Submitted Name Revision History

The meaning and origin of the first element in this Germanic name is rather uncertain, and so there are various possibilities to the name's meaning. The most likely possibility is that the first element is derived from Proto-Germanic #aran# or #arna# "eagle" (#ara# in Gothic and #arn# in Old High German). However, it might also come from Old High German #êra# "honour, respect" (see ERARIC) or from Old High German #hari# "army" (with reduction of the "h"). The second element has similar uncertainty. We know that it comes from #gis# (the original form was possibly #gîs#), but we don't exactly know where #gis# itself comes from. But there are a few possibilities. It might come from Gallo-Celtic #gaiso# "spear" (see GAISERIC) or it might be a short form of #gisel#, which means "hostage" or "pledge" (see GISELLE).