Why does Jira allow you to create duplicate Sprint names?

[Dakota Kiss]

We noticed today that there are a couple of Sprints that have been duplicated. For example, "Project Sprint 12" was created twice, with the same dates and naming convention. 

I am surprised that Jira allows for this to happen. I thought there would be a control in place to prevent duplicates. 

Is there a reason there isn't such a control?

Thanks in advance!

[Michel Neeser · Accepted solution]

Hi @Dakota Kiss

Although sprints are tied to a board, they can be referenced globally (e.g., in a JQL query). To enforce unique sprint names, Jira would need to apply this rule at a global level.

In larger instances, it’s common for different teams to name their sprints "Sprint 1," "Sprint 2," etc., which would quickly lead to conflicts. To avoid this, Jira allows duplicate sprint names. However, each sprint has a unique technical ID in the background, ensuring they remain distinct even if they share the same name.

Hope this helps!

[Matt Doar (Adaptavist)]

I recommend that sprints are named with the team name as a prefix to avoid people adding issues to the wrong sprint 

[Dakota Kiss]

Thank you @Michel Neeser and @Matt Doar (Adaptavist) ! Very informative and helpful tips.