Met Office Unveils 2025/26 Storm Names — Amy to Lead the Charge
The Met Office has revealed the official storm names for the 2025/26 season, with Amy set to be the first fierce weather event. The announcement comes in partnership with Ireland’s Met Éireann and the Dutch KNMI meteorological service.
Storm Names Inspired by Public Tributes
More than 50,000 public submissions flooded in to create this year’s storm name list. Many entries celebrated loved ones, pets, and quirky daily life moments.
Names include:
- Amy – the most popular female name submitted in the UK.
- Dave – named in memory of a snoring husband whose loudness rivals any storm.
- Isla – inspired by little girls known for the chaos they leave behind.
- Violet – after a daughter described as “fierce and unstoppable as a storm.”
- Oscar – a cat who loved the wind in his fur.
- Stevie – a nod to Stevie Nicks’ hit “Dreams” and the iconic lyric “Thunder only happens when it’s raining.”
Why Name Storms?
Chief meteorologist Rebekah Hicks says storm naming is more than a label – it’s a vital safety tool.
“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.”
Recent surveys after Storm Floris showed 93% of people in amber warning areas knew of the alerts, with 83% taking action to prepare.
Full List of 2025/26 Storm Names
Avoiding tricky letters like Q, U, X, Y, and Z to align with North Atlantic naming conventions, here are the names to watch:
- 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: A Growing Safety Tool
The Met Office has run the storm naming programme since 2015, covering the seasonal period from September to August to match the UK’s autumn and winter weather peaks.
Hicks adds: “Over the past decade, we’ve seen how naming storms helps raise awareness and ultimately save lives.”
