Giselle Girl

Popularity: #353 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: jiz-EL //dʒɪˈzɛl//

Origin: French; German

Meaning: French: pledge; German: hostages

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Giselle has its roots in the Germanic language, derived from the Old High German word "gisil," which means "pledge" or "hostage." This term evolved through various forms, including the Middle High German "gisel," before entering the French language as "Giselle." The transition into English occurred during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, when many Norman names, including Giselle, were introduced into the English lexicon, often associated with the nobility and the aristocracy of the time. Historically, the name gained prominence in the 19th century, particularly through the ballet "Giselle," which premiered in 1841.

This ballet, composed by Adolphe Adam, tells the story of a peasant girl who dies of a broken heart and becomes a spirit. The character of Giselle has since become emblematic of themes such as love, betrayal, and redemption, contributing to the name's cultural resonance.

Additionally, the name has been borne by various notable figures throughout history, including Giselle Bündchen, a Brazilian supermodel and philanthropist, who has helped to maintain the name's visibility in contemporary culture. Culturally, Giselle is often associated with grace and beauty, reflecting the character's portrayal in ballet and literature.

The name has also been linked to various traditions in French-speaking regions, where it is sometimes celebrated for its romantic connotations. The diminutive form "Gigi" has emerged as a familiar variation, further embedding the name within familial and affectionate contexts.

Overall, Giselle embodies a rich tapestry of linguistic evolution and cultural significance, illustrating the interplay between language, art, and societal values.

Famous people named Giselle

In this section, you will find notable people named Giselle. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Giselle who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Giselle who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Giselle Bündchen is a model and actress best known for Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, The Devil Wears Prada, and Taxi.

Fictional characters named Giselle

The following list of fictional characters named Giselle is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Giselle is a fictional character from the animated film Enchanted. She is a princess from the animated world who finds herself in modern-day New York City, navigating the complexities of love and reality.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Giselle, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

GabrielleJulietteIsabelleEstelleMireilleAdele

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Giselle. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

GinaGianaGisella

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Giselle was first seen in the United States in 1949.

Giselle has ranked as high as #298 nationally, which occurred in 2007, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Illinois, and Florida.

In the past 5 years the name Giselle has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Giselle is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Giselle was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Giselle.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 803 0 803
2024 872 0 872
2023 889 0 889
2022 907 0 907
2021 847 0 847
2020 937 0 937
2019 976 0 976
2018 1,106 0 1,106
2017 1,176 0 1,176
2016 1,463 0 1,463
2015 1,489 0 1,489
2014 1,577 0 1,577
2013 1,563 0 1,563
2012 1,709 0 1,709
2011 2,038 0 2,038
2010 2,090 0 2,090
2009 2,402 0 2,402
2008 2,489 0 2,489
2007 2,596 0 2,596
2006 2,090 0 2,090
2005 2,059 0 2,059
2004 1,892 8 1,884
2003 1,777 5 1,772
2002 1,478 0 1,478
2001 1,467 5 1,462
2000 1,491 5 1,486
1999 1,442 8 1,434
1998 1,260 5 1,255
1997 937 0 937
1996 365 0 365
1995 386 0 386
1994 362 0 362
1993 582 0 582
1992 240 0 240
1991 214 0 214
1990 299 0 299
1989 233 0 233
1988 206 0 206
1987 263 0 263
1986 222 8 214
1985 231 0 231
1984 195 0 195
1983 197 0 197
1982 143 0 143
1981 129 0 129
1980 113 0 113
1979 111 0 111
1978 95 0 95
1977 91 0 91
1976 67 0 67
1975 98 0 98
1974 83 0 83
1973 70 0 70
1972 74 0 74
1971 72 0 72
1970 74 0 74
1969 74 0 74
1968 75 0 75
1967 87 0 87
1966 63 0 63
1965 83 0 83
1964 56 0 56
1963 76 0 76
1962 64 0 64
1961 60 0 60
1960 69 0 69
1959 64 0 64
1958 90 0 90
1957 67 0 67
1956 92 0 92
1955 81 0 81
1954 35 0 35
1953 32 0 32
1952 15 0 15
1951 5 0 5
1949 5 0 5

Top States for Giselle (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 199
24%
TX 155
18%
FL 48
6%
NY 38
5%
NJ 34
4%
IL 32
4%
AZ 30
4%
GA 27
3%
VA 24
3%
NC 24
3%
CO 19
2%
MD 17
2%
PA 17
2%
WA 14
2%
MA 12
1%
LA 11
1%
OH 11
1%
OK 11
1%
TN 11
1%
NV 10
1%
CT 10
1%
WI 10
1%
MI 10
1%
IN 10
1%
UT 9
1%
MN 9
1%
SC 8
1%
OR 7
1%
KS 6
1%
KY 5
1%
AL 5
1%
MS 5
1%
AR 5
1%