Townes is an English surname for someone who lived "in the town" or at the edge of a settlement. As a first name it carries the memory of Townes Van Zandt, the Texas singer-songwriter whose ballads shaped Americana, which is why it appeals to the same parents who like Hayes, Banks and Wells. Townes had fewer than five births a year in 2000, stood at number 2324 in 2015 and has climbed to number 1321 in 2025, its best rank so far.