From mosques to malls: Saudi Arabia issues new naming standards for public facilities

Dubai: Saudi Arabia has issued a comprehensive set of binding regulations governing the naming of public facilities across the Kingdom, introducing unified standards, governance frameworks, and explicit religious and administrative restrictions.

Published in the Umm Al Qura official Gazette, the new “Rules and Standards for Naming Public Facilities” were approved by the Saudi Cabinet and are set to take effect 120 days after publication.

The rules apply to all publicly owned facilities nationwide, including municipal buildings, schools, cultural centres, sports arenas, and transportation hubs.

According to Okaz newspaper, public facilities are broadly defined to encompass government-owned assets across multiple sectors, including education, culture, sports, religion, health, and transportation. Each government entity will be responsible for naming facilities under its control, ensuring compliance with the new regulations and existing laws.

The rules require government bodies to issue their own executive bylaws outlining procedural, technical, organisational, and operational standards for naming decisions. Governance mechanisms must also be established to oversee and enforce these decisions internally.

The regulations introduce stringent prohibitions on certain names. Public facilities may not be named after Kings of Saudi Arabia, Crown Princes, or leaders of friendly or allied states without prior approval from the King. Names that contradict Islamic Sharia are explicitly banned.

Restrictions also extend to the use of the names of God. Only seven names are permitted when naming public facilities: Al Salam, Al Adl, Al Awwal, Al Nur, Al Haqq, Al Shahid, and Al Malik.

Where facilities are named after individuals, authorities must verify a candidate’s integrity, including their intellectual orientation and criminal or security record, in coordination with relevant bodies. The chosen name must also be appropriate to the individual’s status and standing.

The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing will issue official naming categories following coordination with concerned authorities, and government entities must adhere to these classifications. Final approval of facility names rests with the head of the relevant entity, though this authority may be delegated.

To increase flexibility, the regulations permit numerical designations to be used in naming public facilities, either independently or in combination with names.

In a bid to enhance coordination and consistency, each government entity must also establish and maintain a comprehensive database of public facility names under its jurisdiction. These records must be updated regularly and submitted annually to the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information.

The new framework also repeals previous regulations related to the naming of streets and squares contained in earlier Cabinet decisions, as well as any conflicting provisions.