Boys' name · since 1914
Townsend
Townsend has 871 recorded births since 1914 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2025 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #5,604 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #3,251 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 871
- born since 1914
- 2010s
- peak decade
Yes -- Townsend is the #3251 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 871 recorded since 1914.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Townsend has been recorded 871 times among boys since 1914, currently ranked #3251 nationally and more common than 77% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1914 to 2025.
- #5,604 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #3,251 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 871 born since 1914
- 2010s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Townsend ranks #5,604 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #3,251 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 871 born since 1914, peaking in the 2010s.
- #5,604 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #3,251 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 871
- born since 1914
- 2010s
- peak decade
Townsend's 871 recorded births place it above 87.67% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by Texas.
How Townsend compares
871 Top 34% higher than 66% of 13,930 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
Townsend's all-time total is 136% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Townsend | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 871 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 36 | 34 | 22,252 |
Townsend's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Townsend splits its recorded history at 1979: 64% of all births land in the more recent half, 36% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1915 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2025 peak of 36 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Townsend popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1914–2025
- Peak year (2025)
- 36
- Annual births at peak, across 112 years of records
Townsend popularity over time - girls
11 total births recorded since 2023 (Townsend as girls' name)
Townsend by decade
2010s is the heaviest window (190 births, 22% of the file).
2010s was Townsend's strongest decade.
190 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 22% of all-time use.
Townsend births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 51
1910s
51 births
- 1920s 70
1920s
70 births
- 1930s 60
1930s
60 births
- 1940s 49
1940s
49 births
- 1950s 52
1950s
52 births
- 1960s 28
1960s
28 births
- 1970s 12
1970s
12 births
- 1980s 44
1980s
44 births
- 1990s 63
1990s
63 births
- 2000s
2000s
94 births
- 2010s
2010s
190 births
- 2020s
2020s
158 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 190 births (22% of all-time use).
How Townsend 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 Townsend's total volume
Townsend by state
Where Townsend concentrates geographically, total births since 1914
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 18 | 2.1% |
| #2 | South Carolina | | 5 | 0.6% |
18 of 871 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Townsend's data
- Townsend's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (190 total births) through the 2020s (158) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Townsends (18 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Townsend
Nearby Names Like Townsend
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Townsend
Compare Townsend side by side: Townsend vs Townes Townsend vs Towan Townsend vs Towa
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Townsend
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Townsend: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2025)
Similar record span (~111 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1914–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Townsend 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 August 2026.