Law on names of newborn defined

The official spokesman of the Civil Status Department has said that the department has no jurisdiction to either accept or reject the names chosen by parents for their newborn children where parents are non-Muslim.
Omar Mahmood, a Muslim expat living in Saudi Arabia, went to the Civil Status Department (CSD) to register his newborn girl under the name Malaak (Angel). His request was turned down and he was asked to choose a different name for her, which he did.
Another father, Abdullah, said that he wanted to give his newborn child the name Muhammad Saleh (a compound name) and his request was turned down. He was asked to choose a single name for his child.
“They (non-Muslims) are free to chose the names they want. We do, however, object to Muslims residing in the Kingdom giving their children improper or unlawful names. A child should be given a decent name. We also do not accept compound names,” he said.
“What applies to Saudi nationals should apply to Muslim expats residing in the Kingdom,” he explained.
The CSD has recently turned down requests by parents to give their newborn children improper names and have prevented the registration of such names in the electronic register.
The CSD issued a directive banning the use of compound names or the use of the same name for two brothers or two sisters if they had the same father.
The directive asked that parents refrain from using titles in their children’s names such as “the noble” or “the master.”
Certain socially obnoxious names such as Humair (little donkey) or Kulaib (puppy) are also unacceptable.
Religiously unlawful names are also banned. For instance, one cannot give his or her child the name Abd Ar Rasool (servant of the Prophet), or Rasool (Prophet).
The source explained that non-Muslims are free to choose any names they want.
The CSD pointed out that Article 15 of regulations details control mechanisms governing the first name of the person.