How Do Typhoon Names Work? A Detailed Guide to Typhoon Naming Rules
Where Do Typhoon Names Come From?
Typhoon names in the northwestern Pacific are managed jointly by the World Meteorological Organization's Typhoon Committee: 14 members (including China, Japan, South Korea, the United States, the Philippines, Hong Kong, China, and Macao, China) each contribute 10 names, forming a list of 140 names that are used in rotation. Once a tropical cyclone reaches tropical storm strength, the Japan Meteorological Agency (the Regional Specialized Meteorological Center) assigns it the next name on the list.
China's Names Have the Most "Celestial Charm"
Most names contributed by China come from mythology and positive imagery: WUKONG, Nezha, FENGSHEN, HAISHEN, DUJUAN, MULAN, BAILU, HAIKUI, YUTU, DIANMU… By comparison, other members have distinct styles: Japan favors constellations (TEMBIN, YAGI), Cambodia uses flowers and trees (CHANTHU is a type of flower), and the United States has contributed names from the indigenous languages of Guam, such as ETAU.
Names Can Be "Expelled": The Retirement System
When a typhoon causes especially significant loss of life or damage, a member affected by the disaster may request that its name be permanently retired. The original contributor then provides a new name to replace it. This effectively inscribes the disaster in the annals of history:
- HAIYAN (2013; more than 6,300 people died in the Philippines) → retired and replaced by "BAILU"
- MANGKHUT (2018; severely impacted the Philippines and southern China) → retired and replaced by "KRATHON"
- RAMMASUN (2014; made landfall as the strongest typhoon in southern China) → retired and replaced by "BUALOI"
- DOKSURI (2023; triggered extraordinarily heavy rainfall in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei) → retired
More than 60 names have been retired since the naming list was introduced, and each one is associated with a unforgettable disaster.
What About Typhoon Numbers?
In addition to their names, typhoons have a four-digit number: the first two digits indicate the year, while the last two indicate the order of formation that year. For example, 202509 denotes the ninth typhoon of 2025. When releasing information, China's meteorological authorities conventionally use the "number + name" format, such as "Typhoon RAGASA (2509)." These numbers are never reused and serve as the typhoon's "ID number."
Trivia
- The Chinese renderings of typhoon names are jointly agreed upon by the meteorological authorities of mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao, so the three regions use the same names (Taiwan, China occasionally uses slightly different translations)
- What if more than 140 typhoons form in a year and all the names have been used? That will not happen—the list is cyclic. Approximately 25–30 names are used each year, so one full cycle lasts about five years
- A typhoon and its name have no gender, but the Atlantic hurricane naming list alternates between traditionally male and female names, reflecting a cultural difference between the two oceans