Cyclones were once named after meteorologists' wives, girlfriends

Cyclone Arnab, named by Bangladesh, made landfall in Andhra Pradesh on October 28. However, during World War II, when there was no formal naming system, US meteorologists named hurricanes and cyclones after their wives and girlfriends. Today, World Meteorological Organization (WMO) coordinates cyclone naming, with 13 countries, including India, contributing names for storms in North Indian Ocean.