Choosing a Company Name

The company naming requirements apply when:

• Registering a new company
• Changing the name of an existing company

When choosing a company name:

• The name must be written in Modern Standard Arabic
• Colloquial expressions cannot be used
• Abbreviated or separated letters cannot be used
• Numbers may be used provided they are written out in Arabic words and do not represent political or religious symbols

A company name cannot be registered if it:

• Is intended for fraudulent or unlawful purposes
• Is identical or confusingly similar to an existing company name, trade name, trademark, or a company name already under incorporation
• Uses names, slogans, or expressions that refer to the system of government, the Royal Family, or any government institution
• Violates public order or public morals
• Uses the names of Allah, or religious, sectarian, or denominational names
• Uses names associated with narcotic substances, for example, "Joker"
• Uses a name that indicates or refers to the ISO mark

A person's name, family name, or surname may be used in the name of a Limited Liability Company, Private Shareholding Company, or Public Shareholding Company in the following cases:

• When converting a General Partnership or Limited Partnership into a Limited Liability Company, Private Shareholding Company, or Public Shareholding Company
• Where the company was previously a Civil Company
• When using a family name that has a recognized meaning and includes the Arabic definite article (ال)
• Where the purpose of the company is to invest in a legally registered patent belonging to that person

Country Names

A country name may be used in the following cases:

• A partner or shareholder holds the nationality of that country
• The country name is used as part of a broader name or expression, such as "Palm Trees of Iraq"
• The proposed name is derived from the name of a foreign company
• The country is a partner in the company

Other Names and Terms

Company names may also use:

• Names of cities, villages, rivers, mountains, planets, and other recognized geographic locations
• Scientific names from different fields
• Names, titles, or surnames of historical figures
• Names and terminology of scientific instruments
• Commonly used Arabized foreign terms

The Companies Controller may request supporting evidence confirming the meaning of certain geographic or scientific names.

With approval from the Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply, based on the Companies Controller's recommendation, a Jordanian company may use the name of a foreign company registered outside Jordan in the following cases:

• The foreign company is a partner in the Jordanian company, up to the second level
• The foreign company has provided approval to use its name and the justification for its use

The proposed name must also:

• Not conflict with public order or public morals
• Not already be registered in the name of another Jordanian company
• Match the principal name of the foreign company
• Be written in Arabic letters
• Be followed by the word "Jordan" or "Jordanian"

A company may use the word "Group" in its name when all of the applicable conditions are met:

• At incorporation, the company's capital must be at least JOD 1 million. For an existing company changing its name, its capital or asset value must be at least JOD 1 million
• The partners, shareholders, or one of them must own at least 50% of the capital of at least two companies