Less as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Less

What is the meaning of the name Less ?

The baby name Less is a Male name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /lɛs/ (rhymes with "less").

Less is English in Origin.

Less is an uncommon given name best understood as a variant spelling of Les, the clipped form of Leslie or Lester. As such, it inherits two parallel toponymic origins: Scottish via Leslie, a surname taken from a place in Aberdeenshire (often linked to elements meaning “enclosure” or “garden”), and English via Lester, a surname meaning “from Leicester,” the city name tracing to Old English and Latin roots (“Roman fort of the Ligore”). In meaning, Less carries the broad sense of “one from a named place,” with nuances of “enclosure/settlement” or “from Leicester.”

In use, Less appears sporadically in English-speaking records from the late 19th to mid‑20th century, typically as an informal call name. Variants and related forms include Les (standard), Lester, Leslie/Lesley (unisex formals), and the diminutives Lessie or Les. Today it reads minimalist and vintage, though remains rare.