Cross-border town naming occurs where towns or villages with the same or equivalent names are divided between two different countries. This does not necessarily imply that those towns or villages are located in geographic proximity or that they are located near a current border (divided cities). Reasons for this taking place may include the following: The town or village existed before the border or even before the modern concept of a border. The border was added later (sometimes by war), dividing a community. A community on one side of a border grows up to service the border and then takes the name of the adjacent community on the other side of the border. Communities grow up on both sides of the border to service the border, taking the name of the border crossing.
Most places are in Europe, but there are also some examples in North America and Asia. In Europe, until the first half of the 20th century and again since the Schengen Agreement in the late 20th century, such divisions could be mostly ignored by the inhabitants.
Examples
Note that this list includes only places with similar names that are in someway connected (by history, geography or otherwise) across modern-day international borders. Towns that have the same name but bear no relationship to each other are also very common but not particularly notable.
Europe
Denmark–Sweden
Helsingør / Helsingborg
Netherlands–Germany
Rhederbrug, Rhederveld / Rhede
Barnflair (Ter Apel) / Barnfleer
Veenebrugge / Vennebrügge
Zwillbroek / Zwillbrock
Ubach over Worms / Übach-Palenberg
Spijk / Spyck
Netherlands–Belgium
Baarle-Nassau / Baarle-Hertog
Clinge / De Klinge
Koewacht / Koewacht
Putte / Putte
Belgium–Germany
Lichtenbusch / Aachen-Lichtenbusch
Stubach / Stupbach
Luxembourg–Germany
Obereisenbach, Untereisenbach / Übereisenbach
Wallendorf-Pont / Wallendorf
Bollendorf-Pont / Bollendorf
Echternach / Echternacherbrück
Wasserbillig / Wasserbilligerbrück
Belgium–France
Comines-Warneton / Comines
Wervik / Wervicq-Sud
Quiévrain / Quiévrechain
Gœgnies-Chaussée / Gognies-Chaussée
Grand-Reng / Vieux-Reng
Luxembourg–France
Mondorf-les-Bains / Mondorff
France–Germany
Leiding / Leidingen
Petite-Rosselle / Großrosseln
Grosbliederstroff / Kleinblittersdorf
Obergailbach / Niedergailbach
Scheibenhard / Scheibenhardt
Lauterbourg / Neulauterburg
Neuf-Brisach / Breisach
Kembs / Klein Kembs
France–Switzerland
Huningue / Kleinhüningen
Lucelle / Lucelle, Kleinlützel
Saint-Gingolph / Saint-Gingolph
France–Spain
Île des Faisans / Isla de los Faisanes (Konpantzia / Île de l’hôpital / Île de la Conférence)
Germany–Switzerland
Rheinfelden-Baden (Badisch-Rhyfälde) / Rheinfelden (Rhyfälde) Laufenburg / Laufenburg / Rekingen
Germany–Austria
Vorderriß / Hinterriß
Bayerisch Gmain / Großgmain
Germany–Poland
Altwarp / Nowe Warpno
Rosow / Rosówek
Hohenwutzen / Osinów Dolny (Niederwutzen)*
Zäckericker Loose / Siekierki (Zäckerick)*
Güstebieser Loose / Gozdowice (Güstebiese)*
Altrüdnitzer Ausbau / Stara Rudnica (Altrüdnitz)*
Neulietzegöricke / Stare Łysogórki (Altlietzegöricke)*
Zelliner Loose / Czelin (Zellin)*
Küstrin-Kietz / Kostrzyn nad Odrą (Küstrin)*
Lebus / Nowy Lubusz (Neulebus)*
Kunitzer Loose / Kunice (Kunitz)*
Aurith / Urad (Aurith)*
Guben / Gubin
Zelz / Siedlec (Zelz)*
Klein Priebus / Przewóz (Priebus)*
Görlitz / Zgorzelec
Altlandsberg / Gorzów ((Neu))Landsberg)*
Altentreptow / Trzebiatów (Treptow)*
(*) In some cases there have been added exonyms to show the relationship between the towns more clearly for people not familiar with the respective languages.