 |
| 1960-1970 | 707 |
| 1970-1980 | 835 |
| 1980-1990 | 1,924 |
| 1990-2000 | 6,074 |
| 2000-2010 | 19,718 |
| 2010-2019 | 15,187 |
| 2020-2029 | 5,255 |
Famous people named Giselle
- Giselle Bündchen: Model, Philanthropist
- Giselle Fernandez: Journalist, Television Anchor
Nicknames
Gigi, Ellie, Elle
Fun facts
- The name gained global cultural prominence through Adolphe Adam's classic 1841 romantic ballet, 'Giselle'.
- It stems from the Old High German word 'gīsal', which historically referred to a noble pledge or hostage given as security during peace treaties.