Giselle is a feminine given name of Germanic origin, derived from the Old German element gisal meaning "hostage, pledge" (Proto-Germanic *gīslaz). The name may have originally been a descriptive nickname for a child given as a pledge to a foreign court, a practice known in early medieval politics. It has been borne by several notable women in European royal history, including both a sister and a daughter of the Frankish emperor Charlemagne. In the 10th century, a daughter of the French king Charles III named Giselle married the Norse leader Rollo, founding the Norman dynasty. Another prominent bearer was Gisela of Swabia (11th century), wife of the Holy Roman emperor Conrad II. Cultural Significance The name Giselle gained widespread fame through Giselle, a romantic ballet in two acts with music by Adolphe Adam, first performed in Paris on 28 June 1841. The ballet tells the story of a peasant girl who dies of a broken heart after being deceived by a nobleman, and joins the ghosts of betrayed maidens known as the Wilis. While the ballet popularized the name internationally, regular use in English-speaking countries did not occur until the 20th century. During the Middle Ages, Giselle was a popular name in France, where the more common form was Gisèle. Many variant forms exist across European languages, such as Gisèle in French, Gisselle in English, Gizela in Slovak, Gizella in Hungarian, and Gisela in Spanish. Diminutive forms like Gizi (Hungarian) and Gisa (German) also exist. Meaning: "hostage, pledge" Origin: Germanic Type: First name Usage: English, French