What names have been picked for the upcoming storm season?

The Met Office has revealed its list of storm names to be used over the upcoming storm season, many of which have unique or random origins.

Every year, tens of thousands of names are submitted to the weather service for consideration, with many holding personal meaning for those who submitted them.

Storm names are selected jointly by the Met Office, Met Éireann and KNMI, with the final list designed to reflect communities across the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands.

This year, names have been inspired by Shaun the Sheep, a destructive puppy, a strong mother and a storm-predicting cat.

Chloe was nominated 130 times, including by the mother of a five-year-old weather enthusiast.

Chloe’s mum says her daughter is “fascinated by the weather” and can also “create a storm by herself” when she is tired.

Finn was selected, honouring a two-year-old boy described by his family as “wild and a force to be reckoned with”, while Ivy was put forward for a nine-month-old Labrador puppy lovingly known as “the absolute destructor”. 

Nicola was a tribute to a mother who has “weathered many a storm and only come out stronger”, and Theo was inspired by a cat who would hide before thunderstorms.

There has also been a special addition to honour a much-loved television show – Shaun the Sheep – chosen via a public vote.

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To mark its 90th anniversary, Met Éireann, the Irish meteorological service, selected names that celebrate figures from its history, including Austen, in honour of Austen Nagle, its first director and Evelyn Murphy, the first woman to present the weather on the RTÉ broadcaster.

Dutch national meteorological service KNMI also submitted names including Boelo, Gwendolyn and Vesna.

Storm seasons vary from year to year, with some being very active, like the 2023/24 season, which had 12 named storms, all the way to Storm Lilian.

Other seasons see very little action, such as the 2025/26 season, which only got to D for Storm Dave.

The Met Office affirms that storm naming continues to help raise awareness of safety during severe weather.

Following Storm Goretti in January 2026, a survey found that 93% of the people within the amber warning area were aware of the warnings, while 88% took action.

Here is the 2026/27 storm list announced by the Met Office

• Austen (Met Éireann) 
• Boelo (Boo-loh) (KNMI) 
• Chloe (Met Office) 
• Dano (Dah-noh) (KNMI) 
• Evelyn (Met Éireann) 
• Finn (Met Office) 
• Gwendolyn (Gwen-duh-lin) (KNMI) 
• Heather (Met Éireann) 
• Ivy (Met Office) 
• Jade (KNMI) 
• Kilian (Met Éireann) 
• Laoise (Lee-sha) (Met Éireann) 
• Miriam (Met Éireann) 
• Nicola (Met Office) 
• Olaf (KNMI) 
• Phelim (Fay-lim) (Met Éireann) 
• Ruban (Met Office) 
• Shaun (Met Office) 
• Theo (Met Office) 
• Vesna (Vehs-nuh) (KNMI) 
• Wende (Vhen-duh) (KNMI) 

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