Who Are Hurricanes Named After?

Hurricanes, those powerful and destructive storms that batter coastal communities, have been a part of human history for centuries. While these natural disasters have captured the imagination and fear of many, have you ever stopped to think about why they are named after people? In this article, we’ll delve into the fascinating history behind hurricane naming and the men and women who inspire these stormy monikers.

The History of Hurricane Naming

In the early days of hurricane tracking, storms were typically named after the location where they made landfall or the associated storms that had occurred in the past. For instance, Hurricane Hazel in 1954 was named after the Maryland town it had devastatingly hit. However, as the number of storms increased, and the need for more distinctive and memorable names grew, the practice of naming hurricanes after people began to take shape.

In the 1950s, the United States Weather Bureau (now known as the National Hurricane Center) started using a list of female given names for identifying storms in the Atlantic Ocean. The list was developed in consultation with the United States Women’s Meteorological Society, who provided the names. The first named storm, Hurricane Connie, targeted the East Coast in 1955. This marked the beginning of a system that has evolved over the years to include both male and female names, as well as a list of alternate names for each year.

The Men and Women Behind the Names

As of 2020, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) maintains a list of 21 names for each alphabetical letter of the English alphabet, with a total of 91 names being used rotationally every six years. The names are selected from a pool of submissions from countries around the world and must meet specific criteria, such as being easy to pronounce and remember.

Many of the names on the list are chosen to honor notable individuals, often with ties to meteorology, geography, or maritime history. For example, Hurricane Laura (2020) was named after the 18th-century French astronomer and mathematician Pierre-Simon Laplace. Hurricane Irma (2017) was named after the name of a woman in the Galapagos Islands, while Hurricane Maria (2017) was named after the biblical figure.

Interesting Facts and Trends

As mentioned earlier, the list of names is rotated every six years, with five lists of names used consecutively. This means that names that have been retired or discontinued are replaced by new ones, ensuring that the names do not become old news or have negative connotations associated with previous traumatic events.

Another fascinating trend is the increasing presence of male names on the list. Until the 1990s, the majority of names used for hurricanes were female. However, since then, the ratio of male to female names has been roughly even.

Finally, did you know that the WMO also maintains a list of historical hurricane names, which includes notable storms such as the 1938 Hurricane that devastated Long Island, New York, and the 1992 Hurricane Iniki that destroyed the island of Kauai, Hawaii?

Conclusion

The practice of naming hurricanes after people is a unique and fascinating aspect of meteorology that provides a personal touch to these powerful storms. By understanding the history and significance behind the names, we can better appreciate the storms that shape our world and remember the individuals who inspire them.