How are storms named?

Have you ever wondered why and how storms are named? It may feel like a random process, but storm names follow a strict international system. Naming storms has been found to increase awareness and encourage people to prepare if needed. It's also easier for news reporters to use a single name rather than a longer, less memorable name composed of scientific terms. The naming process depends on the type of storm and its location. Atlantic Tropical Storms and Hurricanes Tropical storm and hurricane names are maintained by the World Meteorological Organisation , which uses six alphabetical lists that rotate every six years. The first storm of the year starts with an A , the second wth a B and so on through the year. Names alternate between male and female and have done so since 1979. Q, U, X, Y, and Z are usually missed out because there aren't enough names starting with those letters. Names of particularly severe storms are retired to avoid confusion in subsequent years and as a sign of respect. The Atlantic list of storm names for 2025 has been released and includes Dexter, Jerry and Melissa. UK Winter Storms Storms in the UK are named only when they are expected to have a medium to high impact, typically associated with an Amber or Red Weather Warning. Names are usually chosen from a shortlist suggested by the public. The storm names for 2025 include Amy, Bram and Hannah! What happens if there are more than 21 storms? If there are more than 21 named storms, the names go back to A and start over. Learn more about weather and storms Try one of my wonderful wind science activities to learn about wind direction, speed and how to harness wind for energy. Discover how the scale of a storm is measured using the Beaufort Scale . Find out how tornadoes form with a tornado in a jar demonstration . Take a look at my other weather science experiments for kids . Last Updated on January 8, 2026 by Emma Vanstone

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