How & Why Our Storms Are Named

The Met Office, in partnership with Met Éireann and KNMI, has revealed the storm names for the 2025-26 season and this year, every single one has been submitted by the public.

From Cornwall to County Down, to the Netherlands and Ireland, more than 50,000 suggestions were submitted. The final list reflects not only popular choices, but also the deeply personal stories behind them, with tributes to loved ones, cherished pets, and everyday heroes. Amy, Bram and Chandra will be the first three named storms by the group this season. Naming storms helps to communicate the risks of severe weather.

The first name on the list - Amy - was the most popular female name submitted to the Met Office. It resonated with many who associated it with loved ones.

Other names submitted to the Met Office include Dave, described as “my beloved husband who can snore three times louder than any storm!”

Stevie was inspired by a little girl named after the Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac) song Dreams, which includes the line: “Thunder only happens when it’s raining.” And Ruby, in honour of a cherished grandmother, and also the most popular name beginning with R.

Pets featured prominently too. One cat, Oscar, was described as “a good boy, but crazy when he gets the zoomies,” while another was remembered fondly for “loving the wind in his fur - he’d sit in the garden for ages just enjoying it.”

It's about making people take notice...

While some of the names may bring a smile, the purpose behind storm naming is serious, as Rebekah Hicks, Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office explains: “Naming storms isn’t just about giving them a label, it’s about making sure people take notice.

"When a storm has a name, it becomes easier for the media and public to talk about it, share information, and prepare. It’s a simple step that can make a big difference in helping communities stay safe, protect their homes, and make informed decisions ahead of severe weather.

“We know that naming storms works. We know that for Storm Floris, just a few weeks ago, surveys found that 93% of people in the amber warning area were aware of the alerts, with 83% taking action to prepare.

“Over the past decade, we’ve seen how naming storms helps raise awareness and ultimately, helps save lives. It’s a simple but powerful tool in helping communities stay safe when severe weather is on the way.”

Storms will get named by the group when they’re deemed to have the potential to cause ‘medium’ or ‘high’ impacts in the UK, Ireland or the Netherlands. Wind is the primary consideration for naming a storm, but additional impacts from rain or snow will also be considered in the naming process.

The Met Office and partners started naming storms in 2015. The list runs from early September to late August the following year to coincide with the start of autumn and the end of summer, when the likelihood of low-pressure systems and the potential for named storms increase.

How stormy was last season?

The group named six storms in the 2024/25 season, reaching the letter ‘F’ with Storm Floris on 1 August 2025. Storm seasons are highly variable in the UK, with some seasons seeing a low frequency of named storms, and others more. Some seasons, like 2023-24 with its record 12 named storms, are exceptionally active, while others, like 2024-25 are quieter.Read more about the 2024/25 storm season here.

Storm name list in full, with pronunciations and who submitted the names 

Amy (Met Office)

Bram (Met Éireann)

Chandra (Ch-an-dra) (KNMI)

Dave (Met Office)

Eddie (KNMI)

Fionnuala (Fee-new-lah) (Met Éireann)

Gerard (Jer-ard) (Met Éireann)

Hannah (KNMI)

Isla (Met Office)

Janna (Yah-nah) (KNMI)

Kasia (Ka-shaa) (Met Éireann)

Lilith (KNMI)

Marty (Met Éireann)

Nico (KNMI)

Oscar (Met Office)

Patrick (Met Éireann)

Ruby (Met Office)

Stevie (Met Office)

Tadhg (Tie-g) (Met Éireann)

Violet (Met Office)

Wubbo (Vuh-boh) (KNMI)  

Find out more about storm naming on the UK Storm Centre page. 

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How & Why Our Storms Are Named - created 1.9.25