The specific bengalensis means "of Bengal", the type locality, historically referring to much of northern India and Bangladesh.

[3] It breeds in subtropical coastal parts of the world mainly from the Red Sea across the Indian Ocean to the western Pacific, and Australia, with a significant population on the southern coast of the Mediterranean on two islands off the Libyan coast.

This bird has three geographical subspecies, differing mainly in size and minor plumage details:[4][5] The Mediterranean subspecies is a rare vagrant to Europe, and has bred in pure or mixed pairs (with Sandwich tern) in Italy, Spain and England.

The upperwings, rump and central tail feathers are grey and the underparts white.

[8] In India the Lesser crested tern is protected in the PM Sayeed Marine Birds Conservation Reserve.