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Home › Baby Names Directory › Matisse

Matisse

♀ Girl

Pronounced muh-TEES /məˈtiːs/Medium

Meaning: Matisse is a French surname best known from painter Henri Matisse. As a first name it reads artistic and surname-style, and leans masculine or unisex; used here for a girl, we note the lean.Low

In 30 seconds: An artist's name: Matisse honours painter Henri Matisse - a French surname that reads unisex/male, which we note (said 'muh-TEES').
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Origin MediumFrench
MeaningMatisse is a French surname best known from painter Henri Matisse. As a first name it reads artistic and surname-style, and leans masculine or unisex; used here for a girl, we note the lean.
U.S. rank (2019)#17143 ↗ Rising
2019 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1999
Total births (all-time)≈ 215

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 199919882019

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Matisse is a French surname, famous through painter Henri Matisse, used as an artistic first name. It leans masculine or unisex; used here for a girl, we note the lean. A sleek, single-syllable-stress sound (said 'muh-TEES').

For girls it appears only rarely in the U.S. Rare, artistic, and surname-style.

Did you know? Matisse carries the fame of Henri Matisse, the great French painter. As a given name it is surname-style and leans masculine or unisex; we flag that honestly.
Overall data confidence 40%
References - Matisse — French surname; painter Henri Matisse; surname/male lean

Variations

MatissMatys

Nicknames

MatiTisse

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Matisse…

Monet— a fellow artist surname-name
Sabine— a like chic French pick
Coco— a like French style name
Elise— shares Matisse's French roots
Denise— echoes that soft -se sound

Explore names like Matisse

By themefrenchsurnamecross-sexartistic

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Matisse mean?

Matisse is a French surname famed through painter Henri Matisse; as a first name it leans unisex/male, which we note.

How do you pronounce Matisse?

It's said muh-TEES /məˈtiːs/ — 2 syllables.

Is Matisse a boy or girl name?

Matisse is a French surname that reads unisex or male; it is used here for a girl, and we note that lean.

How popular is Matisse?

Matisse is extremely rare for girls in the U.S. — a newly emerging pick.

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