Keep watch! Find out where hurricane names originate

Throughout the years we've seen many hurricane names come and go, but have you ever wondered where they originate from and why they have names to begin with?

Well, there is much history and several different variables that go into naming these hurricanes.

Check out the breakdown of how these names came to be. 

Why do we name hurricanes?

Hurricanes are named for several reasons

For one, being able to use short, distinct names is much easier than using coordinates of longitude and latitude to distinguish hurricanes or just talking about them in general. 

It is also much easier to remember their names, so they don't get confused with another storm especially when they are in proximity. 

What is the history behind naming hurricanes, and how are these names picked?

According to the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration's website, for several hundred years, hurricanes in the West Indies were named after the Saint's day that a hurricane landed on. This finding is described in Ivan R. Tannehill's book "Hurricanes" which goes in-depth about hurricanes from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. Tannehill was a forecaster with the United States Weather Bureau. 

The book also explains that women's names were used to name these storms before the end of the 19th century. Men's names were introduced in 1973 and now alternate with women's names.

Nowadays, names are chosen by the international committee of the World Meteorologist Organization.

The list is in rotation every 6 years and is arranged in alphabetical order, consisting of 21 names. 

Below is a list of names that are in rotation for the next six years. 

Why are names retired?

Names are retired if the hurricane is so severe and damaging that it may be traumatic for people to see it again years later. 

In that case, the committee will replace that name with another one in their annual meeting. 

Below is a chart of retired names from 1954 to 2022: