The Arabian Oryx is famous for its beauty and iconic physical features making it stand out against its desert habitat. Arab poets have often been mesmerized by the beauty and the breadth of the Arabian Oryx eyes, and its bright color , as well as its agility so they began to sing and describe their beloved through these aesthetic characteristics which qualified the Arabian Oryx.

The Oryx has been in the past one of the hardest accessible preys known to man due to its strength. The Arabian Oryx is depicted across several archaeological sites discovered in the the Arabian Peninsula (For example, in Al Hili Archaeological Park in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates), as sign of the importance and the value of this desert animal for the inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula.

There are several given names to the Arabian Oryxincluding Al Wadhihi (The Clear), this name alludes to its ability to be easily spotted due to its colour and contrast with its desert habitat. The Arabian Oryx is also referred to locally in the Sultanate of Oman and the United Arab Emirates as Bin Solaa or Alsolaey. This prominence in local culture and literature have made the Arabian Oryx a national icon for many governmental as well as private institutions in the countries of the Arabian Peninsula.