Eight French Communes Change Names to Resolve Confusions

The changes, effective January 1, 2025, aim to address administrative and geographic mix-ups caused by homonymous town names.

Since 1944, over 1,300 French communes have altered their names, with eight more doing so in 2025.
The primary reason for these changes is to differentiate towns with identical or similar names, reducing administrative and logistical errors.
Examples include Grigny (Rhône) becoming Grigny-sur-Rhône and Faux (Dordogne) changing to Faux-en-Périgord to avoid confusion with other towns.
Approximately 13.6% of French communes share their names with at least one other locality, often causing issues with mail, tourism, and official services.
Most name changes involve extending the original name to include geographic identifiers, while a smaller percentage address orthographic or historical accuracy.