Ples

♂ Boy

Pronounced PLESS /ˈplɛs/Medium

Meaning: Ples is a clipped form of Pleasant, an English virtue-style word and surname that was used as a boy's given name, especially in the American South. Pleasant means 'agreeable, giving delight,' and Ples carries that sense as a compact nickname recorded as a full name.Low

In 30 seconds: Ples is a short form of Pleasant, an English word-name meaning 'agreeable.' It was rare among American boys, peaking in the nineteen-teens.

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Origin LowEnglish

MeaningPles is a clipped form of Pleasant, an English virtue-style word and surname that was used as a boy's given name, especially in the American South. Pleasant means 'agreeable, giving delight,' and Ples carries that sense as a compact nickname recorded as a full name.

U.S. rank (1965)#4301 ↘ Falling

1965 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1917

Total births (all-time)≈ 388

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Ples is a short form of Pleasant, an English word used as both surname and given name, meaning 'agreeable' or 'giving delight.' Pleasant enjoyed modest use as a boy's name in the nineteenth- and early twentieth-century South, and Ples was the natural spoken clip, often set down as the legal name itself.

It was never common, given to only about sixteen boys a year around its peak near 1917, and it faded through the century.

Did you know? Pleasant was a real Southern given name, and Ples was its everyday clip; some men went by Ples on records their whole lives.

Overall data confidence 34%

References - Ples — Short form of Pleasant (English word/surname 'agreeable') used as a given name

Variations

PleasantPlessPlez

Nicknames

Ples

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Ples mean?

It is a short form of Pleasant, an English word-name meaning 'agreeable, giving delight.'

How do you pronounce Ples?

It is said PLESS /ˈplɛs/, one syllable.

Is Ples a boy or girl name?

Ples is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Ples?

It has always been rare in the United States, given to only about sixteen boys a year around its early-century peak.