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Help[Opinions] 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Names
Hurricane season begins June 1st. Here are the names of the hurricanes that will be used as needed.
Andrea
Barry
Chantal
Dexter
Erin
Fernand
Gabrielle
Humberto
Imelda
Jerry
Karen
Lorenzo
Melissa
Nestor
Olga
Pablo
Rebekah
Sebastien
Tanya
Van
Wendy
Some names on the list for 2024 have been retired and the replacements will be used in 2030.
Beryl replaced by Brianna
Helene replaced by Holly
Milton replaced by Miguel
Andrea
Barry
Chantal
Dexter
Erin
Fernand
Gabrielle
Humberto
Imelda
Jerry
Karen
Lorenzo
Melissa
Nestor
Olga
Pablo
Rebekah
Sebastien
Tanya
Van
Wendy
Some names on the list for 2024 have been retired and the replacements will be used in 2030.
Beryl replaced by Brianna
Helene replaced by Holly
Milton replaced by Miguel
This message was edited 5/30/2025, 4:19 PM
Replies
Love: Dexter
Like: Imelda
Neutral: Rebekah, Sebastien, Wendy
Like: Imelda
Neutral: Rebekah, Sebastien, Wendy
Hurricane names are chosen with the specific parameter that they be memorable and snappy, and common enough to be encountered but not so common that they render popular names unusable. (It's been awhile, but I went through a phase probably twenty years ago, right around the time of Katrina, where I was curious as to how these names were chosen. At the time I knew a number of people named Katrina and that storm seemed like a death knell for that name because of that association.)
To this end there are a few here that strike me as a bit common for those parameters - Erin, Karen, Melissa, Rebekah - but perhaps those have become dated enough that they are deemed useable.
To this end there are a few here that strike me as a bit common for those parameters - Erin, Karen, Melissa, Rebekah - but perhaps those have become dated enough that they are deemed useable.
Where did you get the above information? I have never seen the idea that the meteorologists who choose the list of hurricane names are at all concerned with finding names that are "common enough to be encountered but not so common that they render popular names unusable." Why on earth would they be concerned with whether or not they "render common names unusable"? They are not name aficionados and normally wouldn't be thinking at all about what impact hurricane names might have on what people name babies, positively or negativiely.
At least half of the names on the present lists are names which were chosen back in 1979 when male names were added, and six lists were created. At that time they also made sure to include names they thought of as being "French" or "Spanish" to make sure some were included that fit in with Spanish and French speaking countries who might be impacted by Atlantic storms.
Many of the "English" names which were included in the original six lists were very common at the time. The 1979 list included Bob, David, Kate, Larry, Peter, Rose, and Sam. The 1980 list included Charley, Lisa, and Richard. The 1981 list had Cindy, Dennis, Maria, and Tammy. All of these would have probably been thought "common" by the mostly middle aged American men who would have come up with them in 1979.
The lists are now maintained by a committee of the World Meteorological Organization. If a storm causes a memorable disaster, any country it affected can ask that the name be replaced. As I understand it, when they send in a request they include three suggested replacement names, and the committee has almost always chosen the first name on these lists as the replacement.
At least half of the names on the present lists are names which were chosen back in 1979 when male names were added, and six lists were created. At that time they also made sure to include names they thought of as being "French" or "Spanish" to make sure some were included that fit in with Spanish and French speaking countries who might be impacted by Atlantic storms.
Many of the "English" names which were included in the original six lists were very common at the time. The 1979 list included Bob, David, Kate, Larry, Peter, Rose, and Sam. The 1980 list included Charley, Lisa, and Richard. The 1981 list had Cindy, Dennis, Maria, and Tammy. All of these would have probably been thought "common" by the mostly middle aged American men who would have come up with them in 1979.
The lists are now maintained by a committee of the World Meteorological Organization. If a storm causes a memorable disaster, any country it affected can ask that the name be replaced. As I understand it, when they send in a request they include three suggested replacement names, and the committee has almost always chosen the first name on these lists as the replacement.
I thought I read it a long time ago in a children's almanac of some sort that I couldn't pick out, that that was at least initial impetus. You're clearly the expert here, I stand corrected.
This message was edited 6/2/2025, 11:25 AM
Love: Lorenzo, Nestor, Olga.
Like: Andrea, Chantal, Dexter, Erin, Fernand, Gabrielle, Humberto, Imelda, Karen, Melissa, Pablo, Rebekah, Sébastien, Tanya, Van, Wendy, Beryl, Helene, Milton, Brianna, Holly, Miguel.
Neutral: Barry.
Dislike: Jerry.
Hate: none
Like: Andrea, Chantal, Dexter, Erin, Fernand, Gabrielle, Humberto, Imelda, Karen, Melissa, Pablo, Rebekah, Sébastien, Tanya, Van, Wendy, Beryl, Helene, Milton, Brianna, Holly, Miguel.
Neutral: Barry.
Dislike: Jerry.
Hate: none
I'm always curious to see which names are going to be used for hurricanes, so thanks for the list!
I have a cousin named Andrea and also had a uncle named Barry. Other hurricanes I can remember that also shared names with family members were Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Dorian. (I forget the years they touched down. I know they had to have been only a few years)
I like Gabrielle, Lorenzo & Sebastien. Brianna & Holly as well.
I have a cousin named Andrea and also had a uncle named Barry. Other hurricanes I can remember that also shared names with family members were Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Dorian. (I forget the years they touched down. I know they had to have been only a few years)
I like Gabrielle, Lorenzo & Sebastien. Brianna & Holly as well.
Imelda should have been retired, I'm not sure why they didn't. However I like the name. Karen will definitely attract many memes when it forms. Lorenzo, Humberto, and Nestor sound the most fierce.
Why retire Imelda?
This message was edited 6/2/2025, 5:11 AM
Actually there was a fair amount of discussion over this. Hurricane names are retired when they become tied to specific, costly, and deadly storms. Tropical Storm Imelda on 2019 caused a tremendous amount of flooding and killed six people, but because the hurricane season has become increasingly intense due to climate change, apparently that wasn't enough to retire the name.
It's the second costliest storm name not to be retired, following Sally in 2020. (Sally was also not retired.)
It's the second costliest storm name not to be retired, following Sally in 2020. (Sally was also not retired.)
Thank you for the information. I noticed that Hurricane Helene, which flooded my home state of North Carolina and other states last October, has been retired.
That was devastating! I haven't been back to the Asheville area since the storm. Has it been rebuilt any? I hope all is well in your region.
I live south of Asheville in South Carolina. I haven't been since the storm. I have been up around Boone area, and anywhere along a river is coveted with sand. And trees are down everywhere. I've heard several long standing restaurants in Asheville, such as Vivian and Laughing seed, closed permanently because of the storm.