# Who decides on the names of hurricanes?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-decides-on-the-names-of-hurricanes/335>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [December 10, 1999, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-decides-on-the-names-of-hurricanes/335 "1999-12-10T03:42:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Chadija](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Chadija](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chadija)\
**Post date:** [December 10, 1999, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-decides-on-the-names-of-hurricanes/335/1 "1999-12-10T03:42:00Z")

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Typhoons are always referred to by number in Japan. If you watch Japanese news and CNN, it’s not always clear whether they’re talking about the same storm system or not.

I don’t know what other countries in the western Pacific do.

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**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\
**Post date:** [December 10, 1999, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-decides-on-the-names-of-hurricanes/335/2 "1999-12-10T04:06:00Z")

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Please always add a link to the column you’re discussing: [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a891027.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a891027.html)

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**Author:** ![Chadija](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Chadija](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chadija)\
**Post date:** [December 10, 1999, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-decides-on-the-names-of-hurricanes/335/3 "1999-12-10T04:28:00Z")

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Sorry. Will do from now on.

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**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 1999, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-decides-on-the-names-of-hurricanes/335/4 "1999-12-11T23:54:00Z")

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The weather service gets lots of nasty mail every year from folks who were disappointed by wrong forecasts. These letters are sorted by first name initials, and once a year, twenty-six letters are drawn. Those who write several nasty letters in a year are more likely to have a storm named after them. Naturally, those named Xavier and Yolanda are pretty much SOL.  
Glad to help out.  
–Nott, the large

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AskNott