Look along almost any street in Dubai or Sharjah and you will see bilingual signs where the English logo was clearly designed and the Arabic was typed underneath in whatever font was available. The two names sit together but do not belong together. For customers who read Arabic first, the brand looks unfinished.
This guide covers the decisions behind a strong bilingual logo, the design work involved and the checks to make before you sign it off.
Translate, transliterate or create a separate name
The first decision is about the name, not the letters.
- Transliteration writes the same name in Arabic letters, so it sounds the same in both languages. This is the most common choice for invented or foreign names.
- Translation uses the Arabic word with the same meaning. It suits descriptive names, but the two versions will sound different and customers may not connect them.
- A separate name is sometimes used when the original does not work in Arabic, or when an Arabic name is the brand’s starting point and the English follows.
Check how the chosen Arabic version sounds and what it might mean in different dialects, and ask native speakers from your target audience, not only your own team.
Why Arabic needs design, not typesetting
Arabic and Latin scripts work differently. Arabic is written from right to left, most letters connect to their neighbours, and many letters change shape depending on where they sit in a word. There are no capital letters, and the script has its own rhythm of tall strokes, deep descenders and dots. An English wordmark cannot simply be converted into Arabic.
Arabic also has distinct styles. Geometric Kufi styles feel structured and modern, while Naskh is rounder and familiar from books and body text. More decorative calligraphic styles, such as Thuluth and Diwani, carry a strong traditional character. The style you choose says as much about the brand as the colour.
Making the two scripts match
The goal is not identical letters but a shared character. Designers usually balance:
- Weight. Both names should look equally heavy from a distance.
- Stroke style. If the English is geometric with even strokes, an Arabic with strong calligraphic contrast will feel like a different brand.
- Visual size. Arabic often needs to be set at a different point size from the English to look the same size.
- Details. Corner shapes, terminals and any special features of the English mark can be echoed in the Arabic.
- Spacing. Both names need room to breathe, and the gap between them should be set deliberately.
For a distinctive brand, custom Arabic lettering drawn to match the English is often worth the extra work. Where a typeface is used, choose one designed for Arabic by specialists, and confirm the licence covers logo use.
Lockups: how the two names sit together
Most bilingual brands need several arrangements:
- A stacked version, with one language above the other, for square spaces and social profiles.
- A horizontal version, with the names side by side, for wide signboards and website headers.
- Arabic-only and English-only versions, for materials aimed at one audience.
- A symbol on its own, if the identity has one, for very small uses.
Decide which language leads and keep that choice consistent. Shop signs and some other applications may need Arabic alongside English, so check the current requirements with your licensing authority, municipality or landlord before production.
Our identities for Jumanah Foods and Afdal Foods were built bilingual from the start, and Bab carries its Arabic and English name through packaging and uniforms.
Common mistakes
- Typing the Arabic in software or a font that does not support Arabic properly, so letters appear disconnected or in reverse order.
- Flipping the English layout to make the Arabic version, which rarely works.
- Pairing a carefully drawn English wordmark with a default Arabic system font.
- Machine translating the name or tagline without a native speaker check.
- Approving the logo on a screen without seeing both names at small sizes and on signage.
Checks before you approve
- Ask several native Arabic readers to read the logo aloud without being told what it says.
- View every lockup at business card, app icon and signboard sizes.
- Print it in one colour and reversed out of a dark background.
- Check it on the real applications: shopfront, packaging, vehicle, social profile.
- Make sure you receive vector files for every version in both languages.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need an Arabic logo if most customers speak English?
Many UAE businesses still need Arabic for signage, government documents, packaging or customers who prefer it. Designing it with the English is easier and gives a better result than adding it later.
Can we add Arabic to an existing English logo?
Yes. A designer can create Arabic lettering to match the existing mark and build new lockups. Sometimes small adjustments to the English help the pair work together.
Which should come first, the Arabic or the English?
It depends on your audience and the application. Decide which language leads, check any requirements that apply to signage, and apply the choice consistently.
How Abcon can help
Abcon designs Arabic and English logos and identities together, with bilingual lockups and guidelines your suppliers can follow. See our logo design service, our portfolio of bilingual identities, or tell us about your brand.
For practical support with this decision, explore our logo design and brand identity services. Each page explains the scope, how we work and what to consider before commissioning the work. Talk to us about your business challenge.
