History of Atlantic Hurricane Names: ___________________________________________________________________ Basically, this lists every tropical storm/hurricane name that has been used in the Atlantic basin since formal storm naming began in 1950, and lists all years in which that name was used as a storm identifier. Atlantic tropical cyclones were named with the old World War II phonetic alphabet during the years 1950-1952. Women's names were first used in 1953, and the same list (with one change) was used in 1954. However, after the major East Coast storms of that year, forecasters decided to use new names each year for awhile. Then beginning in 1960, four semi-permanent sets were established, to be re-cycled after four years. This list was expanded to ten sets in 1971, but before making it through the list even once, these sets were replaced by the now familiar sets of mens' and womens' names. In the Atlantic, male names were first used in 1979, and the sets are repeated every six years. Names of destructive and/or significant hurricanes are often "retired" from the cyclic list, and replaced by names of the same gender and alphabetical rank. Names followed by an "(R)" are those which (to the best of my knowledge) have been retired. The name used the most (at least with the same spelling) is ARLENE (seven times), while FRANCES and FLORENCE have been used six times each. However, considering variant spellings of the same name, DEBBIE/DEBBY has been used seven times, and ANNA/ANA has been used eight times. The first name to be called into use five times was EDITH, but that name hasn't been used since 1971. After the 1996 season, LILI has the distinction of being the first "L" name to be used three times, while MARCO is the first "M" name to be used more than once. THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF ATLANTIC TROPICAL CYCLONE NAMES ************************************************** Name Years Used ------- ______________________________________________ Abby 1960, 1964, 1968 Able 1950, 1951, 1952 Agnes (R) 1972 Alberto 1982, 1988, 1994 Alice 1953, 1954, 1955++, 1973 Alicia (R) 1983 Allen (R) 1980 Allison 1989, 1995 Alma 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974 Amelia 1978 Amy 1975 Ana 1979, 1985, 1991, 1997 Andrew (R) 1986, 1992 Anita (R) 1977 Anna 1956, 1961, 1965, 1969, 1976 Arlene 1959, 1963, 1967, 1971, 1981, 1987, 1993 Arthur 1984, 1990, 1996 Audrey (R) 1957 Babe 1977 Baker 1950, 1951, 1952 Barbara 1953, 1954 Barry 1983, 1989, 1995 Becky 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974 Belle 1976 Bertha 1957, 1984, 1990, 1996 Beryl 1982, 1988, 1994 Bess 1978 Beth 1971 Betsy (R) 1956, 1961, 1965 Betty 1972 Beulah (R) 1959, 1963, 1967 Bill 1997 Blanche 1969, 1975 Bob (R) 1979, 1985, 1991 Bonnie 1980, 1986, 1992 Brenda 1955, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1973 Bret 1981, 1987, 1993 Camille (R) 1969 Candice 1976 Candy 1968 Carla (R) 1956, 1961 Carmen (R) 1974 Carol (R) 1953, 1954, 1965 Caroline 1975 Carrie 1957, 1972 Celia (R) 1962, 1966, 1970 Cesar (R) 1984, 1990, 1996 Chantal 1983, 1989, 1995 Charley 1980, 1986, 1992 Charlie 1950, 1951, 1952 Chloe 1967, 1971 Chris 1982, 1988, 1994 Christine 1973 Cindy 1959, 1963, 1981, 1987, 1993 Clara 1977 Cleo (R) 1958, 1960, 1964 Claudette 1979, 1985, 1991, 1997 Connie (R) 1955 Cora 1978 Daisy 1958, 1962 Danielle 1980, 1986, 1992 Danny 1985, 1991, 1997 David (R) 1979 Dawn 1972 Dean 1983, 1989, 1995 Debbie 1957, 1961, 1965, 1969 Debby 1982, 1988, 1994 Debra 1959, 1963, 1978 Delia 1973 Dennis 1981, 1987, 1993 Diana (R) 1984, 1990 Diane (R) 1955 Dog 1950, 1951, 1952 Dolly 1953, 1954, 1968, 1974, 1996 Donna (R) 1960 Dora (R) 1956, 1964 Doria 1967, 1971 Doris 1975 Dorothy 1966, 1970, 1977 Dottie 1976 Earl 1980, 1986, 1992 Easy 1950, 1951, 1952 Edith 1955, 1959, 1963, 1967, 1971 Edna (R) 1953, 1954, 1968 Edouard 1984, 1990, 1996 Elaine 1974 Elena (R) 1965, 1979, 1985 Ella 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1978 Ellen 1973 Eloise (R) 1975 Emily 1981, 1987, 1993 Emmy 1976 Erika 1991, 1997 Erin 1989, 1995 Ernesto 1982, 1988, 1994 Esther 1957, 1961 Ethel 1956, 1960, 1964 Eve 1969 Evelyn 1977 Fabian 1985, 1991, 1997 Faith 1966 Faye 1975 Felice 1970 Felix 1989, 1995 Fern 1967, 1971 Fifi (R) 1958, 1974 Flora (R) 1955, 1959, 1963 Florence 1953, 1954, 1960, 1964, 1988, 1994 Flossie 1978 Flossy 1956 Floyd 1981, 1987, 1993 Fox 1950, 1951, 1952 Fran (R) 1973, 1984, 1990, 1996 Francelia 1969 Frances 1961, 1968, 1976, 1980, 1986, 1992 Frederic (R) 1979 Frieda 1957, 1977 Gabrielle 1989, 1995 Gail 1953 George 1950, 1951 Georges 1980 Gerda 1958, 1961, 1969 Gert 1981, 1993 Gertrude 1974 Gilbert (R) 1988 Gilda 1954, 1973 Ginger 1967, 1971 Ginny 1963 Gladys 1955, 1964, 1968, 1975 Gloria (R) 1976, 1979, 1985 Gordon 1994 Grace 1991, 1997 Gracie (R) 1959 Greta 1956, 1966, 1970, 1978 Gustav 1984, 1990, 1996 Hallie 1966, 1975 Hannah 1959 Harvey 1981, 1993 Hattie (R) 1961 Hazel (R) 1953, 1954 Heidi 1967, 1971 Helena 1963 Helene 1958, 1988 Henri 1979, 1985 Hermine 1980 Hilda (R) 1955, 1964 Holly 1969, 1976 Hope 1978 Hortense (R) 1984, 1990, 1996 How 1950, 1951 Hugo (R) 1989 Humberto 1995 Ilsa 1958 Inez (R) 1966 Inga 1961, 1969 Ione (R) 1955 Irene 1959, 1971, 1981 Iris 1989, 1995 Irma 1978 Isaac 1988 Isabel 1985 Isbell 1964 Isidore 1984, 1990, 1996 Item 1950, 1951 Ivan 1980 Janet (R) 1955 Janice 1958, 1971 Jeanne 1980 Jenny 1961, 1969 Jerry 1989, 1995 Jig 1950, 1951 Joan (R) 1988 Jose 1981 Josephine 1984, 1990, 1996 Juan 1985 Judith 1959, 1966 Juliet 1978 Kara 1969 Karen 1989, 1995 Karl 1980 Kate 1985 Katie 1955 Katrina 1981 Keith 1988 Kendra 1966**, 1978 King 1950 Klaus (R) 1984, 1990 Kristy 1971 Kyle 1996 Laura 1971 Laurie 1969 Lili 1984, 1990, 1996 Lois 1966 Love 1950 Luis (R) 1995 Marco 1990, 1996 Marilyn (R) 1995 Martha 1969 Nana 1990 Noel 1995 Opal (R) 1995 Pablo 1995 Roxanne (R) 1995 Sebastien 1995 Tanya 1995 ++ - Hurricane Alice (1955) was named on either January 1 or 2 near the Leeward Islands. However, the storm has been traced back to a disturbance which formed on December 30, 1954, and is counted as a 1954 storm. ** - The name Kendra was assigned to a system in 1966, but in post-season analysis it was decided it had not been a bona fide tropical storm. In only one year (1995) have names beginning with the letter "O" (the 15th letter) and beyond been used, but there have been several other years in which more than 14 storms have been tracked: 1887 - 17 storms 1933 - 21 storms 1936 - 16 storms 1969 - 17 storms The first three of these years were well before naming of storms began, but 1969 requires an explanation. This was early in the era of complete satellite coverage, and forecasters were still studying the evolution of non-tropical systems (subtropical) into warm-core, tropical-type storms. Several systems that year were not named as tropical because they began at higher latitudes and were initially cold-cored. Formal classification of subtropical (hybrid type) cyclones and public advisories on them were begun in 1972, and a few years later, a review was made of satellite imagery from the late 60s and early 70s and several of these systems were included as tropical storms. In fact, two of the storms added in 1969 were hurricanes, so 1969 now stands as having the record number of hurricanes--12.