How Cyclone Biporjoy Got its Name: Insights and Meaning

Bhubaneswar: Cyclone Biporjoy which has been causing significant damage along the western coast of India and extending towards coastal areas of Pakistan received its name from scholars in Bangladesh. In Bengali, Biporjoy translates to “disaster” or “calamity.”

Cyclones are given unique and recognizable names to aid in identification, replacing the previous latitude-longitude numbering system. The responsibility for naming cyclones in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea lies with the RSMC New Delhi Tropical Cyclone Center.

The practice of naming storms initially began arbitrarily but later adopted the use of feminine names for storms. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) introduced a system of alternating men’s and women’s names. There are six rotating lists of names, with the 2019 list set to be reused in 2025.

However, exceptionally devastating or costly storms may result in the retirement of a name by the WMO, with a replacement name chosen.

The decision of assigning names to cyclones in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea was made during the 27th Session of the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones in 2000, with participation from various countries, including Bangladesh, India, Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, and others, who collectively determine the names on a rotational basis.