Giselle

The 1980s was a time for French girls' names. Nicole and Michelle both ranked within the top 100. Down the charts were even more French girls' names end in the "l" sound, including Giselle.

Giselle has only been used in the United States since the mid-twentieth century. However, in France the name dates from the Middle Ages. The name was popular among the French at the time, including the daughter of the French King Charles III. However, it's possible Giselle was only a nickname. It was given to children who were sent to foreign courts as pledges. 

Fast forward to the nineteenth century. Adolphe Adam created his ballet, Giselle, in 1841. It may have made the name well-known among English-speakers. It is not known why it took so long for Giselle to enter use in the United States. Yet, it kept the name in French use. Giselle appeared in the French top 500 through the mid-1950s.

There's a few reasons why this French classic reached the top 200 within the past few decades. Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen and Princess Giselle from Disney's Enchanted both played a role. Perhaps it peaked the same year Enchanted came out. 

Since its peak, Giselle has declined in use. Rather than a dated moniker, though, Giselle counts as a modern classic. It has ranked in the top 300 for twenty years. Even today, it still ranks in the 300s. 

Alongside being a modern classic, there are more appealing qualities about Giselle. First, it's nickname-proof. It's not automatically shortened, though girls with the name can go by "Gissy" or "Zel". Second, it's, in a way, both French and Spanish. Finally, Giselle is soft in sound and completely feminine without being overly girly. 

SISTER NAME IDEAS:

Anouk, Chloe, Fleur, Gabriela, Juliette, Maya, Natalie, Solange, Tatiana, Vivienne

BROTHER NAME IDEAS:

Cesar, Damien, Emmanuel, Giovanni, Julien, Mateo, Pierre, Regis, Tristan, Xavier

What do you think about Giselle?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hazel

Image
In the Northern Hemisphere, there is a common broadleaf tree. It produces nuts with a certain shade of brown. The tree and nut have one name in common: Hazel. The nature name, which derives from the Old English hæsel , has been in sparing use as a unisex name between the late 1700s and early 1800s. It became a common feminine name alongside Myrtle and Olive in the late Victorian Era. Hazel was a top 100 American name between 1886 and 1936, peaking in the top 20 in 1897.  Hazel was popular in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand around the same time as its American run. However, it did not enter the British top 100 until 1924. It remained popular in England and Wales until 1954, making it more retro over there.  As Hazel declined in popularity, pop culture reminded the public of its dated sound. A comic strip featuring a troubled housekeeper by the name and Witch Hazel from Looney Tunes did the job.  Hazel dropped out of the American top 1000 in 1976. It began its revival when it reentere
Read more

Predicted Top 100 Girls' Names 2022

With the new name data coming out this Friday, it is time to predict the popular names once again.  I will begin with the girls' top 100. There have been few changes last year, but I expect more to happen this year. Here are the names I think will enter the top 100: Eloise -Eloise does not just fit in our era of "el" names, but its kidlit connections also makes this today's Madeline. It rose nearly 30 spots last year to #109, so it will take under 10 spots to make this popular. Iris -Iris is a goddess name in the key of Luna and Aurora and a vintage nature name like Hazel and Ivy. It has also risen 20 spots to #107 last year. Maeve -This has risen from the 170s all the way to the 120s last year under the influence of the television series Sex Education . Rising just 25 more spots will make this popular. Raelynn -This has risen little this past year, but its similarity in country-singer association to Paisley gives it potential.  When new names enter the top 100, there
Read more

Romeo

Image
Once upon a time, Juliet had a lover. His name, Romeo, actually has roots dating back long before Shakespeare wrote his famous play. Romeo is the Italian form of the Latin Romaeus , which possibly means "from Rome." It could also mean "pilgrim to Rome," which is shocking because Romeo was definitely not a holy pilgrim. Shakespeare took his name from the Italian stories of Luigi Da Porto and Matteo Bandello featuring lovers Giulietta and Romeo. It is unknown if Da Porto's Romeo was any better than Shakespeare's, but it's also not likely. Romeo was never a popular American name, but it ranked in the top 1000 several times, especially between 1890 and 1949. It reentered in 1996, the same year Baz Luhrmann's edgy take Romeo + Juliet hit theaters. Romeo has been rising at a moderate to slow pace, though, and remains outside the top 300.  Because Shakespeare's Romeo takes his own life, he does not provide little boys with a good role model. That can tu
Read more