How Hurricanes Get Their Names (and When Names Are Retired)
Atlantic and East Pacific storms are named from six rotating alphabetical lists maintained by the World Meteorological Organization — the 2026 list will be reused in 2032. Names alternate male and female, and a storm is named when it reaches tropical-storm strength (39 mph sustained winds).
Why names at all?
Short, distinctive names cut through confusion when multiple storms are active — compare "Hurricane Elida" to "the low near 14°N 110°W." The US began using names systematically in 1953 (female names only until 1979, when the modern alternating system began).
Retirement
When a storm is so deadly or costly that reusing its name would be insensitive, WMO members vote to retire it permanently — Katrina, Sandy, Harvey, Irma, Maria, Ian, and Milton are all retired. A replacement name with the same letter joins the list.
Quirks worth knowing
- The letters Q, U, X, Y, Z are skipped in the Atlantic (too few usable names).
- If a season exhausts its 21-name list, storms take names from a supplemental list — the Greek alphabet was used in 2005 and 2020 but was itself retired as a scheme in 2021.
- Atlantic and East Pacific basins keep separate lists, so a name can theoretically be active in both at once.
Every named storm since 2015 — and what its name is now attached to — is browsable in our season archive.
FAQ
When does a storm get its name?
When it reaches tropical-storm strength — sustained winds of 39 mph (34 kt). Before that it's a numbered tropical depression.
Why do some hurricane names never get reused?
Names of especially deadly or costly storms are permanently retired by the World Meteorological Organization — like Katrina, Harvey, Maria, Ian, and Milton — and replaced with new names starting with the same letter.
What happens if the name list runs out?
The season moves to a WMO supplemental name list. The Greek alphabet served that role in 2005 and 2020, but was dropped in 2021 in favor of a standing supplemental list.