I was recently excited to learn that my husband’s much loved grandmother who passed away 2 months ago had the middle name [name]Gisela[/name] (her first name was not baby naming potential, very unpronouncable, very [name]German[/name]). This name is really growing on me and I love the idea of honoring his grandma because she was just such a fantastic person, and am very excited about it as a potential name if we have a girl. My husband says he likes the full name, but he’s worried about the potential of a certain crude nickname. This nn wasn’t even in the farthest reaches of my mind, and I really can’t imagine people using it (and I work at a middle school with crude jokes flying all around every day). Does anyone else think that it’s likely that people would turn the lovely name [name]Gisela[/name] into a crude nickname? By the way, the nickname I’d thought of was [name]Ella[/name]. (If you can’t think of the crude nickname -which I refuse to write- all the better, maybe it’s just my husband.
Um - I can’t think of it off the top of my head. I really like [name]Gisela[/name], but perhaps I prefer [name]Gisele[/name] (or [name]Giselle[/name]) better. Less like [name]Gabriella[/name], perhaps…
That being said, I don’t mind the nickname of [name]Ella[/name], but I don’t find it particularly inspired, either. There are so many [name]Ella[/name]'s in the world today, I would want to bestow a more uncommon, spunky nickname on my child. What about [name]Gigi[/name]? I really like it - sassy, flavorful, pretty, and sweet. You could even give her a double G name (G-G), as in:
[name]Gisela[/name] [name]Gwendolyn[/name]*
[name]Gisela[/name] [name]Guinevere[/name]*
[name]Gisela[/name] [name]Grace[/name]
[name]Gisela[/name] [name]Georgianne[/name]
[name]Gisela[/name] [name]Glory[/name]
[name]Gisela[/name] [name]Giuliana[/name]
Something like that…
Very pretty name! 
I agree that [name]Gigi[/name] would be so cute, and I’m even thinking of a G middle name ([name]Grace[/name], after my husband’s mother, I know it’s really common lately, but that’s just the way it’s going to be, because that’s her name.) The problem is that [name]GiGi[/name] is what we call my grandmother, so I couldn’t call my daughter [name]GiGi[/name]. I know there are lots of [name]Ella[/name]'s, but I really like it. Hmmm, wonder what other nickname might work…
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I think you could still call your daughter [name]Gigi[/name] - unless you think it would be really weird. This is your grandmother, right, not your mother? I think it is fine. It could be [name]Gigi[/name] and [name]Little[/name] [name]Gigi[/name], or [name]Little[/name] G, or just G for a bit… 
I know what you mean about the crude nn…
I am considering [name]Giselle[/name]…my favorite name of all time until someone pointed out that awful, awful slang /swear word “jizz”
I asked recently what others thought about this too and they said not to worry…
nn’s I am considering are "[name]Ellie[/name]"and “[name]Gigi[/name]”
[name]Gisela[/name] is beautiful. and [name]Ella[/name] is a pretty , albeight, common nn. I was thinking [name]Izzy[/name] could be a potential nn but at the same time…you wouldnt want to draw attention to “jizz”…
good luck in your choice (:
[name]Hi[/name]! I’m so sorry that your husband’s grandma passed away. I knew a little girl named [name]Gisela[/name], but she pronounced her name with a hard G sound, like [name]GEE[/name]-sel-uh. (I’m guessing this is how your husband’s grandma pronounced her name?)
If you’re pronouncing it with a soft G sound instead of a hard G, I sadly can see teasing happening, though. 
Take care!
I sometimes feel like people take teasing possibilities to epic proportions here, anticipating every possible scenario, and almost always suggesting that it will occur. Now, I’m not undermining the opinions of others, as I know you guys have been there and seen what goes on, but as a college student who is intimately linked to both younger (middle school, AKA prime teasing age group) and older students through tutoring and mentoring programs, I don’t think it is that big of a deal.
I mean, there is a huge difference between naming a child [name]Richard[/name] and calling him [name]Dick[/name] - pretty darn obvious - and [name]Gisela[/name] with the “jizz” potential for nickname. And, generations of Dicks - no pun intended - made it through their lives just fine. A good proportion of names have the potential for teasing, whether it be vulgar, as in [name]Dick[/name], or just goofy, as in [name]Allegra[/name] (a common allergy medication). When it comes down to it, kids have more “important” things to tease about, like falling down the stairs or being head over heels in love with your teacher - yes, I know someone who was teased about that - that someone’s name is just that - a name.
If you love [name]Gisela[/name] [name]Grace[/name], and your husband likes it too, then I say forget about “jizz” and go for it! Anyway, it’s not like [name]Gisela[/name] is pronounced with a definite “jizz” in it - I say the name with more emphasis on the SELL, as in jih-SELL-ah, personally - so it certainly wasn’t the first thing that came in my mind.
Again, just a personal opinion. Take it or leave it, but either way, good luck!
While name teasing can’t be predicted (I work with children and have heard name teasing with the most unexpected names), some names seem more likely to become teasing targets than others.
Because I’ve already heard middle school aged boys refer to [name]Gisele[/name] Bundchen as “JI_Z-[name]Elle[/name]” and “Ji_z-Well” (I didn’t want to type the word), I can sadly can see the teasing potential. 
This doesn’t mean it’s not a beautiful name, or that teasing will definitely happen, of course, but it’s sadly a real possiblity. I do think that [name]Gisela[/name] and [name]Giselle[/name] are gorgeous names, though.
Sometimes, teasing worries seem unfounded to me (such as [name]William[/name] [name]Jack[/name] leading to “will jack…” jokes) but other times, especially if I’ve already heard the actual teasing, they’re sadly based in reality.
Take care!
My daughter [name]Laura[/name] went to a new school in the 3rd grade. For a year and a half our lives were hell because she was teased constantly. I was happy at the time that at least nobody made fun of her name. The name [name]Laura[/name] has an impeccable classic standing in the snooty school she went to. Thank God I didn’t name her something that the kids would tease her about. I feel bad for [name]Laura[/name]'s classmate [name]Virginia[/name]. She was teased unmercifully.
My son had a classmate at his ultra stuck-up prep school. His name was [name]Ramses[/name]. Nobody made fun of him. He was huge. I think now he is a wide receiver for the New [name]York[/name] Giants. We’re not sure whether he made the team, but we think he did.
My point is, you never know whether your kid is going to be teased about their name or not. But why not start with a name that is tease-proof. At least your kid won’t have to worry about being teased every time someone says his or her name.
I never thought of [name]Giselle[/name] or [name]Gisela[/name] as being a problem name. After hearing about the jizz possibility, I would not use that name. I will not suggest it anymore.
One of my son’s classmates was named [name]Giselle[/name]. I will ask him if the kids made fun of her.
You might wonder why we sent our kids to uppity schools. We had a choice between uppity and mediocre, so we chose uppity. Finally we moved to a great school district. so now our daughter is in a fun and fabulous public school. It is not uppity. I don’t think kids are teased very often there because it is so P.C.
I think [name]Gisela[/name] is gorgeous, and I would have never thought of the “jizz” association if I hadn’t just read it here. I don’t think kids even use that slang word anymore. I wouldn’t let it stop you from using a beautiful name with family meaning.
Besides, kids will always find something to tease about even if they can’t do it with the name.
You can take most names and find some kind of awful rhyme that could be used to tease. A name as simple as [name]Kate[/name] can turn into “I hate [name]Kate[/name]”. Or…
[name]Mike[/name] dike, [name]Zack[/name] buttcrack, [name]John[/name] is another word for toilet, [name]Kelly[/name] smelly, etc., etc., etc. And tons of people have these names.
Sorry! I didn’t mean to undermine your authority, [name]Jill[/name], or yours, [name]Laura[/name]'s Mom…
“Besides, kids will always find something to tease about even if they can’t do it with the name.
You can take most names and find some kind of awful rhyme that could be used to tease. A name as simple as [name]Kate[/name] can turn into “I hate [name]Kate[/name]”.”
But, this is what I see as the heart of the matter. You can turn ANY name into a potential teasing situation. I don’t care what the name is, there is some way some kid can find a way to turn it into something not so nice. Or, something about your kid will turn into a teasing opportunity. It’s unavoidable in my opinion, so why place undue stress on it. I see it as a fact of life, which is why I argue that you should start out with a name you love! [name]Even[/name] if someone else finds something to tease her about, at least she will know that you and her father love her name and she is named after someone very special in her family.
You didn’t undermine anyone’s authority, [name]Lemon[/name]! We’re all just posters on Nameberry, all equals, all able to share our opinions in a civil environment. I think it’s great that different people have different opinions to share, because it’s what makes Nameberry special. It would be a boring place if everyone thought alike!
While I do think that most teasing worries are unfounded, some aren’t, and it would be unrealistic to say they don’t exist.
While I definitely see your point about all names being open to teasing, I guess that to me, all teasing isn’t equal, and some names just seem to be asking for teasing more than others. Whether [name]Giselle[/name] is one of those names is a personal opinion, without any right or wrong. As I’ve said, I think it’s a beautiful name…
Some people aren’t worried about potential teasing and some are, and what matters is that people choose the name that’s best for them, weighing whatever factors they find important.
While teasing issues come up on Nameberry a lot, I think it’s just because Nameberry posters tend to be compassionate people who don’t want to see a child get hurt when they see an obvious source of teasing potential.
Take care!
Thanks everybody. So many great thoughts about naming and the consideration that we should or shouldn’t give to teasing. I agree, lemon, that kids will find something to tease about regardless, but at the same time, I don’t want to give them easy fodder in a name. Turns out, I’m not all that concerned about that nickname, and I’m thinking with the way that slang comes and goes so quickly, by the time my daughter is a teenager it might not even be a word that kids recognize anymore. If my husband can get over his concerns about the nickname, that’s the name I’d like to go with. His grandma was such a person, and the thing that I really like is that we have some great rememberences of her around our house. She was a painter and we have 3 paintings on our wall by her. She also wrote a column in her town’s newspaper for many many years and even published a book compiling her best columns, so to be able to read her writing and show her paintings to her namesake seems so special to me. I’d love to be able to share that with my daughter someday. Heck, I think kids won’t react to [name]Gisela[/name] nearly as much as they would to her first name- Waltraude. Loved the woman dearly, but that’s certainly not a name I could saddle an american child with! Thanks again for everyone’s opinion.
I agree with that, [name]Jill[/name], definitely. You’re absolutely right - it is th teasing that is different. Vulgar and crude is far different than silly and childish, “[name]Rick[/name] the d#ck” is very different from “Fat [name]Pat[/name].” I don’t know that one is necessarily more hurtful than the other, they are just different kinds of comments. But, in my experience, it isn’t names that get teased, it’s the person. I’ve known a few [name]Virginia[/name]'s, none of whom got teased - and, let’s face it, [name]VIRGINia[/name] isn’t the easiest name to have in high school! But, then, I knew a [name]Jordan[/name] who was relentlessly teased and humiliated on a daily basis! What’s so bad about [name]Jordan[/name]?
I agree - Nameberry is great because there are so many different experiences and opinions coming together. That’s all I’m saying. My experience has been different, yet that makes it no more “normal” than yours. It is up to the poster to decide her own opinion, I suppose, and I wish her the best of luck in that decision.
And, finally, though I am a compassionate person who doesn’t like to see children humiliated and hurt, I think that loving a name, even with the chance of teasing, is more important, especially when the name is as gorgeous as [name]Gisela[/name] [name]Grace[/name]! Especially if she is going to be called [name]Gigi[/name] (or [name]Ella[/name]), why is “ji#z” a problem?
Take care, ladies and gents!
I just wanted to put this out there. When I was in high school, the term “jizz” was being used pretty regularly. I went to school with a boy named Ghislain (pron. Gees-lain). He went by the nn Ghis (sometimes pronounced Gees, sometimes more like Gizz) and as far as I know, no one was ever saying it in a bad way. It was just his name. Given, I only knew him in high school. It is possible that he was teased when he was a little younger.
[name]Just[/name] to add to that, I’m currently in school with a guy named Fady. Yes, Fady is pronounced a bit like fatty, but more like “faddy.” He, surprisingly, isn’t teased either!
I actually grew up with a [name]Gisela[/name] and I have always loved her name. It doesn’t hurt that I adored her too! And I agree with [name]Jill[/name] that this [name]German[/name] name is not pronounced like the French [name]Giselle[/name], but with a hard G. [name]Gisela[/name] pronounced her name like the word “Geese” -eh-luh. And, of course, she was never ever teased about her name. I think people liked it too much!
However, if you choose to pronounce it similar to the French [name]Giselle[/name], I think it would still be fine. My maiden name was that of a popular condom brand. You can only imagine the teasing that ensued. But I think that part of the reason it was so bad is because the name was exactly the same, no creativity needed. With that said, it only bothered me for a short time and then I got over it. So, I really don’t think that [name]Gisela[/name] would be that bad. After all, kids are usually not super creative with teasing so it would be a stretch.
On a side note, the [name]Gisela[/name] I knew had the most amazingly named siblings. The siblings were [name]Wolfgang[/name] (boy), Siegre (boy), [name]Gisela[/name] (girl), Serik (boy, twin) and [name]Silke[/name] (girl, twin)
I don’t think it’s a problem, because the word isn’t even there when I say [name]Gisela[/name]-- it’s more like zhee-SEL-a. I find the ji-[name]Zel[/name]-a pronunciation kind of unattractive, even without the word.
Jiselle is on our name list. A couple of family members pointed out that same nickname, but it doesn’t bother me. The model [name]Gisele[/name] seems to get by just fine, and if she’s going to get picked on, they’ll find something, whether it’s her name or something else. We like the nickname [name]Ellie[/name] but she can go by [name]Elle[/name] or [name]Ella[/name] when she is older if she chooses.