Icela

Q: What does the name Icela mean?

It is a Spanish name usually linked to Gisela, from the Germanic gisil, 'pledge' or 'hostage.'

Q: How do you pronounce Icela?

It is said ee-SEH-lah /iˈsɛ.la/ - three syllables, stress on the middle.

Q: Is Icela a boy or girl name?

Icela is used as a girl's name.

Q: How popular is Icela?

Never common, it reached only about fourteen girls in its best year, in the nineteen-nineties, and stayed a rare choice otherwise.

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Icela

Pronounced ee-SEH-lah /iˈsɛ.la/Low

Meaning: Icela is a Spanish and Latin American girl's name usually connected to Gisela, itself from the Germanic element gisil meaning 'pledge' or 'hostage,' a word tied to sworn bonds and fosterage. The exact route is uncertain, and Icela may also be an independent Spanish elaboration, so it is best described as Gisela-related rather than a direct spelling.Low

In 30 seconds: Icela is a rare Spanish girl's name, generally tied to Gisela, from the Germanic gisil, 'pledge.' It appeared in small numbers, peaking around the mid-1990s (said ee-SEH-lah).

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Origin LowSpanish

MeaningIcela is a Spanish and Latin American girl's name usually connected to Gisela, itself from the Germanic element gisil meaning 'pledge' or 'hostage,' a word tied to sworn bonds and fosterage. The exact route is uncertain, and Icela may also be an independent Spanish elaboration, so it is best described as Gisela-related rather than a direct spelling.

U.S. rank (2023)#16078 ↘ Falling

2023 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1995

Total births (all-time)≈ 166

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

Icela belongs to the Spanish-speaking naming tradition, where it is treated as a soft cousin of Gisela. Through Gisela it reaches back to a Germanic word for 'pledge,' carried into Iberia by centuries of Gothic and Frankish contact, and it has stayed a quietly regional choice rather than a mainstream one.

In the United States Icela surfaced mainly among Latino families and never rose far, showing up across several decades but always in tiny numbers. A woman named Icela from its 1990s showing would be around thirty today, a Millennial with a distinctly Spanish name.

Did you know? The root behind Gisela, gisil, also stands inside names such as Giselle and even Ghislaine, all carrying the old sense of a pledge or bond between families.

Overall data confidence 30%

References - Icela — Spanish name linked to Gisela < Germanic gisil 'pledge'; also possible independent elaboration; peak mid-1990s.

Variations

GiselaGiseleIselaGisella

Nicknames

IceCela

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Icela…

Isela— a very close Spanish sister spelling

Gisela— the parent name it is linked to

Giselle— a familiar cousin from the same root

Marisela— a comparable Spanish girl's name

Explore names like Icela

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Icela mean?

It is a Spanish name usually linked to Gisela, from the Germanic gisil, 'pledge' or 'hostage.'

How do you pronounce Icela?

It is said ee-SEH-lah /iˈsɛ.la/ - three syllables, stress on the middle.

Is Icela a boy or girl name?

Icela is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Icela?

Never common, it reached only about fourteen girls in its best year, in the nineteen-nineties, and stayed a rare choice otherwise.