The use of short, distinctive names is quicker and less subject to error than latitude-longitude identification or other naming conventions. This is especially important in exchanging detailed storm information between hundreds of widely scattered stations, coastal bases, and ships at sea. The use of easily remembered names greatly reduces confusion when two or more tropical storms occur at the same time. For example, one hurricane can be moving slowly westward in the Gulf of Mexico, while at exactly the same time another hurricane can be moving rapidly northward along the Atlantic coast. In the past, confusion and false rumors have arisen when storm advisories broadcast from radio stations were mistaken for warnings concerning an entirely different storm located hundreds of miles away.
History of Hurricane Names
For several hundred years many hurricanes in the West Indies were named after the particular saint’s day on which the hurricane occurred. Ivan R. Tannehill describes in his book “Hurricanes” the major tropical storms of recorded history and mentions many hurricanes named after saints. For example, there was “Hurricane Santa Ana” which struck Puerto Rico with exceptional violence on July 26, 1825, and “San Felipe” (the first) and “San Felipe” (the second) which hit Puerto Rico on September 13 in 1876 and 1928. Tannehill also tells of Clement Wragge, an Australian meteorologist who began giving women’s names to tropical storms before the end of the 19th century. An early example of the use of a woman’s name (Maria) for a storm was in the novel “Storm” by George R. Stewart, published by Random House in 1941, and since filmed by Walt Disney. During World War II this practice became widespread in weather map discussions among forecasters, especially Army and Navy meteorologists who plotted the movements of storms over the wide expanses of the Pacific Ocean.
In 1953, the United States abandoned a confusing two-year old plan to name storms by a phonetic alphabet (Able, Baker, Charlie) when a new, international phonetic alphabet was introduced. That year, the United States began using female names for storms. The practice of naming hurricanes solely after women came to an end in 1978 when men’s and women’s names were included in the Eastern North Pacific storm lists. In 1979, male and female names were included in lists for the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.
Atlantic Hurricane Names 2014
Arthur
Bertha
Cristobal
Dolly
Edouard
Fay
Gonzalo
Hanna
Isaias
Josephine
Kyle
Laura
Marco
Nana
Omar
Paulette
Rene
Sally
Teddy
Vicky
Wilfred
Eastern North Pacific Typhoon Names 2014
Amanda
Boris
Cristina
Douglas
Elida
Fausto
Genevieve
Hernan
Iselle
Julio
Karina
Lowell
Marie
Norbert
Odile
Polo
Rachel
Simon
Trudy
Vance
Winnie
Xavier
Yolanda
Zeke
Alphabetical List of Retired Atlantic Hurricane Names
If a hurricane inflicts significant damage, a country affected by the storm can request that the name of the hurricane be “retired” by the WMO. A retired name can’t be reissued to a tropical storm for at least 10 years. This helps to avoid public confusion and to simplify both historical and legal record keeping.
Hurricane Agnes, 1972
Hurricane Alicia, 1983
Hurricane Allen, 1980
Hurricane Allison, 2001
Hurricane Andrew, 1992
Hurricane Anita, 1977
Hurricane Audrey, 1957
Hurricane Betsy, 1965
Hurricane Beulah, 1967
Hurricane Bob, 1991
Hurricane Camille, 1969
Hurricane Carla, 1961
Hurricane Carmen, 1974
Hurricane Carol, 1954
Hurricane Celia, 1970
Hurricane Cesar, 1996
Hurricane Charley, 2004
Hurricane Cleo, 1964
Hurricane Connie, 1955
Hurricane David, 1979
Hurricane Dean, 2007
Hurricane Dennis, 2005
Hurricane Diana, 1990
Hurricane Diane, 1955
Hurricane Donna, 1960
Hurricane Dora, 1964
Hurricane Edna, 1968
Hurricane Elena, 1985
Hurricane Eloise, 1975
Hurricane Fabian, 2003
Hurricane Felix, 2007
Hurricane Fifi, 1974
Hurricane Flora, 1963
Hurricane Floyd, 1999
Hurricane Fran, 1996
Hurricane Frances, 2004
Hurricane Frederic, 1979
Hurricane Georges, 1998
Hurricane Gilbert, 1988
Hurricane Gloria, 1985
Hurricane Gustav, 2008
Hurricane Hattie, 1961
Hurricane Hazel, 1954
Hurricane Hilda, 1964
Hurricane Hortense, 1996
Hurricane Hugo, 1989
Hurricane Igor, 2010
Hurricane Ike, 2008
Hurricane Inez, 1966
Hurricane Ione, 1955
Hurricane Irene, 2011
Hurricane Iris, 2001
Hurricane Isabel, 2003
Hurricane Isidore, 2002
Hurricane Ivan, 2004
Hurricane Janet, 1955
Hurricane Jeanne, 2004
Hurricane Joan, 1988
Hurricane Juan, 2003
Hurricane Katrina, 2005
Hurricane Keith, 2000
Hurricane Klaus, 1990
Hurricane Lenny, 1999
Hurricane Lili, 2002
Hurricane Luis, 1995
Hurricane Marilyn, 1995
Hurricane Michelle, 2001
Hurricane Mitch, 1998
Hurricane Noel, 2007
Hurricane Opal, 1995
Hurricane Paloma, 2008
Hurricane Rita, 2005
Hurricane Roxanne, 1995
Hurricane Sandy, 2012
Hurricane Stan, 2005
Hurricane Tomas, 2010
Hurricane Wilma, 2005
Alphabetical List of Retired Pacific Typhoon Names
Typhoon Adele, 1970
Typhoon Adolph, 2001
Typhoon Alma, 2008
Typhoon Bilis, 2006
Typhoon Bopha, 2012
Typhoon Chanchu, 2006
Typhoon Chataan, 2002
Typhoon Durian, 2006
Typhoon Fanapi, 2010
Typhoon Hazel, 1965
Typhoon Imbudo, 2003
Typhoon Ismael, 1995
Typhoon Israel, 2001
Typhoon Iva, 1988
Typhoon Kenna, 2002
Typhoon Ketsana, 2009
Typhoon Knut, 1988
Typhoon Longwang, 2005
Typhoon Maemi, 2003
Typhoon Matsa, 2005
Typhoon Morakot, 2009
Typhoon Nabi, 2005
Typhoon Parma, 2009
Typhoon Pauline, 1997
Typhoon Pongsona, 2002
Typhoon Rananim, 2004
Typhoon Rusa, 2002
Typhoon Saomai, 2006
Typhoon Sudal, 2004
Typhoon Vamei, 2001
Typhoon Washi, 2011
Typhoon Xangsane, 2006