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The short answer
Giselle is a feminine name used in French and English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "Derived from the Old German element gisal meaning ‘hostage, pledge’ (Proto-Germanic *gīslaz). This name may have originally been a descriptive nickname for a child given as a pledge to a foreign court." It ranked #382 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, derived from the Old German element gisal meaning ‘hostage, pledge’ (Proto-Germanic *gīslaz). This name may have originally been a descriptive nickname for a child given as a pledge to a foreign court. The entry lists its usage as French, English (Modern).
Editorial confidence: established
Popularity
Giselle ranked #382 for girls in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #382 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (French) and that sit near Giselle in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Giselle mean?
Giselle means "hostage, pledge", according to Behind the Name.
Is Giselle a popular name?
Giselle ranked #382 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Giselle a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Giselle appears in the girls' list; Behind the Name labels it feminine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Giselle — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
