Samename

Samename is a term used to describe the situation in which multiple distinct entities share an identical name, resulting in ambiguity for people, records, and systems. The phrase is informal and commonly used in information science, library science, and data management to highlight the challenges of distinguishing items tied to the same name string.

Contexts where samename arises include bibliographic records (authors with the same name), digital identities (profiles on social platforms), corporate naming, and geographic places that share names. In each case, users and systems must determine which specific entity is intended based on limited or ambiguous identifiers.

To manage samename, organizations employ disambiguation practices and stable identifiers. Examples include authoritative identifiers such as ORCID for researchers, ISNI, and VIAF, as well as library authority files. Metadata and structured data support differentiation by attributes like profession, date of birth, location, or affiliated organization. User interfaces often present disambiguation prompts listing these attributes to help users select the correct entity.

In practice, search engines, databases, and wikis apply context, provenance, and link structure to reduce confusion. Wikipedia, for instance, uses disambiguation pages to guide readers to the correct article, while scholarly databases use author disambiguation techniques to ensure proper attribution.

Challenges associated with samename include attribution errors, privacy considerations when collecting distinguishing details, and potential legal or financial confusion. Best practices emphasize explicit identifiers, consistent naming conventions, and transparent metadata to improve clarity and accuracy in reference and retrieval. See also disambiguation, authority control, ORCID, ISNI, VIAF.