"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet". These famous lines from William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet are often used to infer the name of a thing does not affect what it is. Yet we often say when hearing the name of a new baby, or pet: "That suits them". Whether Juliet would agree or not, your name is your name, and that means something to many of us.
That is why it is significant Shell has decided to drop "Royal Dutch" from its full name, and become simply Shell. Historically, Royal Dutch Shell was created when the Dutch company Royal Dutch Petroleum Company and the British firm Shell Transport and Trading Company Limited amalgamated in 1907 to compete with Standard Oil. Even though the company has its roots in both the UK and the Netherlands, it recently announced plans to move its headquarters from The Hague to London. This follows the landmark decision by the district court of The Hague to order Shell to reduce its global carbon emissions, which is believed to be the first major climate change litigation ruling against a corporation. The removal of "Royal Dutch" could be seen as further distancing the company from the Netherlands.
Many oil and gas companies have undergone some form of rebranding including the previously-mentioned Standard Oil which is now known as Esso or ExxonMobil globally. Whatever the reason, Shell's name change highlights how a name is tied to corporate and personal identity, be it past, present, or future.
Shell announced the Board's decision to change its name to Shell plc on December 20, 2021. This change has now taken effect.
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