A list of names for Atlantic tropical storms was originated in 1953 by the National Hurricane Center although the World Meteorological Organization now maintains and updates the list. It was decided that using names was more efficient and clearer than using latitude-longitude identification methods.  The original list contained only "women's" names.  In 1979, the lists where amended to include "men's" names.  The names are French, Spanish, or English origin.

For Atlantic hurricanes, there is one list of names for each of six years. At the end of six years, the six year sequence begins again with the first year.  Therefore, many hurricane names are repeated. 

As storms occur each year, they are named in alphabetical order, starting with "A".  The names alternate between male and female.

The WMO has the option of retiring hurricane names.  The committee has chosen to do so with names of particularly deadly, costly, or destructive hurricanes.  When this is the case, another name takes the retired name's place.

The Atlantic is not the only region with tropical cyclone names.  There are actually 10 regions with names in different languages. 

Click on the blue links below for more information about names.

 Retired Names that will not be used again for at least 10 years.

	2004 Hurricane Names
	2005 Hurricane Names
	2006 Hurricane Names
	2007 Hurricane Names
	2008 Hurricane Names
	2009 Hurricane Names

(Information on this page thanks in part to NWS) 

for more information about names in other parts of the world go to: (http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutnames.shtml)

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