Matisse
A French masculine name derived from the surname Matisse, meaning "wanton".
Name Census estimates that about 554 living Americans carry the first name Matisse. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 61.7% of registrations being male. The average person named Matisse today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Matisse births was 2021 (28 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Matisse. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Matisse was once a predominantly female name but has become increasingly popular for boys in recent decades.
People living today
554
~ 1 in 618,690 Americans
Peak year
2021
28 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,267
Tracked since 1988
Gender
Gender distribution for Matisse
Matisse is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 561 total registrations, 346 (61.7%) were male and 215 (38.3%) were female.
Matisse as a male name
- Ranked #4,267 in 2024
- 25 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2021 (28 births)
Matisse as a female name
- Ranked #17,143 in 2019
- 5 female births in 2019
- Peak: 1999 (17 births)
Popularity
Matisse: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Matisse from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 183 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Matisse remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Matisse by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Matisse during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Matisses live
Origin
Meaning and history of Matisse
The name Matisse is of French origin, derived from the French surname Matisse. The surname is believed to have originated from the Old French word "matis," meaning "wasteland" or "uncultivated land."
The name Matisse first gained prominence in the 19th century, although its usage as a first name is relatively modern. The earliest recorded example of the name Matisse is Henri Matisse, the renowned French artist who lived from 1869 to 1954. He is considered one of the pioneers of modern art and a leader of the Fauvist movement.
Another notable figure with the first name Matisse was Matisse Thyville, a French artist and sculptor who lived from 1944 to 2008. He was known for his abstract sculptures and installations, and his work was exhibited in various galleries and museums throughout Europe.
In the world of literature, Matisse Martin was a French writer and poet who lived from 1922 to 2005. She published several collections of poetry and was known for her unique style and exploration of themes related to love, nature, and the human condition.
Moving to the world of music, Matisse Rosblare was a French singer and songwriter who lived from 1958 to 2018. She gained popularity in the 1980s and 1990s for her captivating melodies and poetic lyrics, which often explored themes of love, loss, and self-discovery.
Lastly, Matisse Lebrun was a French fashion designer who lived from 1901 to 1982. He was renowned for his elegant and sophisticated designs, which were favored by many influential figures of the time, including royalty and celebrities.
While the name Matisse is not directly referenced in any ancient texts or religious scriptures, its French origin and association with the renowned artist Henri Matisse have contributed to its recognition and popularity as a first name in modern times.
People
Matisse + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Matisse as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Matisse: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Matisse?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 554 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Matisse going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 618,690 US residents.
Is Matisse a common name?
We classify Matisse as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 561 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Matisse most popular?
The single biggest year for Matisse was 2021, when 28 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Matisse is about 16 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Matisse a male name?
Yes, 61.7% of people registered as Matisse in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.