Saudi Arabia has introduced a new set of rules that explains how public facilities across the country should be named. The regulations were approved by the Cabinet and published in the official Umm Al Qura Gazette. The goal is to make naming clearer and more consistent across the Kingdom.
These rules apply to all publicly owned facilities in Saudi Arabia. This includes schools, municipal buildings, cultural centres, sports venues, and transport facilities. Each government body will name the facilities it manages, following the approved guidelines and existing laws.
The new set of rules outlines what is not allowed when naming public facilities in KSA:
- Facilities cannot be named after Saudi kings or crown princes without approval from the King
- Names of leaders from friendly or allied countries require special approval
- Any name that conflicts with Islamic Sharia is not permitted
- Only seven names of God may be used when naming public facilities
- Names must not carry political, sectarian, or inappropriate meanings
When a facility is named after an individual, authorities must confirm that the person’s background, reputation, and record meet the required standards, and the name must be suitable for the individual’s public role and standing.
The rules allow public facilities to use numerical names, either on their own or combined with a name.
This update is one small part of the changes taking place across Saudi Arabia. If you’re curious about what else is changing in the country, here are several news worth your attention. King Salman Airport will be expanded with a new terminal by 2029. There’s also a major rail project in the works that could cut travel time between Riyadh and Doha to around two hours.
And there’s much more on the horizon, so stay tuned to keep up with the latest news and updates.
