US Popularity Rank: 11212

Origin: German

Meaning: To owe; Pledge

Thanks to Disney’s Enchanted, one remembers Jizelle as the name of the commoner-turned-princess….well, almost anyways! Spelled as Giselle though, the heroine embodied innocence and playfulness, but did you know that the moniker comes from the German word gisil, meaning “to owe” or “pledge?” Its usage reflects a point in time during the early Middle Ages when rival factions offered up a person, most usually a child, to each other as a pledge of peace. While that may not exactly be what you had in mind for baby, it’s a beautiful and poetic way to let your little one know how far you’ll go to protect them and the family.