Naming Storms
Sep. 20th, 2018 11:27 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
poliphiloThe storm that is currently blowing itself out over the British Isles is called Ali.
I understand the Met Office has a list of acceptable names- drawn up with help from the public.
How long will it take to run through it? It can't be inexhaustible- though it must run into many thousands. Or must it? How many personal names are recognised as such in the English-speaking world? And how many of those would be fit for meteorological purpose? Exotic one-off coinages like "Leaf"and "River" (I'm thinking of the Phoenix family) are presumably ruled out. Storm Leaf sounds silly anyway- though I suppose storm Leif (which sounds the same) would be fine. I imagine Storm Storm isn't going to happen- and the same probably goes for other weather-related names like Rain/Raine. Fifi is a proper name but will there ever be a Storm Fifi? I doubt it. Or, for that matter, a Storm Algernon. Effete sounding names are surely out (unless whoever does the naming has a sense of humour.) I don't think there'll ever be a Storm Mohammed. Or a Storm Jesus. Other names might be considered politically sensitive; Storm Vladimir is probably one to be avoided for the time being. Also Storm Donald- because you really don't want to do anything to inflate certain people's already enormous egos.
Names for the season are released in advance but I don't think the full list has ever been published- and if it has I'm not sure I want to see it- because, you know- spoilers....
I understand the Met Office has a list of acceptable names- drawn up with help from the public.
How long will it take to run through it? It can't be inexhaustible- though it must run into many thousands. Or must it? How many personal names are recognised as such in the English-speaking world? And how many of those would be fit for meteorological purpose? Exotic one-off coinages like "Leaf"and "River" (I'm thinking of the Phoenix family) are presumably ruled out. Storm Leaf sounds silly anyway- though I suppose storm Leif (which sounds the same) would be fine. I imagine Storm Storm isn't going to happen- and the same probably goes for other weather-related names like Rain/Raine. Fifi is a proper name but will there ever be a Storm Fifi? I doubt it. Or, for that matter, a Storm Algernon. Effete sounding names are surely out (unless whoever does the naming has a sense of humour.) I don't think there'll ever be a Storm Mohammed. Or a Storm Jesus. Other names might be considered politically sensitive; Storm Vladimir is probably one to be avoided for the time being. Also Storm Donald- because you really don't want to do anything to inflate certain people's already enormous egos.
Names for the season are released in advance but I don't think the full list has ever been published- and if it has I'm not sure I want to see it- because, you know- spoilers....
no subject
Date: 2018-09-20 08:11 pm (UTC)