Tropical cyclones are named for historical reasons and so as to avoid confusion when communicating with the public, as more than one tropical cyclone can exist at a time. Names are drawn in order from predetermined lists. They are usually assigned to tropical cyclones with one-, three-, or ten-minute windspeeds of at least 65 km/h (40 mph). However, standards vary from basin to basin, with some tropical depressions named in the western Pacific whilst tropical cyclones have to have gale-force winds occurring more than halfway around the center within the Australian and southern Pacific regions.
The official practice of naming tropical cyclones started in 1945 within the western Pacific. Naming continued through the next few years, and in 1950, names also started to be assigned to tropical storms forming in the northern Atlantic Ocean. In the Atlantic, names were originally taken from the World War II version of the phonetic alphabet, but this was changed in 1953 to use lists of women's names which were created yearly. Around this time naming of tropical cyclones also began within the southern and central parts of the Pacific. However naming did not begin in the eastern Pacific until 1969, with the original naming lists designed to be used year after year in sequence. In 1960, naming also began in the southwestern Indian Ocean, and in 1963 the Philippine Meteorological Service started assigning names to tropical cyclones that moved into or formed in their area of responsibility. Later in 1963, warning centers within the Australian region also commenced naming tropical cyclones. In 2004, the India Meteorological Department began naming cyclones that formed in the northern Indian Ocean, and in 2011, the Brazilian Navy Hydrographic Center started using a naming list to name tropical cyclones over the southern Atlantic Ocean.
North Atlantic By 1950, tropical cyclones that were judged by the US Weather Bureau to have intensified into a tropical storm started to be assigned names. Storms were originally named in alphabetical order using the World War II version of the Phonetic Alphabet. By 1952 a new phonetic alphabet had been developed and this led to confusion as some parties wanted to use the newer phonetic alphabet. In 1953, to alleviate any confusion, forecasters decided to use a set of 23 feminine names. After the 1953 Atlantic hurricane season, public reception to the idea seemed favorable, so the same list was adopted for the next year with one change: Gilda for Gail. However, after storms like Carol and Hazel got a lot of publicity during the 1954 season, forecasters agreed to develop a new set of names for 1955. However, before this could happen, a tropical storm was declared significant on January 2, 1955, and was named as Alice. The new set of names were developed and used in 1955 beginning with Brenda continuing through the alphabet to Zelda. For each season before 1960, a new set of names was developed. In 1960 forecasters decided to begin rotating names in a regular sequence and thus four alphabetical lists were established to be repeated every four years. The sets followed the example of the western Pacific typhoon naming lists and excluded names beginning with the letters Q, U, X, Y and Z. These four lists were used until 1972 when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) replaced them with 9 lists designed to be used from 1972. Also in 1972, subtropical cyclones began receiving names from a separate naming list using the NATO phonetic alphabet. The policy at that time indicated that if a subtropical storm transitioned into a fully tropical system it would receive a second name from the main list, as seen with Hurricane Fran in 1973, which was initially referred to as Subtropical Storm Bravo. This practice was later discontinued after the 1973 season, with subtropical storms receiving numbers rather than names. In 1977, NOAA made the decision to relinquish control over the name selection by allowing a regional committee of the World Meteorological Organization to select the new sets of names, which would contain male names and some Spanish and French names, in order to reflect all the cultures and languages within the Atlantic Ocean. The World Meteorological Organization decided that the new lists of hurricane name would start to be used in 1979. Since 1979 the same lists have been used, but with names of significant tropical cyclones removed from the lists and replaced with new names. In 2002, subtropical cyclones started to be assigned names from the main list of names set up for that year. In 2005 and 2020, as all the names pre-selected for the season were exhausted, the contingency plan of using letters from the Greek alphabet as names had to be used. The original WMO policy of naming storms with Greek letters stated that if a storm was destructive enough to warrant retirement of the name, the Greek letter would be used again, but the name, with the year after it, would be included in the list of retired names; for example, "Alpha (2005)" would be listed under retired names, but Alpha could still be used again in later seasons. However, following the devastation wrought by hurricanes Eta and Iota in 2020, the former policy was rejected, and it was decided that Eta and Iota would be permanently retired, and that the Greek alphabet would be discontinued and replaced with an auxiliary name list, which has not yet been used.
Names used between 1950 and 1964 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 Able Able Able Alice Alice Alice Anna Audrey Alma Arlene Abby Anna Alma Arlene Abby Baker Baker Baker Barbara Barbara Brenda Betsy Bertha Becky Beulah Brenda Betsy Becky Beulah Brenda Charlie Charlie Charlie Carol Carol Connie Carla Carrie Cleo Cindy Cleo Carla Celia Cindy Cleo Dog Dog Dog Dolly Dolly Diane Dora Debbie Daisy Debra Donna Debbie Daisy Debra Dora Easy Easy Easy Edna Edna Edith Ethel Esther Ella Edith Ethel Esther Ella Edith Ethel Fox Fox Fox Florence Florence Flora Flossy Frieda Fifi Flora Florence Frances Flora Florence George George Gail Gilda Gladys Greta Gerda Gracie Gerda Ginny Gladys How How Hazel Hazel Hilda Helene Hannah Hattie Helena Hilda Item Item Irene Ione Ilsa Irene Inga Isbell Jig Jig Janet Janice Judith Jenny King Katie Love Mike References:
Names used between 1965 and 1979 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 Anna Alma Arlene Abby Anna Alma Arlene Alpha Alice Alma Amy Anna Anita Amelia Ana Betsy Becky Beulah Brenda Blanche Becky Beth Agnes Alfa Becky Blanche Belle Babe Bess Bob Carol Celia Chloe Candy Camille Celia Chloe Betty(Bravo) Brenda Carmen Caroline Candice Clara Cora Claudette Debbie Dorothy Doria Dolly Debbie Dorothy Doria Carrie Christine Dolly Doris Dottie Dorothy Debra David Elena Ella Edith Edna Eve Ella Edith Dawn Delia Elaine Eloise Emmy Evelyn Ella Elena Faith Fern Frances Francelia Felice Fern Charlie Ellen Fifi Faye Frances Frieda Flossie Frederic Greta Ginger Gladys Gerda Greta Ginger Delta Fran(Bravo) Gertrude Gladys Gloria Greta Gloria Hallie Heidi Holly Heidi Gilda Hallie Holly Hope Henri Inez Inga Irene Irma Judith Jenny Janice Juliet Kendra Kara Kristy Kendra Lois Laurie Laura Martha References:
Names used between 1980 and 1994 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 Allen Arlene Alberto Alicia Arthur Ana Andrew Arlene Alberto Allison Arthur Ana Andrew Arlene Alberto Bonnie Bret Beryl Barry Bertha Bob Bonnie Bret Beryl Barry Bertha Bob Bonnie Bret Beryl Charley Cindy Chris Chantal Cesar Claudette Charley Cindy Chris Chantal Cesar Claudette Charley Cindy Chris Danielle Dennis Debby Dean Diana Danny Danielle Dennis Debby Dean Diana Danny Danielle Dennis Debby Earl Emily Ernesto Edouard Elena Earl Emily Ernesto Erin Edouard Erika Earl Emily Ernesto Frances Floyd Fran Fabian Frances Floyd Florence Felix Fran Fabian Frances Floyd Florence Georges Gert Gustav Gloria Gilbert Gabrielle Gustav Grace Gert Gordon Hermine Harvey Hortense Henri Helene Hugo Hortense Harvey Ivan Irene Isidore Isabel Isaac Iris Isidore Jeanne Jose Josephine Juan Joan Jerry Josephine Karl Katrina Klaus Kate Keith Karen Klaus Lili Lili Marco Nana References: Alt URL
Names used between 1995 and 2008 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Allison Arthur Ana Alex Arlene Alberto Allison Arthur Ana Alex Arlene Alpha Alberto Andrea Arthur Barry Bertha Bill Bonnie Bret Beryl Barry Bertha Bill Bonnie Bret Beta Beryl Barry Bertha Chantal Cesar Claudette Charley Cindy Chris Chantal Cristobal Claudette Charley Cindy Gamma Chris Chantal Cristobal Dean Dolly Danny Danielle Dennis Debby Dean Dolly Danny Danielle Dennis Delta Debby Dean Dolly Erin Edouard Erika Earl Emily Ernesto Erin Edouard Erika Earl Emily Epsilon Ernesto Erin Edouard Felix Fran Fabian Frances Floyd Florence Felix Fay Fabian Frances Franklin Zeta Florence Felix Fay Gabrielle Gustav Grace Georges Gert Gordon Gabrielle Gustav Grace Gaston Gert Gordon Gabrielle Gustav Humberto Hortense Hermine Harvey Helene Humberto Hanna Henri Hermine Harvey Helene Humberto Hanna Iris Isidore Ivan Irene Isaac Iris Isidore Isabel Ivan Irene Isaac Ingrid Ike Jerry Josephine Jeanne Jose Joyce Jerry Josephine Juan Jeanne Jose Jerry Josephine Karen Kyle Karl Katrina Keith Karen Kyle Kate Karl Katrina Karen Kyle Luis Lili Lisa Lenny Leslie Lorenzo Lili Larry Lisa Lee Lorenzo Laura Marilyn Marco Mitch Michael Michelle Mindy Matthew Maria Melissa Marco Noel Nicole Nadine Noel Nicholas Nicole Nate Noel Nana Opal Olga Odette Otto Ophelia Olga Omar Pablo Peter Philippe Paloma Roxanne Rita Sebastien Stan Tanya Tammy Vince Wilma References:
Names used between 2009 and 2022 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Ana Alex Arlene Alberto Andrea Arthur Ana Alex Arlene Alberto Andrea Arthur Alpha Ana Alex Bill Bonnie Bret Beryl Barry Bertha Bill Bonnie Bret Beryl Barry Bertha Beta Bill Bonnie Claudette Colin Cindy Chris Chantal Cristobal Claudette Colin Cindy Chris Chantal Cristobal Gamma Claudette Colin Danny Danielle Don Debby Dorian Dolly Danny Danielle Don Debby Dorian Dolly Delta Danny Danielle Erika Earl Emily Ernesto Erin Edouard Erika Earl Emily Ernesto Erin Edouard Epsilon Elsa Earl Fred Fiona Franklin Florence Fernand Fay Fred Fiona Franklin Florence Fernand Fay Zeta Fred Fiona Grace Gaston Gert Gordon Gabrielle Gonzalo Grace Gaston Gert Gordon Gabrielle Gonzalo Eta Grace Gaston Henri Hermine Harvey Helene Humberto Hanna Henri Hermine Harvey Helene Humberto Hanna Theta Henri Hermine Ida Igor Irene Isaac Ingrid Ida Ian Irma Isaac Imelda Isaias Iota Ida Ian Julia Jose Joyce Jerry Joaquin Julia Jose Joyce Jerry Josephine Julian Julia Karl Katia Kirk Karen Kate Karl Katia Kirk Karen Kyle Kate Karl Lisa Lee Leslie Lorenzo Lisa Lee Leslie Lorenzo Laura Larry Lisa Matthew Maria Michael Melissa Matthew Maria Michael Melissa Marco Mindy Martin Nicole Nate Nadine Nicole Nate Nadine Nestor Nana Nicholas Nicole Otto Ophelia Oscar Otto Ophelia Oscar Olga Omar Odette Paula Philippe Patty Philippe Pablo Paulette Peter Richard Rina Rafael Rina Rebekah Rene Rose Shary Sean Sandy Sebastien Sally Sam Tomas Tony Teddy Teresa Vicky Victor Wilfred Wanda References:
Names used between 2023 and 2026 2023 2024 2025 2026 Arlene Alberto Andrea Arthur Bret Beryl Barry Bertha Cindy Chris Chantal Cristobal Don Debby Dexter Dolly Emily Ernesto Erin Edouard Franklin Francine Fernand Fay Gert Gordon Gabrielle Gonzalo Harold Helene Humberto Hanna Idalia Isaac Imelda Jose Joyce Jerry Katia Kirk Karen Lee Leslie Lorenzo Margot Milton Melissa Nigel Nadine Ophelia Oscar Philippe Patty Rina Rafael Sean Sara Tammy References:
Eastern North Pacific