Maybe this is common, but I never noticed it before. In a search for Lake George, NY boxes, I encountered two boxes with identical names, different planters quite near each other. It is mentioned in a comment as confusing. Does this happen much in other areas?

Does this happen much in other areas?

Duplicate names aren't uncommon, but when you list a box and enter a name, AQ will tell you how many other boxes on AQ have the same name to help you figure out a name that--perhaps isn't unique, but at least isn't super common.

But usually boxes with the same names are located well away from each other in different states or something that would minimize the confusion. Obviously, AQ does nothing to require this, but I don't think it's particularly common either.

-- Ryan

Maybe this is common, but I never noticed it before. In a search for Lake George, NY boxes, I encountered two boxes with identical names, different planters quite near each other. It is mentioned in a comment as confusing. Does this happen much in other areas?

I have found some boxes with similar names but never super close to each other. So that I avoid this, I do a search for all letterboxes when I come up with a name for a box to see if its name already belongs to a box to avoid a repeat name. Although I suspect I'll eventually run low on creativity and repeat a name...

I've never heard of exactly the same name, with no correlation between the boxes.
However, its not uncommon for 'add on' boxes to intentionally share some or even all of the same name.
One such example is the following:
https://www.atlasquest.com/results.html?typeId=1;name=What%27s+My+Sign;title=Marlborough%2C+MA+%2815+mi%29;coords=42.3467949761,-71.548104667;rad=15;location=Marlborough%2C+MA

In fact, I hope to plant a 'Jeopardy!' series soon which I hope will become an 'add on' series.

It wouldn't surprise me if the planter of the newer box was unaware of the existence of the older one, which has restrictions of some sort.

While I've not seen it a lot I've found this happens in areas where there is something is famous and there are several carves of it.