Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 2007

Arif

Gender Boy Rank 2025 #7,717

Aarif is an Arabic male given name that is common in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

Rank 2025
#7,717
among boys · ↓1,789 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
10
named Arif
How common
1 in 170,808
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2007
21 babies
All-time total
714
#6,361 all-time among boys
First recorded
1968
in Social Security records

Arif popularity over time

714 babies have been named Arif since 1968, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
00.010.010.0218801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1976Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s – – – –
1920s – – – –
1930s – – – –
1940s – – – –
1950s – – – –
1960s 15 2 – #3,120
1970s 72 7 +380% #2,712
1980s 137 14 +90% #2,794
1990s 149 15 +9% #3,337
2000s 159 16 +7% #4,490
2010s 112 11 -30% #5,497
2020s (to 2025) 70 12 +4% #5,928

The story of Arif

Arif is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #7,717 in 2025 with 10 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1968, 714 American babies have been named Arif. Its peak came in 2007, when 21 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2000s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Arif stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Arif?

The median living Arif is about 26 years old; half are between 14 and 38. An estimated 700 people named Arif are alive in the United States today.

median 26 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Arif year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 10 #7,717
2024 15 #5,928
2023 14 #6,249
2022 13 #6,509
2021 9 #8,223
2020 9 #8,128
2019 13 #6,431
2018 14 #6,057
2017 7 #9,768
2016 10 #7,637
2015 12 #6,698
2014 13 #6,328
2013 10 #7,573
2012 16 #5,497
2011 10 #7,541
2010 7 #9,760
2009 12 #6,831
2008 15 #5,789
2007 21 #4,508
2006 16 #5,318
2005 12 #6,251
2004 16 #5,023
2003 17 #4,624
2002 17 #4,516
2001 17 #4,490
2000 16 #4,595
1995 14 #4,297
1990 15 #3,793
1985 11 #3,813
1980 14 #3,104
1975 7 #4,351
1970 – –
1965 – –
1960 – –
1955 – –
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Arif

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Arif Alvi Arif Alvi President of Pakistan from 2018 to 2024 b. 1949 · Contemporary
  2. 2 Arif Mardin Arif Mardin Turkish-American music producer (1932–2006) Contemporary
  3. 3 Arif Erdem Arif Erdem Turkish footballer (born 1972) Contemporary
  4. 4 Arif Malikov Arif Malikov Azerbaijani composer (1933–2019) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Arif, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Arif?

The median living Arif is about 26 years old. Half of all living Arifs are between 14 and 38 years old.

How many people named Arif are alive today?

An estimated 700 people named Arif are alive in the United States, based on 714 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Arif mean?

Aarif is an Arabic male given name that is common in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

How popular is the name Arif in 2025?

Arif ranked #7,717 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 10 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Arif?

714 babies have been named Arif in the United States since 1968, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Arif most popular?

Arif peaked in 2007, when 21 newborns received the name.

Is Arif a boy or girl name?

Arif is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Arif rising or falling?

Arif is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Arif?

Well-known people named Arif include Arif Alvi (politician), Arif Mardin (musician), Arif Erdem (soccer player).

Names like Arif

Names that sound and feel close to Arif: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Arif with similar names → More names starting with A →