ARTCC CTLR GOT CONFUSED WITH SIMILAR ACFT CALL SIGNS AND CLEARED WRONG ACFT TO CLIMB BUT SAW HIS MISTAKE AND CORRECTED IT BEFORE THE WRONG ACFT HAD CLIMBED TOO FAR.

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THE CLASSIC CONFUSION WITH ACFT CALL SIGNS USED BY THE SAME COMPANY FOR FLTS DEPARTING DURING THE SAME BANKS IN THE SAME AIRSPACE. THIS TIME THE CTLR CONFUSED THE CALL SIGNS. WE WERE MLG (GEA) ATC ISSUED A CLB FOR US FROM FL200 TO FL230. THE CLRNC WAS READ BACK AND THE READBACK EMPHASIZED THE FLT NUMBER; IE; 'MLG GEE EEE AYE; OUT OF 2-0-0 FOR 2-3-0.' WE STARTED OUR CLB AND AT APPROX 20300' THE CTLR CORRECTED HIMSELF AND SAID; 'MLG (GGA) CLB AND MAINTAIN 230--MLG (GEA) MAINTAIN FL200.' WE IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED BACK TO FL200. NO FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS PROB WAS EXCHANGED BTWN EITHER ACFT AND ATC. THE 2 FLTS INVOLVED WERE: MLG (GEA) DEN-CPR--DEPARTS DEN AT XA10 MDT; AND MLG (GGA) DEN-RAP--DEPARTS DEN AT XA05 MDT. BOTH ACFT ON ATC; DEN; FREQ 124.8. I EMPHASIZE THAT THIS WAS A CTLR ERROR. NOT THAT I HAVEN'T MADE THE SAME MISTAKE BEFORE MYSELF; AND WE ALL KNOW OF MANY OTHER RPTS OF THE SAME PROB. JUST ADD THIS ONE TO THE GROWING LIST. WE TALKED WITH THE OTHER FLT CREW AND THEY CONFIRMED OUR VERSION OF WHAT HAPPENED.