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Gisselle
Pronounced jih-ZEL /d͡ʒɪ.ˈzɛl/Medium
Meaning: A spelling variant of Giselle, from the Germanic element gisil meaning "pledge" or "hostage," historically tied to medieval royal pledges; familiar from the ballet Giselle.Medium
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
The root reaches back to medieval Europe, where a 'gisil' was a pledge, often a person handed over to guarantee a treaty or royal agreement. The name carried that weight of the binding promise, and it later became widely loved through the romantic ballet Giselle. Gisselle is one of the modern respellings of that same name, with a doubled consonant.
The family it sits in runs from the soft French Gisèle to the firmer German Gisela and Gizela, all sharing that single Germanic root.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Gisselle mean?
Gisselle is usually explained as meaning 'hostage, pledge' and is most often linked with English tradition.
How do you pronounce Gisselle?
It's commonly said jih-ZEL /d͡ʒɪ.ˈzɛl/.
Is Gisselle a boy or girl name?
In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Gisselle is used as a girl name.
How popular is Gisselle?
In 2024, Gisselle ranked #1613 in the U.S. for girls, with 129 births recorded.