Cyclone Arnab in Andhra Pradesh, Biparjoy in Gujarat and Remal in the Northeast have brought attention to how cyclones are named. The names are not chosen when a storm forms. They come from an approved list contributed by countries in the region. Cyclone Arnab’s name was contributed by Bangladesh. It is pronounced “Ornab” and is commonly associated with the Bengali word for ocean or sea. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) lists 169 cyclone names contributed by 13 countries, including India, Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, Pakistan and Qatar. The list was adopted in April 2020, with each country contributing 13 names. A cyclone receives a name when wind speeds reach at least 34 knots, or around 62 kilometres per hour, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). The names also have meanings. Biparjoy means disaster, Remal means sand, and Dana refers to a large, precious pearl. Once a name is used for a cyclone in the North Indian Ocean, it cannot be used again. The naming system helps meteorologists, authorities and the public identify storms and communicate warnings without confusion. The country that contributes a name does not necessarily have to be the country affected by the cyclone.