Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing released draft rules in February 2023 concerning the naming of public facilities and invited public comments before final approval.

Royal and Foreign Leaders' Names

Under the draft, public facilities could not be named after Saudi kings, the crown prince or heads of friendly countries without approval from higher authorities.

Religious Names

The proposal also restricted use of the names of the Three Holy Mosques and most of the Names of God for public facilities, while specifying limited exceptions.

Other Permitted Categories

The draft described categories of people and places whose names could be considered under its rules, including historical figures, scholars, officials, geographical locations, award recipients and other recognized groups.

Naming Governance

Government bodies would maintain approved-name directories and develop procedures for naming facilities within their areas of responsibility. The proposal also addressed sponsorship naming rights.

Draft Status in February 2023

The measure reported at the time was a draft released for public suggestions. It should therefore not be described as though every proposed provision had already become final law in February 2023.