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Once I was nagging my friend L about what she would name her penis, if she had a penis.

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"But I don't have a penis," she said.

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"But if you did," I said.

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"But then I'd be a different person and I'd have different tastes," she said.

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"No, I mean, just hypothetically," I said, because I just wanted her to name her phallic ego. "Just, what if your ego had a name, what would it be?"

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We went back and forth like this for a while and L actually got quite distressed, before finally bursting out "Giselle!"

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That's what I think of it.

It's not bad, but there's something about that French g that just sounds a little pretentious. NEgative meanings never change the way I feel about a name. (Positive ones, however, make me love a name more)

I think Giselle is such a pretty name, but the meaning does put me off a bit. I guess if you just take the "pledge" meaning, then it's not as bad!

I prefer the French Gisèle; and I dislike the German Gisele. But the extra L in the English version throws me, every time.

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I fidn the etymology interesting! It doesn't put me off at all - it's a link to the past, and I value historical links. But my first association is with the ballet. Which I love! I don't usually admire women who die for love, but she makes up for it in Act II.

I like it. I think it sounds slightly exotic without being too out there. It's suitable for both adults and children.

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The meaning doesn't bother me.

Name meanings don't matter much to me- associations are more likely to change my opinion of a name. The only association I have with Giselle is the model (though she spells it Gisele). It doesn't make me like the name more or less, but I do immediately think of her.

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It's pretty enough, but there are plenty of names that I would rather see used. It also sounds a lot like gazelle.