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The towns with the shortest names in France

Only one commune in France has a one-letter name: Y (Somme). 13 communes have a two-letter name, and 150 a three-letter name.

34,875 names compared

The podium

  1. 1stY 1character Somme
  2. 2ndBû 2characters Eure-et-Loir
  3. 3rdBy 2characters Doubs

Length of the official name of each commune, in characters (letters, hyphens, spaces and apostrophes). Towns with names of the same length are tied and listed in alphabetical order.

The 100 shortest town names

Rank Town Department Characters Population
1 Y Somme (80) 1 88
2 tied Bû Eure-et-Loir (28) 2 2,120
2 tied By Doubs (25) 2 81
2 tied Eu Seine-Maritime (76) 2 6,704
2 tied Gy Haute-Saône (70) 2 1,067
2 tied Oô Haute-Garonne (31) 2 106
2 tied Oz Isère (38) 2 224
2 tied Py Pyrénées-Orientales (66) 2 86
2 tied Ri Orne (61) 2 158
2 tied Ry Seine-Maritime (76) 2 803
2 tied Sy Ardennes (08) 2 60
2 tied Ur Pyrénées-Orientales (66) 2 392
2 tied Us Val-d'Oise (95) 2 1,389
2 tied Uz Hautes-Pyrénées (65) 2 38
15 tied Acq Pas-de-Calais (62) 3 795
15 tied Acy Aisne (02) 3 1,029
15 tied Adé Hautes-Pyrénées (65) 3 875
15 tied Afa Corse-du-Sud (2A) 3 3,406
15 tied Agy Calvados (14) 3 328
15 tied Aix Corrèze (19) 3 362
15 tied Amy Oise (60) 3 420
15 tied Apt Vaucluse (84) 3 10,359
15 tied Ars Charente (16) 3 700
15 tied Ars Creuse (23) 3 243
15 tied Arx Landes (40) 3 58
15 tied Avy Charente-Maritime (17) 3 519
15 tied Ayn Savoie (73) 3 394
15 tied Azé Saône-et-Loire (71) 3 1,119
15 tied Azé Loir-et-Cher (41) 3 991
15 tied Azy Cher (18) 3 457
15 tied Bar Corrèze (19) 3 315
15 tied Bax Haute-Garonne (31) 3 102
15 tied Bay Haute-Saône (70) 3 164
15 tied Bey Saône-et-Loire (71) 3 888
15 tied Bey Ain (01) 3 293
15 tied Bio Lot (46) 3 364
15 tied Boé Lot-et-Garonne (47) 3 5,936
15 tied Bou Loiret (45) 3 1,062
15 tied Boz Ain (01) 3 530
15 tied Brû Vosges (88) 3 580
15 tied Bry Nord (59) 3 398
15 tied Buc Yvelines (78) 3 5,934
15 tied Buc Territoire de Belfort (90) 3 253
15 tied Bué Cher (18) 3 302
15 tied Bun Hautes-Pyrénées (65) 3 166
15 tied Bus Pas-de-Calais (62) 3 132
15 tied Cos Ariège (09) 3 364
15 tied Cox Haute-Garonne (31) 3 376
15 tied Cry Yonne (89) 3 164
15 tied Cuq Tarn (81) 3 490
15 tied Cuq Lot-et-Garonne (47) 3 288
15 tied Cuy Yonne (89) 3 891
15 tied Cuy Oise (60) 3 221
15 tied Dax Landes (40) 3 22,972
15 tied Die Drôme (26) 3 5,088
15 tied Don Nord (59) 3 1,398
15 tied Dry Loiret (45) 3 1,434
15 tied Dun Ariège (09) 3 667
15 tied Dyé Yonne (89) 3 189
15 tied Dyo Saône-et-Loire (71) 3 335
15 tied Eix Meuse (55) 3 273
15 tied Ens Hautes-Pyrénées (65) 3 28
15 tied Eps Pas-de-Calais (62) 3 245
15 tied Erp Ariège (09) 3 144
15 tied Err Pyrénées-Orientales (66) 3 732
15 tied Eth Nord (59) 3 332
15 tied Eup Haute-Garonne (31) 3 141
15 tied Eus Pyrénées-Orientales (66) 3 401
15 tied Ève Oise (60) 3 417
15 tied Èze Alpes-Maritimes (06) 3 2,180
15 tied Fay Sarthe (72) 3 770
15 tied Fay Somme (80) 3 96
15 tied Fay Orne (61) 3 69
15 tied Féy Moselle (57) 3 763
15 tied Fos Haute-Garonne (31) 3 250
15 tied Fos Hérault (34) 3 136
15 tied Fry Seine-Maritime (76) 3 140
15 tied Fyé Sarthe (72) 3 1,051
15 tied Gan Pyrénées-Atlantiques (64) 3 5,799
15 tied Gap Hautes-Alpes (05) 3 42,685
15 tied Gas Eure-et-Loir (28) 3 735
15 tied Ger Pyrénées-Atlantiques (64) 3 2,189
15 tied Ger Manche (50) 3 840
15 tied Ger Hautes-Pyrénées (65) 3 165
15 tied Geu Hautes-Pyrénées (65) 3 191
15 tied Gex Ain (01) 3 13,912
15 tied Gez Hautes-Pyrénées (65) 3 340
15 tied Gye Meurthe-et-Moselle (54) 3 285
15 tied Ham Somme (80) 3 4,456
15 tied Hem Nord (59) 3 18,719
15 tied His Haute-Garonne (31) 3 265
15 tied Ifs Calvados (14) 3 12,166
15 tied Igé Saône-et-Loire (71) 3 914
15 tied Igé Orne (61) 3 597
15 tied Izé Mayenne (53) 3 475
15 tied Jas Loire (42) 3 250
15 tied Jax Haute-Loire (43) 3 147
15 tied Job Puy-de-Dôme (63) 3 1,038
15 tied Lay Loire (42) 3 793
15 tied Laz Finistère (29) 3 701

Source: INSEE, Official Geographic Code (official names of communes). Data sources.

FAQ

Town names: FAQ

What is the shortest town name in France?

Y (Somme), with 1 character.

How many towns have a two-letter name?

13: Bû (Eure-et-Loir), By (Doubs), Eu (Seine-Maritime), Gy (Haute-Saône), Oô (Haute-Garonne), Oz (Isère), Py (Pyrénées-Orientales), Ri (Orne), Ry (Seine-Maritime), Sy (Ardennes), Ur (Pyrénées-Orientales), Us (Val-d'Oise), and Uz (Hautes-Pyrénées).

How is the length counted?

Every character of the official name of the commune (INSEE Official Geographic Code) counts: letters, hyphens, spaces and apostrophes.

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