This name is possibly one of the most gorgeous names I've ever come across! I've never met anyone called Giselle in real life, so the only person/character i know to have this name is Giselle from Enchanted. For some reason, mayhaps owing some influence to the Enchanted movie, I associate the name with hydrangeas and dahlias. Some think it too close to the animal "gazelle" due to similar spelling, but I have to wonder if that's really such a bad thing. I've grown up thinking gazelles are graceful and elegant (but very active and resilient all the same).
This website it the first one I've come across to say the meaning is “hostage”. My name is Giselle and every time I’ve looked it up, it has always said it means “pledge” or “promise”, and I resonate with that a lot more. There’s also another comment I saw that breaks down the word and Giselle translates better to “girl of the land”, not hostage.
A character in the book series "Keeper of the Lost Cities" is named Lady Gisela, which is one of the variants of this name. (Spoilers, but she's one of the main villains later in the series.)
Having studied linguistics, French and Italian, I really have to say the name more likely means "girl of the land." The prefix "Gis" is from the Greco/Roman base meaning "land" and the suffix "Elle" clearly is from the French word elle meaning "girl". Hence "Giselle" or "girl of the land," not captive.
I really liked this name until I discovered the meaning. “Hostage?!” My preference in names is based on meanings and signifiers, so that completely ruins Giselle for me.
I love this name because it is a remainder of the Germanic heritage and roots of France. I consider it to be classic and a name with cultural legacy. Although I prefer the spelling Gisele, or Gisѐle. It also gives me a fairy-tale'ish vibe because of its modern connotations of being used in forms of storytelling, like the ballet Giselle. When I read or hear this name, it comes to my mind the image of a beautiful princess in medieval Europe, with long wavy blonde hair, a white full length dress, with green and gold brocade detailing, and a gold tiara adorning her youthful proud head.
My name is Giselle and I was born near the spring in 2006. I was supposed to be born near the summer, though... but it was sort of a little too early...
I like the fact that it sounds like gazelle, gazelles are graceful and beautiful. I do prefer Gisele though. Ellie would be a nice nickname.
― Anonymous User 11/22/2017
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It sounds nothing like gazelle if you're saying it properly.
― Anonymous User 8/12/2017
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Giselle Jeanne-Marie Laronde-West is a Trinidadian model and beauty queen who won the Miss World 1986 contest, representing Trinidad and Tobago. Walking away with the title Miss World 1986, Giselle Laronde West became the first woman from Trinidad and Tobago to be victorious in the Miss World pageant, at the age of just 23 years. She became the second woman from that nation to win an international beauty pageant, after Janelle Commissiong Miss Universe 1977. The pageant was held in London, UK. In that year, the US was represented by aspiring actress Halle Berry.
I love having my name be Giselle but there is a common struggle to having it. You're always compared to an african deer and telling people that my s in the name is actually pronounced as a z can often lead to a darker conversation. I also commonly get my name pronounced in the strangest ways, Gizzle, Giesel, GiSSSSSelle? Also, no one can ever spell your name right and when they do, it's the happiest moment of your life. But regardless, having the name Giselle is still really cool and I would never change it.
Reminds me of "gazelle"... but it's still a pretty name.
― Anonymous User 3/10/2016
2
This name is absolutely stunning. It's relatively unique here in the United States but once I've heard that name, I thought it was elegant and beautiful. I think personally the meaning behind the name is not really affecting or relevant to the name itself. Since all names generally have some kind of different meaning to them in other cultures and languages around the world anyway. If I ever have a daughter, I'll love to give her the name Giselle.
― Anonymous User 2/19/2016
5
This name is so pretty! It's a shame that the first syllable sounds like that ridiculous slang word and that people with this name get made fun of because of that. I still think it's pretty, and I might even use it if I ever have a daughter.
― Anonymous User 11/30/2015
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Giselle is such a beautiul name. ^-^
― Anonymous User 10/18/2015
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I love all names ending in -Elle, they all sound so feminine, strong and beautiful. Giselle sounds just as pretty as Estelle or Isabelle, only Isabelle is the only one I would use, because Estelle is too close to my name, and Giselle's meaning is hostage, which I don't like. (No offense to all lovely Giselles out there, your name is very pretty, just the meaning isn't great.)
My name is Giselle and I got made fun of because the beginning of my name sounded like 'jizz' :/
― Anonymous User 8/17/2015
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Princess Giselle is the main protagonist of Disney's 2007 film Enchanted.
― Anonymous User 12/30/2014
4
No offense to anyone who has this name or just simply likes it, but I personally find it ugly. Same with all its spellings and variants I picture 'Giselle' on an unnattractive type of woman which is to comical extent. Stereotypical levels.
― Anonymous User 9/7/2014
-6
My name is Giselle, and I love it! I was named after the ballet, and I have been a dancer for 10 years. Boys at my school tease me for a slang word my name sounds like, but a lot of my friends call me Gazelle for fun. I have only met one person who shared my name, I met her at Disney when I was 7. When I was 9, Enchanted came out, and Giselle is the name of the princess. I dressed up as a princess for 3 years after that!
I personally think the name Giselle is beautiful. A part of my daughter's first name (one of these days) is Giselle (spelled with one "l")However my mother is not a fan, she said it reminds her of the african animal gazelle, but like the name, a gazelle is a beautiful animal so the name still wins.
Yes my name is Giselle and it has been with me for 56 years. I can tell you that having this name as a child made me feel uncomfortable, I only met one other person with my name when I was 8 years of age. If I had been living in Quebec maybe I wouldn't of felt like a target for those who did not appreciate the French aspect. Now I am pleased that others see the name as both beautiful and exotic (in a sense). I am bilingual (je parle francais). People for the longest time did not know how to pronounce my name: Gi is pronounced G as in the English letter G. The Se is pronounced as in Z (english) and ad the L. If you can say GZL together ( in English), there you go. It is not G as in Guy and do not ad the I it is not Guyzelle. That drives me nuts. Okay that is it. Please when trying to pronounce a name take the time to understand the phonetics.
I can't decide between Gisela and Giselle - I like the un-gazelle aspect of Gisela but also like the ballerina association of Giselle. They're both nice and I like how they're not overused. Gisela Marion and Giselle Deborah are pretty.
― Anonymous User 10/12/2010
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I would not name my child something that means "hostage". I mean, you might as well be naming your child "victim" or "human sacrifice". AWFUL meaning! Besides, it sounds too much like "gazelle".
― Anonymous User 7/20/2010
-6
It gives a very 'oh la la' feel to it. Another variation of the name that I've seen is 'Izelle' which is also quite pretty.
I looked this name up because I had never heard of it before and an old friend on facebook just named their daughter a version of it. She named her Gizella and for short is calling her Z. When I first saw it I immediately thought of the African gazelle and thought ewww. However I soon realized I was pronouncing it wrong and with the right pronunciation it's just lovely! I prefer the original spelling Giselle(a). I imagine this name will catch on pretty quickly with how pretty it is which in turn will be good for the Giselles out there since there will be less mispronouncing!
― Anonymous User 5/23/2010
3
Giselle is such a beautiful, graceful name - it reminds me of ballerinas and it's not over-used. I think names like Alison, Frances, Marguerite, Philippa, Rosamond and Sylvia make pretty middle names for Giselle.
― Anonymous User 1/11/2010
3
Giselle does remind me of gazelle. It sounds very graceful and fragile (gazelles look fragile but they're not).
Very pretty name, in Latin American countries/(Spanish Speaking) this name is commonly spelled "GISEL" rather than Gisele/Giselle.
― Anonymous User 9/4/2008
1
This is a beautiful name, it's soft and feminine, exotic without being too frilly, sexy yet wholesome, simple yet elegant, all at once!. People who say that this name reminds them of "Gazelle" are totally off!, they must be pronouncing it incorrectly, the letter G has a "J" pronunciation in Giselle, so there's no similarity. As for the supermodel thing I don't see why people have to insist on connecting the name to her!, she's just another celibrity and I'm sure she'll soon be forgotten; However, the name is a classic.
― Anonymous User 9/2/2008
4
I first heard this name in the movie Enchanted. I love it very much.
Actually, the red-headed prostitute that slaps Jack in Pirates of the Caribbean is named Scarlett and the blonde one is Giselle.
― Anonymous User 10/18/2008
4
A good nickname for Giselle is GiGi.
― Anonymous User 10/6/2007
3
Giselle and Gisella both have the sound 'jizz' at the beginning of the name if pronounced in many accents. 'Jizz' is an American slang term for semen.
― Anonymous User 7/30/2007
0
I like the name Giselle, it does slightly remind me of the animal but that doesn't bother me because it is a nice animal.Giselle was also one of the women in Pirates of the Caribbean 1 who slapped Jack (I watched them all for about the 4th time recently hahaha).
French way of pronouncing it is beautiful, also once said that way it has no likness to gazelle. Though I do not see why mention to gazelle is a bad thing, a gazelle is a beautiful and graceful animal.
― Anonymous User 2/14/2007
5
I do not like this name at all. It reminds me of that African animal, and it means 'hostage'.
My name is Giselle and my mother is from Panama and dad is from El Salvador and in Pänama it is very popular. Four people in my family are named Giselle. It's unique, feminine, and lovely. Bella!
My name is Giselle and I've always liked my name. I've had some funny nicknames, like Gazel, Jazz and Gisou. Gisou is the French nickname for Giselle.I was named after the ballet and grew up hearing the music. When I was younger people would say; Oh, Giselle as in Giselle McKenzie. Now most people will say; like the model. When I saw the movie; Enchanted, I really was. It's so rare to hear my name, (over and over)! She was the first Disney gal not to become a princess. But she did marry McDreamy, and in my book that's so much better!To the gal who lives in Panama and whose name is Giselle; my mother was born in Panama. I think we might be cousins!
Giselle is a pretty name, I guess soon it will be very popular one day, just like another Jennifer or Tiffany.
― Anonymous User 7/6/2006
2
The Portuguese spelling of Giselle is Jiselle. My sister chose this name for her daughter to celebrate her Brasilian heritage and in hopes she will be as beautiful and successful as the super model Giselle Bundchen.
This is the name of a famous ballet in which Giselle, a peasant girl, is courted by a prince pretending to be a peasant. When she discovers that he is already engaged to be married to a princess she dies of a broken heart. In death she forgives him and protects him from the spirits who would destroy him. The name Giselle makes me think of great heartache, but also of forgiveness and restoration.
There is a ballet called Giselle. The story behind the ballet is a tragedy. Giselle was a loving graceful young woman; who discovers her beloved boyfriend is having and affair with her best friend. She dies of a broken heart and becomes the guardian angel of the couple that betrayed her. I think thanks to this ballet I think of someone named Giselle as a forgiving female with a big heart, and a great rspect of fidelity and faith to their friends.
― Anonymous User 4/11/2005
3
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