Here are the 2021 hurricane names for both the Altantic Basin and the Eastern North-Pacific. Is your name or the name of a loved one listed this year? Find out. Plus, learn how hurricanes are named and see the interesting history behind naming storms.
Who Names Hurricanes?
Hurricane season begins on June 1 and ends on November 30 each year. The lists of hurricane names for each season are chosen by the World Meteorological Organization (not The Old Farmer’s Almanac). There are six lists of names for Atlantic and Pacific storms, which are cycled through every six years.
The lists have been maintained since 1953 (originally by the National Hurricane Center). For the 2021 hurricane season, the list of names from 2015 is being used again, so don’t be surprised if some sound familiar. Those that are not retired from the list this year will be used again in the 2027 season.
Note: The names of especially destructive hurricanes are usually retired and not used again. See a list of retired tropical storm and hurricane names here.
Hurricane Names for the 2021 Hurricane Season
The lists below include storms in both the Atlantic Basin (Gulf and East Coast hurricanes) and Eastern North-Pacific (Pacific Island and West Coast hurricanes).
Note: Tropical storms are given names as soon as they display a rotating circulation pattern and wind speeds of 39 miles per hour (63 kilometers per hour). A tropical storm develops into a hurricane when wind speeds reach 74 mph (119 kph).
The traditional names listed above are in alphabetical order as the storms occur. In other words, the first storm of the season will be given the first name on the list (starting with the letter A), the next will be given the name starting with B, and so on. An average year, based on 1981 to 2010 data, will result in 12 named storms, including six hurricanes and three major hurricanes.
Hurricane Names for the 2021 Hurricane Season |
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---|---|---|
Atlantic Tropical (and Subtropical) Storm Names for 2021 |
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Ana | Henri | Odette |
Bill | Ida | Peter |
Claudette | Julian | Rose |
Danny | Kate | Sam |
Elsa | Larry | Teresa |
Fred | Mindy | Victor |
Grace | Nicholas | Wanda |
Eastern North-Pacific Tropical (and Subtropical) Storm Names for 2021 |
||
Andres | Ignacio | Rick |
Blanca | Jimena | Sandra |
Carlos | Kevin | Terry |
Dolores | Linda | Vivian |
Enrique | Marty | Waldo |
Felicia | Nora | Xina |
Guillermo | Olaf | York |
Hilda | Pamela | Zelda |
What Happens If We Run Out of Names
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active Atlantic hurricane season on record! We ran through the entire alphabetical list of names! This has only happened one other time in history. So what happens? Time to go Greek!
If more storms occur in one season than there are names on the list, the newest storms are named after the Greek alphabet (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, etc.).
- The 2005 hurricane season (which brought deadly Katrina, Rita, and Wilma) was the only other time the Greek alphabet has been brought out, and there were six storms: Tropical Storm Alpha, Hurricane Beta, Tropical Storm Gamma, Tropical Storm Delta, Hurricane Epsilon and Tropical Storm Zeta.
- In 2020, the season was so active that we started using the Greek alphabet on September 18 with Subtropical Storm Alpha—the 22nd named storm of the season. By the end of the season, there were 30 named storms, including nine storms using the Greek alphabet. The last storm, Hurricane Iota, attaining Category 5 strength on the Saffir–Simpson scale.
The History of Naming Hurricanes
- Native Americans called these destructive storms hurakons, after “a great spirit who commanded the east wind.” Spanish explorers adopted the word and then began giving hurricanes the names of patron saints on whose feast days the storms occurred. Later, hurricanes were identified by their longitude and latitude.
- In 1950, a formal practice for storm naming was first developed by the U.S. National Hurricane Center. At that time, storms were named according to a phonetic alphabet (e.g., Able, Baker, Charlie) and the names used were the same for each hurricane season; in other words, the first hurricane of a season was always named “Able,” the second “Baker,” and so on.
- In 1953, to avoid the repetitive use of names, the system was revised so that storms would be given female names. This mimicked the habits of old naval meteorologists, who named the storms after their wife or girlfriend, much the way ships at sea were named after women. A weatherman in Australia is credited with being the first person to give a tropical storm a female name.
- In 1979, the system was revised again to include both female and male names.
Today, naming hurricanes is the responsibility of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which revises the lists each year. However, the WMO doesn’t only name hurricanes that occur off the shores of North America; they maintain lists for all areas affected by tropical cyclones. See hurricane names for other regions here.
Learn More About Hurricanes
For more information on hurricanes, see:
- How to Measure a Hurricane: The Saffir-Simpson Scale
- Current Hurricane Season Forecast & Updates
- How to Survive a Hurricane: Safety Tips
Also check out our series on some of the worst hurricanes to ever hit the US: The Worst Hurricanes in US History (Part I)
Reader Comments
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Hurricanes Names
1. Annaleez
2. Cristian
3. Richard
4. Julissa
Hurricane
Name one. CORA, meaning a gazale
Hurricane names
names:
Leslie
Sean
Mary
Maria
Constance
Brenda
Kizzy
May
Monica
Angelica
Erika
Jobita
Lester
Donald
James
Mariano
Russell
Phillip
Name Suggestions
Ann or Anne
Bentley
Carson
Desmond or Daphne
Edmond or Ed
Fran or Frances
Gerard
Hector
Ishmael
Jackson
Kelly or Kyle
London or Langston
Mimi or Morgan
Niall or Norman
Oliver
Porter or Pierre
Q just Q
Rose or Ramirez
Stan or Stanley
Tiger or Thelma
Ursala
Vivienne
Walden or Waldo
Xena
Yolanda or Yasmina
Zurg
2017 names
Shelley
name a hurricane
Felipe
Naming a hurricane
Plzzzz name a hurricane Brooklyn
hurricane names
I think the nest Hurricane name should be Hurricane Felicia
name a hurricane
I think a hurricane should be named summer or Jazlyn
Name the next hurricane
Name the next hurricane "Alexia"
Atlantic tropical storm names
1. Pricilla 2. Chelsea
Huricane name suggestions:
1:Brooklin
2: Breanna
Name Suggestions
Here are some names:
Brytta or Britta
Judy
Dale
Forrest
Terry
Gail
Cody
Irba
Ames
Winston
Chelsea
Spencer
Jessica
K name
Kazmira....
NOW WE TALKIN :D
HURRACANE London or Hillary Clinton I dont know pick one
Hurricane names
Hurricane Trump, or Donald, I'll take either one
Stacey is a good strong name
Stacey is a good strong name for a storm
Name a storm after my murder daughter in Florida "Latrice".
Please name a storm after my murder daughter of who will help protect Florida her name is Latrice A., but it will be cool to add her mother too Octavia. As kid I always wanted to see my name as history a storm. I am very calm. Thank you for reading. Be blessed!
The hurricane
Hurricane Isaiah,
Hurricane Chuckie
Hurricane
Todd
Junior
Milly
Jannet
Grenda
Hank
Tiny
Regory
Mika
Morris
Felicia
Big Red
storm
I would like it if a Storm was named after me before I die.
Isabel was in 2003
Isabel was in 2003
Hurricane suggest idea
Hurricane WILLOW
I think the next hurricane
I think the next hurricane should be called Hurricane Claudia!!
Suggested hurricane names
Sammi
Christopher
Laura
Sarita
John
Mary
Uma
Carson
Suggested Hurricane Name
Nina
name 4 hurrican
taylor
name
i think a good name would be kai
HURRICANE NAMES
Owly
Kiwi
Names
My cousin divorced his wife Catherina due to constant fights and problems. The final straw was when Katrina struck. My brother runaway because the lady lives by her name.
Why are the bad storms not named after people like Osama, Saddam etc
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