NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Giselle

A feminine name of French origin meaning "bright pledge" or "hostage".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Giselle is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Giselle popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1449, with 22 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 44 births.

This profile covers 625 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 50% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 622 living people in the UK are called Giselle. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Giselle ranked #1449 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 22 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2008, when 44 girls were registered as Giselle.
  • About 622 living people in the UK are estimated to have Giselle as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#1449

2024

Births in 2024

22

Latest year

Peak year

2008

44 births

Estimated living

622

2026

Meaning

What does Giselle mean?

The name Giselle has its origins in the Germanic language. It is derived from the Old Frankish word "gisil," meaning "bright pledge" or "sacred vow." The name gained popularity in medieval France, where it was spelled as "Gisèle."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Giselle can be found in the 8th century. Giselle was the name of a Frankish noblewoman who lived during the reign of Charlemagne. She was known for her charitable works and her dedication to the Christian faith.

In the 11th century, Giselle de Merania, also known as Gisela of Bavaria, was a prominent figure in the Holy Roman Empire. She was the wife of King Stephen I of Hungary and played a significant role in the Christianization of Hungary.

During the 12th century, Giselle de Montfort was a French noblewoman and crusader. She accompanied her husband, Simon de Montfort, on the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars in southern France.

In the 19th century, the name Giselle gained renewed popularity due to the romantic ballet "Giselle," which premiered in Paris in 1841. The ballet tells the story of a peasant girl named Giselle who falls in love with a nobleman disguised as a villager.

One of the most famous people named Giselle in modern times was Giselle Bundchen, the Brazilian supermodel born in 1980. She has been one of the highest-paid models in the world and has appeared on numerous fashion magazine covers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Giselle over time

The chart below shows babies named Giselle registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Giselle, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 22 births in 2024, compared with 44 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Giselle
011223344199620102024

Decades

Giselle by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Giselle was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #2074 70 5
2010s #1531 219 10
2000s #990 284 10
1990s #1394 52 4

Notable bearers

Famous people named Giselle

  • Giselle Ansley

    field hockey player

    British field hockey player

    1992-

  • Giselle de Obaldia

    1915-1996

Related

Names similar to Giselle

FAQ

Giselle: questions and answers

How popular is the name Giselle in the UK right now?

In 2024, Giselle was ranked #1449 for girls in England and Wales, with 22 births registered.

When was Giselle most popular?

The peak year on record was 2008, with 44 babies registered as Giselle in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Giselle?

A feminine name of French origin meaning "bright pledge" or "hostage".

How many people are called Giselle in the UK?

A total of 625 babies have been registered as Giselle across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.