Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1961

Les

Meaning A diminutive of the male given names Lester and Leslie Gender Boy · 1% girls Rank 2025 #7,472

A diminutive of the male given names Lester and Leslie.

Rank 2025
#7,472
among boys · ↑5,972 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
11
named Les
How common
1 in 155,280
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1961
188 babies
All-time total
3,480
#2,302 all-time among boys
First recorded
1900
in Social Security records

Les popularity over time

3,480 babies have been named Les since 1900, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.030.050.080.118801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – 5 5 1 – #1,418
1910s – 34 34 3 +580% #1,754
1920s – 71 71 7 +109% #2,219
1930s – 152 152 15 +114% #1,330
1940s – 549 549 55 +261% #722
1950s 26 790 816 82 +49% #604
1960s 6 1,072 1,078 108 +32% #587
1970s – 307 307 31 -72% #1,125
1980s – 183 183 18 -40% #2,284
1990s – 75 75 8 -59% #4,566
2000s – 70 70 7 -7% #5,473
2010s – 95 95 10 +36% #6,217
2020s (to 2025) – 45 45 8 -21% #7,472

The story of Les

Les is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #7,472 in 2025 with 11 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.

Since 1900, 3,480 American babies have been named Les. Its peak came in 1961, when 188 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1960s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Les stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Les?

The median living Les is about 63 years old; half are between 53 and 68. An estimated 2,600 people named Les are alive in the United States today.

median 63 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Les year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – 11 #7,472
2024 – – 5 #13,444
2023 – – 6 #11,685
2022 – – 8 #9,507
2021 – – 5 #13,305
2020 – – 10 #7,857
2019 – – 12 #7,017
2018 – – 8 #9,314
2017 – – 12 #6,943
2016 – – 14 #6,217
2015 – – 10 #7,827
2014 – – 8 #9,290
2013 – – 7 #10,304
2012 – – 5 #13,430
2011 – – 11 #7,307
2010 – – 8 #9,335
2009 – – 10 #8,066
2008 – – 9 #8,730
2007 – – 7 #10,447
2006 – – 7 #10,215
2005 – – 5 #12,577
2004 – – 7 #9,547
2003 – – 7 #9,249
2002 – – – –
2001 – – 5 #11,627
2000 – – 13 #5,473
1995 – – 11 #5,369
1990 – – 12 #4,566
1985 – – 22 #2,399
1980 – – 21 #2,413
1975 – – 25 #1,921
1970 – – 54 #1,125
1965 – – 92 #768
1960 – – 172 #600
1955 5 #6,323 59 #980
1950 – – 28 #1,381
1945 – – 50 #907
1940 – – 37 #1,085
1935 – – 16 #1,799
1930 – – 11 #2,542
1925 – – 7 #3,592
1920 – – 9 #3,094
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – 5 #1,418
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Les

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Les Claypool Les Claypool American musician (born 1963) Contemporary
  2. 2 Les Paul Les Paul American guitarist, songwriter and inventor (1915–2009) Contemporary
  3. 3 Les Ferdinand Les Ferdinand English footballer and manager (born 1966) Contemporary
  4. 4 Les Aspin Les Aspin American politician (1938–1995) Contemporary
  5. 5 Les Baxter Les Baxter American composer and conductor (1922–1996) Contemporary
  6. 6 Les Clark Les Clark American animator and director (1907–1979) Contemporary
  7. 7 Les Murray Les Murray Australian poet and critic (1938–2019) Contemporary
  8. 8 Les Leston British racing driver and businessman (1920–2012) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Les, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Les?

The median living Les is about 63 years old. Half of all living Less are between 53 and 68 years old.

How many people named Les are alive today?

An estimated 2,600 people named Les are alive in the United States, based on 3,480 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Les mean?

A diminutive of the male given names Lester and Leslie.

How popular is the name Les in 2025?

Les ranked #7,472 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 11 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Les?

3,480 babies have been named Les in the United States since 1900, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Les most popular?

Les peaked in 1961, when 188 newborns received the name.

Is Les a boy or girl name?

Les is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 99% of babies with the name.

Is the name Les rising or falling?

Les has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Les?

Well-known people named Les include Les Claypool (musician), Les Paul (inventor), Les Ferdinand (soccer player).

Names like Les

Names that sound and feel close to Les: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Les with similar names → More names starting with L →