What if there was no Saudi Arabia? What would we call Saudi Arabia if the Saud family is overthrown? What would they call it? Godless comments: I've never understood the fuss over the Saudis naming Arabia after themselves. Think about the places we live: Washington , New York , and the United States of Amerigo de Vespucci. Renaming a place after a ruler is a common occurrence, and I can't see why Jonah Goldberg et. al. think the practice is reprehensible only when the Saudis do it.