Gizelle
A feminine name derived from the French word for gazelle.
Name Census estimates that about 3,020 living Americans carry the first name Gizelle. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Gizelle today is around 20 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Gizelle births was 2005 (206 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Gizelle. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
3.0K
~ 1 in 113,495 Americans
Peak year
2005
206 babies that year
Average age
20
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,764
Tracked since 1954
Popularity
Gizelle: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Gizelle from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 1,278 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Gizelle by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Gizelle during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Gizelles live
The SSA's state-level files cover 14 states and territories. California, Texas, Arizona recorded the most babies named Gizelle, while Washington, Virginia, North Carolina recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 131 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Gizelle
The name Gizelle finds its origins in the French language, derived from the Germanic name Gisela. This name itself has roots in the Old Frankish word "gisal," meaning a pledge or hostage. The name Gizelle is a variant spelling that emerged in the late Middle Ages.
In the 8th century, Gisela was the name of a daughter of the Frankish king Pepin the Short. She later became a nun and was canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church. This early association with royalty and religious significance likely contributed to the name's popularity in the medieval period.
During the 12th century, the name Gizelle appeared in the writings of the French poet and troubadour Bertran de Born. In his works, Gizelle was portrayed as a beautiful and virtuous woman, further enhancing the name's positive connotations.
One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Giselle of Massovia (c. 1151 – 1207), a Polish princess and duchess consort of Kalisz. Her legacy as a patron of the arts and charitable endeavors helped to spread the name throughout Central Europe.
In the 16th century, the French composer and choreographer Jean-Baptiste Lully created the renowned ballet "Giselle" in 1841, which featured a peasant girl named Giselle as the tragic heroine. This work popularized the name in France and beyond.
Another notable Gizelle was Gizelle Pascale (1826 – 1895), a French ballerina and one of the most celebrated dancers of her time. She performed the lead role in Lully's "Giselle" and helped to cement the name's association with grace and artistry.
In the 20th century, Gizelle Landes (1908 – 1990) was an American actress and dancer who appeared in numerous films and Broadway productions. Her performances helped to keep the name in the public consciousness.
Throughout its history, the name Gizelle has been imbued with associations of beauty, grace, and strength, owing to its connections with royalty, religious figures, and talented artists and performers. Its French origins and elegant sound have contributed to its enduring appeal across various cultures.
People
Gizelle + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Gizelle as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Gizelle: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Gizelle?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 3,020 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Gizelle going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 113,495 US residents.
Is Gizelle a common name?
We classify Gizelle as "Rare". It ranks above 95.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 3,099 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Gizelle most popular?
The single biggest year for Gizelle was 2005, when 206 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Gizelle is about 20 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Gizelle a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Gizelle in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.