Given name
Gisela
“of God's promise; a hostage”
In Portuguese use, Gisela has a related form in Giselle. One French interpretation is “of God's promise; a hostage.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Portuguese use, Gisela has a related form in Giselle. One French interpretation is “of God's promise; a hostage.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In Portuguese use, Gisela has a related form in Giselle. An origin associated with Giselle is Germanic.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1915. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Gisela through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 4,246
- 0 boys · 4,246 girls
- Most popular year
- 1995
- 160 babies
- 2025
- 37
- #3,932 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −13%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 37 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 3,932 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 12.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 160 in 1995. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (6). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 12,810 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Gisela’s family of names
Gisela shares a linguistic root with Giselle. In Portuguese usage, Gisela has a related form in Gisele. In Portuguese usage, Gisela has a related form in Giselle.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Gisela has relatives in 5 languages.
7 related names in 5 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 5
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Gisela
- Archduchess Gisela of AustriaAustrian Imperial and Royal1856–1932
- Gisela of HungaryGerman princess, Hungarian queen consort and Roman Catholic blessed985–1065
- Gisela DulkoArgentine tennis playerborn 1985
- GiselaSpanish singer and actressborn 1979
- Gisela MauermayerGerman discus thrower (1913–1995)
- Gisela, Abbess of ChellesRoman Catholic nun and abbess757–810
- Gisela Arendtswimmer (1918–1969)
- Gisela JanuszewskaAustrian physician (1867–1943)
- Gisela, daughter of Louis the PiousFrankish noble, daughter of Louis the Pious819–874
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Gisela, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Micaela
“who is like God?”
>99% girls
Mikaela
“who is like God?”
>99% girls
Marcela
“dedicated to Mars, the god of war” · “the little warrior”
>99% girls
Michaela
“who is like God?” · “brook”
>99% girls
Mariela
Mariela is a feminine given name from Spanish. It is used in English and Spanish.
>99% girls
Gabriela
“heroine of God” · “man of God”
>99% girls
Selina
“heavenly”
>99% girls
Shayla
“of the fairy palace”
>99% girls