Date: 202104
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Taxi
ATC / advisory: Ground ZZZ
Second aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Reporter organization: Government
Reporter function: Ground
Reporter qualification: Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Human factors: Troubleshooting; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Ground Incursion Runway; Ground Incursion Taxiway
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: Taxi
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic
Contributing factors: Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Airport
Primary problem: Ambiguous

Narrative: I was working east flow North Tower Ground/CIC. The main Tower was intermittently departing Runway XC; so I was giving aircraft shortcuts to get to their gate more quickly. I noticed that a departure Aircraft X was taxiing to XC; so I decided to give the next aircraft (Aircraft Y) a hold short at the taxiway (north) parallel taxiway prior to the runway (Taxiway 4); just as an extra precaution. However; I inadvertently said the taxiway name that was the south parallel to XC (Taxiway 5); and did not catch my error. I switched the aircraft to the XC Local Controller's frequency. They had rolled their departure (Aircraft X); and Aircraft Y continued to taxi past the hold bars of XC before they stopped. I did not clear the aircraft to cross Runway XC; nor did the other Controller. Despite my mistake in issuing the incorrect taxiway name; I do not believe anything but the phrase 'Cross Runway ##' gives them the clearance to cross a runway. I; and most other controllers are questioned frequently about runway crossings or unclear taxi instructions. The taxi instruction I gave this aircraft made no sense; because to execute it; they would have needed clearance to cross Runway XC. I made an error by using the wrong taxiway name; but there was no accompanying runway crossing given.I don't know; as I was trying to be extra safe by holding an aircraft at a point further from the runway since there was a departure; as opposed to at the runway. I suppose next time I will just have them hold short of the runway; instead of a taxiway; just so there is no confusion or possibility of mis-stating a taxiway name whatsoever. Additionally; I think that the drop in traffic due to COVID may have played a role. Pilots may have not been to ZZZ since Runway XC was under construction; and they were able to cross it at will before there were proper pavement markings. There are proper markings now; but possibly expectation bias that they were previously able to taxi in this manner played a part.




Synopsis: ATC Ground Controller reported giving incorrect taxi instructions to a crew resulting in a ground conflict.  Controller reported the crews had not flown into their airport in a while due the COVID-19 pandemic; which may have contributed to the event.