Tropical cyclone names
Tropical cyclones are named to help with communication about these dangerous storms. Names raise the profile of the cyclone, heightening public awareness and reducing confusion if multiple cyclones occur at the same time.
How do cyclones get their names?
The Bureau maintains a list of names, arranged alphabetically and alternating between male and female.
The first cyclone name for the 2022-23 season is highlighted.
| Australian Region Names (Pronunciation in brackets) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Anika | Anthony | Alessia | Alfred | Amber |
| (ah-ni-ka) | (an-thuh-nee) | (ah-les-ee-uh) | (al-fred) | (am-ber) | |
| B | Billy | Bianca | Bruce | Blanche | Blake |
| (bil-ee) | (bee-ahng-kuh) | (broos) | (blanch) | (bleyk) | |
| C | Charlotte | Courtney | Catherine | Caleb | Claudia |
| (shahr-luht) | (kawrt-nee) | (kath-rin) | (kei-luhb) | (klaw-dee-uh) | |
| D | Darian | Dianne | Dylan | Dara | Declan |
| (dah-ree-uhn) | (dai-an) | (dil-uhn) | (dar-uh) | (Deh-klaen) | |
| E | Ellie | Errol | Edna | Ernie | Esther |
| (el-ee) | (er-uhl) | (ed-nuh) | (ur-nee) | (es-ter) | |
| F | Freddy | Fina | Fletcher | Frances | Ferdinand |
| (fred-ee) | (fee-nuh) | (flech-er) | (fran-sis) | (fur-din-and) | |
| G | Gabrielle | Grant | Gillian | Greg | Gretel |
| (gab-ree-el) | (grant) | (jil-ee-uhn) | (greg) | (gre-tuhl) | |
| H | Herman | Hayley | Hadi | Hilda | Heath |
| (hur-muhn) | (hei-lee) | (hah-dee) | (hil-duh) | (heeth) | |
| I | Ilsa | Iggy | Ivana | Irving | Imogen |
| (il-suh) | (ig-ee) | (ee-vah-nuh) | (ur-ving) | (im-uh-jen) | |
| J | Jasper | Jenna | Jack | Joyce | Joshua |
| (jas-per) | (jen-uh) | (jak) | (jois) | (josh-oo-uh) | |
| K | Kirrily | Koji | Kate | Kelvin | Kimi |
| (kier-uh-lee) | (koh-jee) | (keit) | (kel-vin) | (kim-ee) | |
| L | Lincoln | Luana | Laszlo | Linda | Lucas |
| (ling-kuhn) | (loo-ah-nuh) | (laz-loh) | (lin-duh) | (loo-kuhs) | |
| M | Megan | Mitchell | Mingzhu | Marco | Marian |
| (mee-guhn) | (mich-uhl) | (mingzoo) | (mahr-koh) | (mar-ee-uhn) | |
| N | Neville | Narelle | Nathan | Nora | Niran |
| (nev-uhl) | (nuh-rel) | (nei-thuhn) | (nawr-uh) | (ni-ruh-n) | |
| O | Olga | Oran | Oriana | Owen | Odette |
| (ol-guh) | (aw-ran) | (ohr-ee-ah-nuh) | (oh-uhn) | (oh-det) | |
| PQ | Paul | Peta | Quincey | Penny | Paddy |
| (pawl) | (pee-tuh) | (kwin-see) | (pen-ee) | (pad-ee) | |
| R | Robyn | Riordan | Raquel | Riley | Ruby |
| (rob-in) | (rier-duhn) | (rah-kel) | (rai-lee) | (roo-bee) | |
| S | Sean | Sandra | Stan | Savannah | Stafford |
| (shawn) | (san-druh) | (stan) | (suh-van-uh) | (Sta-furd) | |
| T | Tasha | Tim | Tatiana | Trung | Tiffany |
| (tash-uh) | (tim) | (ta-tee-ah-nuh) | (troong) | (tif-uh-nee) | |
| UV | Vince | Victoria | Uriah | Verity | Vernon |
| (vins) | (vik-tawr-ee-uh) | (yoo-rai-uh) | (Veh-ree-tee) | (vur-nuhn) | |
| WXYZ | Zelia | Zane | Yvette | Wallace | |
| (ziel-ee-uh) | (zein) | (ee-vet) | (wol-is) | ||
Guide to vowel sounds in this table:
ei - "rain", ai - "bite", ee - "sheep", oh - "flow", ah - "bar", aw - "more", oi - "joy", a - "bat", oo - "zoo", uh - "cup", e - "net", i - "hill", o - "hot", ie - "ear", ahng - "hung", ur - "turn".
Coordination with neighbouring countries
Before names are added to the Australian list, they are approved by neighbouring countries through the World Meteorological Organization Regional Tropical Cyclone Committees. We do this to avoid duplication and ensure that the cyclone does not need to be renamed when it moves across borders.
If a cyclone forms in an adjacent region (such as Indonesia or Fiji) it will be named there and will keep that name if it moves into the Australian region. Similarly, if a tropical cyclone is named in the Australian region and then moves into a neighbouring region, the Australian name will continue to be used.
Retiring a cyclone name
If a cyclone severely impacts the coast, resulting in significant damage and potentially loss of life (e.g. Larry in 2006 and Tracy in 1974), its name is permanently retired from the list and replaced with another of the same gender and first letter.