# Who Christens the Hurricanes

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-christens-the-hurricanes/319322>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 30, 2005, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-christens-the-hurricanes/319322 "2005-08-30T20:23:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2005, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-christens-the-hurricanes/319322/1 "2005-08-30T20:23:25Z")

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Who is the ultimate authority that decides on what to name a hurricane?

Are tropical storms named in anticipation of becoming hurricanes as well?

Are the names of hurricanes established upon onset or are they decided upon prior to the season?

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**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2005, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-christens-the-hurricanes/319322/2 "2005-08-30T20:35:57Z")

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> **[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration](https://www.noaa.gov/)**
>
> U.S. Department of Commerce

details:

[http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcfaqHED.html](http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcfaqHED.html)

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**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2005, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-christens-the-hurricanes/319322/3 "2005-08-30T20:36:55Z")

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They draw the lists up in advance. Anytime a storn starts spinning the right way at a minimum speed, it gets the next moniker on the list.

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**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2005, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-christens-the-hurricanes/319322/4 "2005-08-30T20:38:50Z")

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[http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcfaqB.html](http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcfaqB.html)

Addresses more name issues.