Met Office Unveils 2025/26 Storm Names – Amy Kicks Off the Season
The Met Office, along with Ireland’s Met Éireann and the Dutch KNMI, has announced the official storm names for the 2025/26 season. The first storm will be Amy, topping the list after a public vote.
Storm Naming: More Than Just a Label
The list was created from over 50,000 public submissions, many of which honoured family members, pets, or quirky everyday moments. But why bother naming storms?
Chief meteorologist Rebekah Hicks 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.”
Data from Storm Floris this summer showed 93% of people in amber warning zones were aware of alerts and 83% took action. Naming storms clearly works.
Top Names and Their Stories
- Amy (UK) – The most popular female name submitted.
- Dave (UK) – Honours a husband “who can snore three times louder than any storm.”
- Isla (UK) – Inspired by “little girls who leave chaos in their wakes.”
- Violet (UK) – Named after a daughter “as fierce and unstoppable as a storm.”
- Oscar (UK) – After a cat remembered “loving the wind in his fur.”
- Stevie (UK) – Linked to Stevie Nicks’ classic Dreams lyric: “Thunder only happens when it’s raining.”
The list avoids tricky letters like Q, U, X, Y, and Z, keeping in step with North Atlantic naming rules.
Full 2025/26 Storm Names
Amy (UK), Bram (Ireland), Chandra (Netherlands), Dave (UK), Eddie (Netherlands), Fionnuala (Ireland), Gerard (Ireland), Hannah (Netherlands), Isla (UK), Janna (Netherlands), Kasia (Ireland), Lilith (Netherlands), Marty (Ireland), Nico (Netherlands), Oscar (UK), Patrick (Ireland), Ruby (UK), Stevie (UK), Tadhg (Ireland), Violet (UK), Wubbo (Netherlands)
Storm Naming Saves Lives
Since launching in 2015, the Met Office has run the storm naming season from September to August to match the autumn storm cycle.
“Over the past decade, we’ve seen how naming storms helps raise awareness and ultimately helps save lives,” says Hicks. With Amy storming in first, 2025/26’s season is set to be just as memorable.
