Total births
3,448
Boys' name · since 1900
Les
Since 1900, U.S. Social Security records show 3,448 babies named Les, peaking in 1961. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #12400
- among boys today
- 3,448
- born since 1900
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 13%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Les is the #12400 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 3,448 recorded since 1900.
Social Security Administration records show Les recorded 3,448 times among boys since 1900, holding rank #12400 nationally today, ahead of 13% of boys, peaking in the 1960s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1900 to 2025.
- #12400 among boys today
- 3,448 born since 1900
- 1960s peak decade
- 13% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Les is currently the #12400 boys' name in America, more common than 13% of boys - 3,448 born since 1900, peaking in the 1960s.
- #12400
- among boys today
- 3,448
- born since 1900
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 13%
- more common than other boys
Les vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#12400
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 13% of names given to boys today.
1960s
Peak decade
31% of everyone ever named Les was born in this single decade.
1961
Single peak year
182 babies were named Les in 1961 - its busiest year on record.
How Les compares
3,448 Top 15% higher than 85% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Les's all-time total is 9x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Les | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,448 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 182 | 23 | 22,252 |
Les's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Les splits its recorded history at 1971: 21% of all births land in the more recent half, 79% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1900 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1961 peak of 182 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Les at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1961
Current rank
#12,400
Active since
1900
Les popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1900–2025
- Peak year (1961)
- 182
- Annual births at peak, across 126 years of records
Les popularity over time - girls
32 total births recorded since 1954 (Les as girls' name)
Les by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Les's strongest decade.
1,072 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 31% of all-time use.
Les births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 5
1900s
5 births
- 1910s 34
1910s
34 births
- 1920s 71
1920s
71 births
- 1930s 152
1930s
152 births
- 1940s
1940s
549 births
- 1950s
1950s
790 births
- 1960s
1960s
1,072 births
- 1970s 307
1970s
307 births
- 1980s 183
1980s
183 births
- 1990s 75
1990s
75 births
- 2000s 70
2000s
70 births
- 2010s 95
2010s
95 births
- 2020s 45
2020s
45 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 1,072 births (31% of all-time use).
How Les compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Les's total volume
Les vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Les by state
Where Les concentrates geographically, total births since 1900
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 407 | 11.8% |
| #2 | Texas | | 144 | 4.2% |
| #3 | New York | | 112 | 3.2% |
| #4 | Washington | | 105 | 3.0% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 98 | 2.8% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 80 | 2.3% |
| #7 | Michigan | | 74 | 2.1% |
| #8 | Minnesota | | 25 | 0.7% |
California share of Les's total US births 11.8%
Even split
407 of 3,448 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 25 reporting states.
Les appears in 25 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Les? ▼
3,448 babies have been named Les since 1900. It currently ranks #12400 among boys. The peak year was 1961 with 182 births.
When was Les most popular? ▼
Les was most popular in the 1960s decade with 1,072 total births. The single peak year was 1961.
Where is Les most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Les are California (407 births), Texas (144 births), New York (112 births).
How long has the name Les been used? ▼
Les has been recorded in Social Security data since 1900, spanning 126 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Les? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Lester, Leslie, Lesley, Lessie, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Les's data
- Les's decade-level peak was the 1960s (1,072 total births); usage has since declined to 45 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Less (407 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Les
Nearby Names Like Les
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Les
Lester Boy
#1563 130,688 births
Leslie Boy
#3001 112,989 births
Lesley Boy
4,797 births
Lessie Boy
945 births
Leshawn Boy
806 births
Compare Les side by side: Les vs Lester Les vs Leslie Les vs Lesley
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Les
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1900–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Les: #12400 Boys' Name - 3,448 Births, Peak 1961." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/les. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Les draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.