Storms So Severe Their Names Were Retired Forever

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By Jennifer Geer Published
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Storms So Severe Their Names Were Retired Forever

© Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Have you ever wondered how storm names are chosen? The World Meteorological Organization names tropical storms/hurricanes based on six alphabetical lists that are rotated every six years (The Atlantic lists exclude Q, U, X, Y, Z). For example, Alberto, used for the first tropical storm in 2024, will be reused again in 2030. However, sometimes a storm is so severe and deadly that the name is retired and replaced. Aside from prohibiting the name for future storm usage, these name retirements affect baby names across the country, causing a major drop in once-popular names, such as Andrew, Michael, and Matthew. (It’s worth noting that names are assigned when a system reaches tropical-storm strength; many retired names were not hurricanes, such as Allison 2001 and Erika 2015.)

24/7 Wall St. used data on storm names from the NOAA’s National Hurricane Center to obtain a list of retired names for Atlantic tropical storms/hurricanes, which we’ve listed chronologically. Data on maximum sustained wind speed is from the NOAA’s historical hurricane tracks shapefile. Data on baby names used to calculate changes in name popularity following a major storm came from the U.S. Social Security Administration. Destructive storms prior to the establishment of the naming convention in 1950 are not included.

This post was updated on October 20, 2025 to clarify that storms are named at tropical storm strength, specific storms that were tropical storm status, and the exclusion of Q, U, X, Y, Z in yearly lists, as well as to include retired 2024 storm names.

Why are we covering this

Buffalo Bayou Park Houston, flooded after Hurricane Beryl
Mathew Risley / Shutterstock.com
Storms can have devastating impacts on homes and businesses. Property damage and the disruption to the supply chain can affect both large companies and small local businesses. In recent years, Hurricane Ian caused $112 billion in damage and devastated the citrus industry in Florida.

1. Hurricane Carol

Hulton Archive / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 1954
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 115.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Carol, 1954-1959: -18.5%

2. Hurricane Edna

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Name retired: 1954
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 126.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Edna, 1954-1959: -29.8%

3. Hurricane Hazel

  • Name retired: 1954
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 132.3 mph
  • Change in babies named Hazel, 1954-1959: -43.0%

4. Hurricane Connie

north-carolina-state-archives / Flickr
  • Name retired: 1955
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 138.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Connie, 1955-1960: -11.2%

5. Hurricane Diane

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Name retired: 1955
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 103.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Diane, 1955-1960: -23.1%

6. Hurricane Ione

  • Name retired: 1955
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 138.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Ione, 1955-1960: -39.5%

7. Hurricane Janet

Photograph Curator / Public Domain / Flickr
  • Name retired: 1955
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 172.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Janet, 1955-1960: -20.5%

8. Hurricane Audrey

NOAA / Wikimedia Commons
  • Name retired: 1957
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 126.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Audrey, 1957-1962: -23.2%

9. Hurricane Donna

Keystone / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 1960
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 143.8 mph
  • Change in babies named Donna, 1960-1965: -42.3%

10. Hurricane Carla

Hurricane Carla | File:Carlaportoconnor.jpg
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

  • Name retired: 1961
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 143.8 mph
  • Change in babies named Carla, 1961-1966: -22.4%

11. Hurricane Hattie

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

  • Name retired: 1961
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 166.9 mph
  • Change in babies named Hattie, 1961-1966: -48.2%

12. Hurricane Flora

national_museum_of_the_us_navy / Flickr
  • Name retired: 1963
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 149.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Flora, 1963-1968: -52.9%

13. Hurricane Cleo

Hurricane Juan 2003 | Hurricane on a Beach, Palm Tree Swaying in the Wind and Rain
B2M Productions / Photodisc via Getty Images

  • Name retired: 1964
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 149.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Cleo, 1964-1969: -42.9%

14. Hurricane Dora

  • Name retired: 1964
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 132.3 mph
  • Change in babies named Dora, 1964-1969: -40.6%

15. Hurricane Hilda

Hurricane Hilda 10E east of Hawaii. Hurricane Hilda 10E east of Hawaii. Elements of this image furnished by NASA.
BEST-BACKGROUNDS / Shutterstock.com

  • Name retired: 1964
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 138.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Hilda, 1964-1969: -30.7%

16. Hurricane Betsy

Hulton Archive / Getty Images
  • Name retired: 1965
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 138.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Betsy, 1965-1970: -47.2%

17. Hurricane Inez

raindrops on the window during a strong hurricane with wind in nature
Alina Kolotsei / Shutterstock.com

  • Name retired: 1966
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 161.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Inez, 1966-1971: -18.3%

18. Hurricane Beulah

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Name retired: 1967
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 161.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Beulah, 1967-1972: -60.0%

19. Hurricane Camille

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Name retired: 1969
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 172.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Camille, 1969-1974: -41.2%

20. Hurricane Celia

  • Name retired: 1970
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 138.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Celia, 1970-1975: -42.3%

21. Hurricane Agnes

The Library of Virginia from USA / Wikimedia Commons
  • Name retired: 1972
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 86.3 mph
  • Change in babies named Agnes, 1972-1977: -47.9%

22. Hurricane Carmen

Thunderstorm strong monsoon rain hurricane gloomy clouds in paradise in Playa del Carmen Mexico.
Arkadij Schell / Shutterstock.com

  • Name retired: 1974
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 149.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Carmen, 1974-1979: -8.3%

23. Hurricane Fifi

Bettmann / Bettmann via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 1974
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 109.3 mph
  • Change in babies named Fifi, 1974-1979: N/A

24. Hurricane Eloise

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

  • Name retired: 1975
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 126.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Eloise, 1975-1980: -23.7%

25. Hurricane Anita

The skies before hurricane Beryl
meggstrs / Shutterstock.com

  • Name retired: 1977
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 172.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Anita, 1977-1982: -33.3%

26. Hurricane Greta

Storm clouds over field, tornadic supercell, extreme weather, dangerous storm, climate change
MantasVD / Shutterstock.com

  • Name retired: 1978
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 132.3 mph
  • Change in babies named Greta, 1978-1983: -13.1%

27. Hurricane David

  • Name retired: 1979
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 172.6 mph
  • Change in babies named David, 1979-1984: -8.6%

28. Hurricane Frederic

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

  • Name retired: 1979
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 132.3 mph
  • Change in babies named Frederic, 1979-1984: -48.4%

29. Hurricane Allen

  • Name retired: 1980
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 189.9 mph
  • Change in babies named Allen, 1980-1985: -0.9%

30. Hurricane Alicia

Public Domain via the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration / Wikimedia Commons
  • Name retired: 1983
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 115.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Alicia, 1983-1988: -10.5%

31. Hurricane Elena

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Name retired: 1985
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 126.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Elena, 1985-1990: +4.4%

32. Hurricane Gloria

  • Name retired: 1985
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 143.8 mph
  • Change in babies named Gloria, 1985-1990: +18.4%

33. Hurricane Gilbert

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Name retired: 1988
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 184.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Gilbert, 1988-1993: -10.0%

34. Hurricane Joan

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), data superimposed by CooperScience / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons
  • Name retired: 1988
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 143.8 mph
  • Change in babies named Joan, 1988-1993: -17.7%

35. Hurricane Hugo

scguard / Flickr
  • Name retired: 1989
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 161.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Hugo, 1989-1994: +4.6%

36. Hurricane Diana

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

  • Name retired: 1990
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 97.8 mph
  • Change in babies named Diana, 1990-1995: -10.9%

37. Tropical Storm Klaus

Dark sky with stormy clouds. Dramatic sky rain,Dark clouds before a thunder-storm.
Pinglabel / Shutterstock.com

  • Name retired: 1990
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 80.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Klaus, 1990-1995: -40.0%

38. Hurricane Bob

  • Name retired: 1991
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 115.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Bob, 1991-1996: -53.0%

39. Hurricane Andrew

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Name retired: 1992
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 172.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Andrew, 1992-1997: -17.6%

40. Hurricane Luis

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Name retired: 1995
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 149.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Luis, 1995-2000: +24.0%

41. Hurricane Marilyn

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Name retired: 1995
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 115.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Marilyn, 1995-2000: -9.8%

42. Hurricane Opal

Wayne Eastep / The Image Bank via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 1995
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 149.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Opal, 1995-2000: +60.0%

43. Hurricane Roxanne

Cloudy Sky With Dark Storm Clouds During Rain. Natural Background With Rainclouds. natural weather background dark blue backdrop thunderstorm stormy sky. abstract-background-design, abstract
George Trumpeter / Shutterstock.com

  • Name retired: 1995
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 115.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Roxanne, 1995-2000: -34.0%

44. Hurricane Cesar

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

  • Name retired: 1996
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 86.3 mph
  • Change in babies named Cesar, 1996-2001: +19.5%

45. Hurricane Fran

nasacommons / Flickr
  • Name retired: 1996
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 120.8 mph
  • Change in babies named Fran, 1996-2001: N/A

46. Hurricane Hortense

Flooding across road during rain, blocked street drain. Plumbing problems in the city, clogged drain, water flooding. Large puddle due to clogged storm drain. Selective focus
Tricky_Shark / Shutterstock.com

  • Name retired: 1996
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 138.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Hortense, 1996-2001: N/A

47. Hurricane Georges

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Name retired: 1998
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 155.4 mph
  • Change in babies named Georges, 1998-2003: N/A

48. Hurricane Mitch

Bernard Bisson / Sygma via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 1998
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 178.4 mph
  • Change in babies named Mitch, 1998-2003: -48.3%

49. Hurricane Floyd

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Name retired: 1999
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 155.4 mph
  • Change in babies named Floyd, 1999-2004: -2.6%

50. Hurricane Lenny

Courtesy of NOAA / Getty Images
  • Name retired: 1999
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 155.4 mph
  • Change in babies named Lenny, 1999-2004: +89.6%

51. Hurricane Keith

  • Name retired: 2000
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 138.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Keith, 2000-2005: -24.1%

52. Tropical Storm Allison

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

  • Name retired: 2001
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 57.5 mph
  • Change in babies named Allison, 2001-2006: -10.6%

53. Hurricane Iris

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

  • Name retired: 2001
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 143.8 mph
  • Change in babies named Iris, 2001-2006: +20.7%

54. Hurricane Michelle

Jorge Rey / Getty Images

  • Name retired: 2001
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 138.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Michelle, 2001-2006: -18.8%

55. Hurricane Isidore

Susana Gonzalez / Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2002
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 126.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Isidore, 2002-2007: -10.0%

56. Hurricane Lili

Hurricane Lili. . Elements of this image furnished by NASA.
BEST-BACKGROUNDS / Shutterstock.com

  • Name retired: 2002
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 143.8 mph
  • Change in babies named Lili, 2002-2007: -22.3%

57. Hurricane Fabian

  • Name retired: 2003
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 143.8 mph
  • Change in babies named Fabian, 2003-2008: +2.8%

58. Hurricane Isabel

Alex Wong / Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2003
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 166.9 mph
  • Change in babies named Isabel, 2003-2008: -9.5%

59. Hurricane Juan

B2M Productions / Photodisc via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2003
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 103.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Juan, 2003-2008: -10.2%

60. Hurricane Charley

Tim Boyles / Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2004
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 149.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Charley, 2004-2009: +53.3%

61. Hurricane Frances

Chris Hondros / Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2004
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 143.8 mph
  • Change in babies named Frances, 2004-2009: -18.6%

62. Hurricane Ivan

Scott Olson / Getty Images News via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2004
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 166.9 mph
  • Change in babies named Ivan, 2004-2009: -13.8%

63. Hurricane Jeanne

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Name retired: 2004
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 120.8 mph
  • Change in babies named Jeanne, 2004-2009: -33.8%

64. Hurricane Dennis

  • Name retired: 2005
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 149.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Dennis, 2005-2010: -30.2%

65. Hurricane Katrina

Chris Graythen / Getty Images News via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2005
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 172.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Katrina, 2005-2010: -76.4%

66. Hurricane Rita

Sandy Huffaker / Getty Images News via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2005
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 178.4 mph
  • Change in babies named Rita, 2005-2010: -19.6%

67. Hurricane Stan

During hurricane season in South Florida, strong winds and threatening clouds can conclude a beautiful day at the beach
PJ EscobART 77 / Shutterstock.com

  • Name retired: 2005
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 80.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Stan, 2005-2010: +75.0%

68. Hurricane Wilma

  • Name retired: 2005
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 184.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Wilma, 2005-2010: +16.7%

69. Hurricane Dean

  • Name retired: 2007
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 172.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Dean, 2007-2012: +52.2%

70. Hurricane Felix

Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zachary Borden / U.S. Navy via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2007
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 172.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Felix, 2007-2012: +30.1%

71. Hurricane Noel

Tropical Storm Noel 16L over Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Tropical Storm Noel 16L over Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Elements of this image furnished by NASA.
BEST-BACKGROUNDS / Shutterstock.com

  • Name retired: 2007
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 86.3 mph
  • Change in babies named Noel, 2007-2012: -0.1%

72. Hurricane Gustav

Mario Tama / Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2008
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 155.4 mph
  • Change in babies named Gustav, 2008-2013: -44.7%

73. Hurricane Ike

Pool / Getty Images News via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2008
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 143.8 mph
  • Change in babies named Ike, 2008-2013: -21.9%

74. Hurricane Paloma

Stocktrek Images / Stocktrek Images via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2008
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 143.8 mph
  • Change in babies named Paloma, 2008-2013: -4.8%

75. Hurricane Igor

NOAA / Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2010
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 155.4 mph
  • Change in babies named Igor, 2010-2015: -40.7%

76. Hurricane Tomas

marine_corps / Flickr
  • Name retired: 2010
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 132.3 mph
  • Change in babies named Tomas, 2010-2015: -10.9%

77. Hurricane Irene

  • Name retired: 2011
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 120.8 mph
  • Change in babies named Irene, 2011-2016: +9.4%

78. Hurricane Sandy

Michael Bocchieri / Getty Images News via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2012
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 115.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Sandy, 2012-2017: -29.6%

79. Hurricane Ingrid

Stocktrek Images / Stocktrek Images via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2013
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 86.3 mph
  • Change in babies named Ingrid, 2013-2018: -7.0%

80. Tropical Storm Erika

Greg Truelove / iStock via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2015
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 51.8 mph
  • Change in babies named Erika, 2015-2020: -36.6%

81. Hurricane Joaquin

  • Name retired: 2015
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 155.4 mph
  • Change in babies named Joaquin, 2015-2020: -0.1%

82. Hurricane Matthew

Sean Rayford / Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2016
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 166.9 mph
  • Change in babies named Matthew, 2016-2021: -41.0%

83. Hurricane Otto

Andi Edwards / iStock via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2016
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 115.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Otto, 2016-2021: +73.9%

84. Hurricane Harvey

Win McNamee / Getty Images News via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2017
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 132.3 mph
  • Change in babies named Harvey, 2017-2022: -7.2%

85. Hurricane Irma

Spencer Platt / Getty Images News via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2017
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 178.4 mph
  • Change in babies named Irma, 2017-2022: -1.4%

86. Hurricane Maria

Jose Jimenez / Getty Images News via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2017
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 172.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Maria, 2017-2022: +4.4%

87. Hurricane Nate

  • Name retired: 2017
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 92.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Nate, 2017-2022: +30.1%

88. Hurricane Florence

Sean Rayford / Getty Images News via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2018
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 149.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Florence, 2018-2023: +113.2%

89. Hurricane Michael

Breawna Smith / iStock via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2018
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 161.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Michael, 2018-2023: -28.5%

90. Hurricane Dorian

Scott Olson / Getty Images News via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2019
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 184.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Dorian, 2019-2023: -16.9%

91. Hurricane Eta

  • Name retired: 2020
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 149.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Eta, 2020-2023: N/A

92. Hurricane Iota

NOAA / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons
  • Name retired: 2020
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 155.4 mph
  • Change in babies named Iota, 2020-2023: N/A

93. Hurricane Laura

Joe Raedle / Getty Images News via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2020
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 149.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Laura, 2020-2023: -3.6%

94. Hurricane Ida

Olga Kaya / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2021
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 149.6 mph
  • Change in babies named Ida, 2021-2023: -10.4%

95. Hurricane Fiona

Jose Jimenez / Getty Images News via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2022
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 138.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Fiona, 2022-2023: -13.3%

96. Hurricane Ian

2022 Getty Images / Getty Images News via Getty Images
  • Name retired: 2022
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 161.1 mph
  • Change in babies named Ian, 2022-2023: +1.0%

97. Hurricane Beryl

public domain / wikimedia commons

  • Name retired: 2024
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 165 mph
  • Change in babies named Beryl: unknown
  • Replacement name: Brianna

98. Hurricane Helene

public domain / wikimedia commons

  • Name retired: 2024
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 140 mph
  • Change in babies named Helene: unknown
  • Replacement name: Holly

99. Hurricane Milton

public domain / wikimedia commons

  • Name retired: 2024
  • Maximum sustained wind speed: 180 mph
  • Change in babies named Milton: unknown
  • Replacement name: Miguel
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