The Met Office has announced the storm names that will be used during the 2026/27 season, following more than 40,000 suggestions from members of the public.
The new list includes names inspired by children, pets, families and meteorological history, as well as Shaun the Sheep, which was selected through a public vote held in collaboration with Aardman.
Storm naming was introduced in 2015 to provide a clear and consistent way of communicating severe weather forecasts and warnings when significant impacts are expected.
Met Office Head of Warnings and Guidance Holly Clements said: “For more than a decade, storm naming has helped us communicate the risks from severe weather more effectively.
“A named storm provides a clear focus for forecasts and warnings, helping more people understand the potential impacts and take action to protect themselves, their families and their property.”
The first three names on the new list are Austen, Boelo and Chloe.
Chloe was chosen after being nominated more than 130 times. One nomination came from the mother of a five-year-old weather enthusiast who said her daughter was fascinated by the weather and could also “create a storm by herself” when tired.
Finn was suggested for a two-year-old described by his family as “wild and a force to be reckoned with”, while Ivy was nominated in honour of a nine-month-old Labrador puppy known as “the absolute destructor”.
Nicola was proposed as a tribute to a mother who had “weathered many a storm and only come out stronger”. Theo was inspired by a cat that would hide before thunderstorms, leading its owner to joke that it could predict the weather.
Other names recognise figures from the history of meteorology.
Met Éireann selected Austen in honour of Austen Nagle, the first director of the Irish Meteorological Service. Evelyn recognises Evelyn Murphy, the first woman to present the weather on Irish broadcaster RTÉ.
The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, KNMI, chose names from more than 3,000 public suggestions. They include Boelo, a name from the East Groningen region which is now close to disappearing and has been passed through one family for generations.
Shaun was selected by the public following a vote organised through a collaboration between the Met Office and Aardman. The initiative was intended to help explain why storms are named and how weather warnings can help communities prepare.
The Met Office said surveys conducted after Storm Goretti in January 2026 found that 93% of people within the amber warning area knew about the warnings. Of those, 88% took action, including staying at home, avoiding driving or shopping earlier.
The 2026/27 storm names
- Austen – Met Éireann
- Boelo – pronounced Boo-loh – KNMI
- Chloe – Met Office
- Dano – pronounced Dah-noh – KNMI
- Evelyn – Met Éireann
- Finn – Met Office
- Gwendolyn – pronounced Gwen-duh-lin – KNMI
- Heather – Met Éireann
- Ivy – Met Office
- Jade – KNMI
- Kilian – Met Éireann
- Laoise – pronounced Lee-sha – Met Éireann
- Miriam – Met Éireann
- Nicola – Met Office
- Olaf – KNMI
- Phelim – pronounced Fay-lim – Met Éireann
- Ruban – Met Office
- Shaun – Met Office
- Theo – Met Office
- Vesna – pronounced Vehs-nuh – KNMI
- Wende – pronounced Vhen-duh – KNMI
As in previous years, the list contains 21 names, with some letters excluded in line with international storm-naming conventions.
The names are selected jointly by the Met Office, Met Éireann and KNMI to reflect communities across the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands.
Factors considered include whether a name is difficult to pronounce, has different meanings between countries, is associated with a significant public figure or could be considered controversial.
