The Gendered Naming of Hurricanes — and Storms
As the unwelcome visitor, Storm Darragh, hits town this weekend, I was left wondering about the naming of storms and hurricanes and the levels of havoc wreaked by them — does gender equate to level of devastation? Who names these, anyway? Perhaps that is a befitting research question for academic discourse.
The Backdrop
While hurricanes grow deadlier, the debate surrounding their names persists. Since 1979, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has alternated between male and female names for Atlantic hurricanes. However, research shows that feminine-named hurricanes may be perceived as less threatening, potentially leading to a lack of proper preparation.
A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2014 found that hurricanes with female names tend to cause more deaths than those with male names, likely because people underestimate their severity. For example, a storm named “Fiona” may seem less dangerous to the public compared to a storm named “Ian,” despite both being equally capable of causing devastation.
This gender bias in storm perception can be deadly, especially in areas already prone to underestimating the dangers of hurricanes. Picture this:
“The inherent societal stereotypes associating femininity with gentleness and passivity might lead to reduced preparation and, ultimately, higher fatality rates.”
Hurricane Disparities and Vulnerability
Hurricanes also disproportionately affect communities of color and the economically disadvantaged. A landmark study found that between 1988 and 2019, nearly 20,000 excess deaths occurred in the aftermath of 179 named storms that struck the US mainland.
The combination of under-resourced communities, systemic vulnerabilities, and storms with intensified power creates a deadly cocktail that disproportionately kills those already at higher risk.
Conclusion
From 2018 to 2024, hurricanes such as Dorian, Laura, Ida, Fiona, Ian, and Otis have devastated communities across North America and the Caribbean, but now the UK and the West of England have their own story of destruction and disruption to contend with — no thanks to Storm Darragh.
Ultimately, the gendered naming of hurricanes adds another layer of complexity to how the public perceives storm danger. Addressing this bias, along with fostering awareness about the increasingly severe risks posed by hurricanes in a warming world, will be critical as we face an era of more frequent and powerful storms.
So, whether a storm is named “Helene” or “Isaac,” it is the preparation and response that determines how communities weather the storm.
