girl's name
Gisèle
zhee-ZEL (French)
- Origin French
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 1000 (France)
- Births on record 143,472
France
#636
2025 births
Gisèle means a pledge, and the pledge in question was a person — the Frankish word meant a hostage given as security for a treaty, which is how the name entered the royal families of medieval Europe.
- Gisèle is a name of French origin.
- Peaked in France in 1930, when 4,285 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1930s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival in France.
- Today about 1 in 9,069 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1900.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Gisèle Over Time
Births per decade in France, 1900s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 2,380 |
| 1910s | 6,845 |
| 1920s | 31,940 |
| 1930s | 34,095 |
| 1940s | 28,365 |
| 1950s | 22,600 |
| 1960s | 8,160 |
| 1970s | 1,735 |
| 1980s | 460 |
| 1990s | 140 |
| 2000s | 120 |
| 2010s | 240 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 320 |
What Gisèle Means
Gisèle means a pledge, or a hostage. The Germanic gisil named a person handed over as security for an agreement, so the name records a legal practice rather than a quality.
Where Gisèle Comes From
Gisèle is the French form of the Germanic Gisila, from gisil — a pledge or hostage. The practice behind it was ordinary diplomacy: royal children were exchanged as living guarantees that treaties would hold, and were raised at the other court. Gisela, daughter of Charlemagne, and a later Gisèle who married Rollo the Viking under the treaty that created Normandy both carried it. Giselle, the 1841 ballet, is the name's best-known modern bearer and gave it a second life entirely disconnected from the etymology.
Gisèle in Use
Gisèle peaked in France in 1930, when 4,285 babies were registered, and it is reviving. It charts in three markets — 636th in France on 65 births, 841st in Canada and 3,080th in the United States on 53 — across 143,472 lifetime births. It is one of four reviving names in this group, alongside Wilma, Viola and Evelyne.
How Popular Is Gisèle?
In 2025, Gisèle was given to 65 babies in France, ranking #636 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in France.
Where Gisèle Is Used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
How Gisèle Is Spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Gisele | Gisele is a spelling of Gisèle, used in the United States, where it ranks #3,080. | 6,117 |
Names That Peaked Alongside Gisèle
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Gisèle Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Gisèle over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Gisèle
- French zhee-ZEL /ʒi.zɛl/
1 nickname for Gisèle
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Gisèle in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling Names for Gisèle
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Gisèle — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Gisèle
What does the name Gisèle mean?
A pledge — specifically a hostage given as security for a treaty.
Why would anyone be named hostage?
Royal children were exchanged as living guarantees that treaties would hold, and raised at the other court. It marked status.
Is Gisèle the same as Giselle?
Yes — Giselle is the spelling the 1841 ballet made famous.
Is Gisèle coming back?
It is reviving, at 636th in France.
Is Gisèle a girl's or a boy's name?
Gisèle is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Gisèle?
Gisèle has 2 syllables.
When was Gisèle most popular?
Gisèle peaked in 1930, when 4,285 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1930s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
What are the nicknames for Gisèle?
Gisèle is usually shortened to Gigi.
Is Gisèle a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Gisèle currently ranks #636 in France. After peaking in the 1930s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.