In all the world, العارف (العارف 
, Al-Aref 
) is quite a rare male first name. The first name العارف is habitual in Libya, where it is quite a rare boy's name, Egypt, where it is quite a rare primarily masculine, but very infrequently feminine name, and Kuwait, where it is a rare male name. Not in comparison with a country's population, the name is most common in Northern Africa, particularly Egypt, Libya, and Sudan. More frequently, العارف is the last name as well as the forename.
| VARIANT | COUNTRY |
|---|---|
| العارف | Iraq, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Saudi Arabia |
| Al-Aref | United States, Germany, Jordan |