Les
2025 SSA
Below 5 births
About Les
Les is a masculine name that functions both as a standalone name and a familiar shortening of longer names like Lester, Leslie, or Leszek. Compact and straightforward, it carries a no-nonsense quality that has appealed to parents for generations. In English-speaking countries, Les reached its peak popularity in the mid-20th century, particularly in Britain, Australia, and North America. The name has working-class associations in some regions, often conjuring images of reliability and straightforwardness. In Eastern European contexts, particularly Polish communities, Les may derive from Leszek, giving it different cultural connotations. The name's brevity gives it a distinct, unpretentious character.
Les for girls
Les is strictly a nickname in our book--for the male Lester or the female Leslie. For example, famed guitarist Les Paul was born Lester. So though sometimes more is less, in this case Les is less.
Pronounced LEZ.
As of October 2026, Les ranked #7472 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #587 in 1961.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · boys | Births · boys | US rank · girls | Births · girls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
Similar names
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Les on lists
Famous Less
- Les BlankBoy
American documentary filmmaker
- Lester Raymond "Les" BrownBoy
American clarinetist and bandleader
- Leslie Edward "Les" ClaypoolBoy
American bassist of band Primus
- Lester John Thomas "Les" CostelloBoy
Canadian ice hockey player and priest
- Les Paul (born Lester William Polsfuss)Boy
American guitarist and luthier
- Leslie "Les" DawsonBoy
English comedian
- Les StroudBoy
American musician, filmmaker and TV personality of "Survivorman"
- Lester "Les" TremayneBoy
Anglo,American actor
- Les AbendBoy
American pilot and aviation analyst
- Les LeeGirl
former stage name of Taylor Dayne (born Leslie Wunderman), American pop singer
Les in pop culture
- Les AndersonBoy
lead character from movie "Licence to Drive"
- Les MooreBoy
character in comic strip "Funky Winkerbean"
- Les ErskineBoy
character in "The Thing" series
- Les JacobsBoy
character in film and musical "Newsies"
- Leslie Nelson "Les" BattersbyBoy
Brown, character on British soap "Coronation Street"
- Les or lezGirl
abbreviation for lesbian