This post contains affiliate links.
At a Glance
- Meaning
- Pledge, hostage
- Origin
- French, from Germanic
- Gender
- Girl
- Pronunciation
- jih-ZEL
Giselle is a French name built on a Germanic root meaning 'pledge' or 'hostage,' and it's pronounced jih-ZEL. You may have heard that it also means 'adopted' — that part isn't backed by the etymology, so it's worth setting aside. It's timeless and classic, a name with staying power rather than a fleeting trend.
Meaning & Origin of Giselle
Meaning: Pledge, hostage.
Origin: French, from Germanic.
A common claim: Giselle means 'pledge, hostage, adopted' Actually: The 'adopted' gloss isn't backed by the etymology — Giselle's Germanic root means only 'pledge' or 'hostage.'
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Giselle
jih-ZELIPA /dʒɪˈzɛl/
Popularity of Giselle
Giselle ranked #356 in 2024 with 871 babies given the name, well off its peak of #134 in 2007, when 2,596 girls received it.
Names Like Giselle
These names share Giselle’s style, era or origin.
FAQ
What does the name Giselle mean?
Pledge, hostage. (Source: Wiktionary)
How do you pronounce Giselle?
Giselle is pronounced jih-ZEL (IPA: /dʒɪˈzɛl/).
Is Giselle a popular name right now?
Giselle peaked at #134 in 2007 and is ranked #356 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1949–2024.)
Make Giselle Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Giselle, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
📊 How popular is Giselle? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
🎲 Think you know your baby names? Take the quiz!
📱 The Baby Names app is here
Swipe names, match with your partner the moment you both say yes, and claim a free Name Art print of your winner. Free to download. See all our apps →
