Tropical Cyclone Names

Added: 2026-06-02

[00:00:00]Believe it or not, hurricanes didn't always have names. For hundreds of years, storms in the West Indies were named after the saints day on which they hit, or just by their coordinates or the year. So, how did we go from the 1935 Labor Day hurricane to more familiar names like Hurricane Melissa? In 1953, the United States began using official name lists, originally only with female names. But by the late 1970s, male names were added. Today, those lists are managed by the World Meteorological Organization.

[00:00:33]So, why name them? It's simple, because names help people pay attention and are especially helpful when there's multiple storms happening at once. Names must be short, easy to pronounce, and are designed to be clear and respectful.

[00:00:46]Here's how it works. For the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific, each season uses a list recycled every six years. The first storm name will begin with an A, then a B, and so on. If we run out of names, like in 2005 and 2020, there's a backup list ready. For the Central Pacific, a list of Hawaiian names is used. Each season starts where the previous season left off. And if a storm is especially deadly, like Sandy, Katrina, or Inki, the name gets retired forever. Want to see this year's list? Head to hurricanes.gov and stay informed this season.