What is name transliteration?
Name transliteration in AML is converting a person’s or entity’s name between writing systems—especially Arabic and Latin—so screening is not limited to an exact Unicode string.
Why KSA and MENA programs care
The same person may appear as Arabic legal name on a national ID and Latin on a card or SWIFT field. Exact-match-only screening misses that. Fuzzy matching and alternate names are the operational answer.
What to send the API
Send the fullest legal name you have in the script you collected, plus aliases when your KYC file has them. Date of birth and nationality reduce false possibles. Persist the screening id.
What Naiza does not claim here
Do not invent an unpublished transliteration algorithm. Naiza screens documented watchlists and returns match context. Confirm supported name fields in the AML integration guide.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers written so search and answer engines can cite them.
Does AML screening work on Arabic names?
You should send the legal name you collected, including Arabic script when that is the source of truth. Matching still depends on list data and fuzzy comparison—not on a guarantee of every romanization.
Is transliteration the same as translation?
No. Transliteration maps letters. Translation maps meaning. Watchlists care about how the name is written, not a translated nickname.
Should we latinize every Arabic name before screening?
Prefer sending the original plus known aliases rather than a single lossy latinization. A bad conversion creates both misses and false possibles.