Cyclone Arnab: Who Named It and How the North Indian Ocean Naming System Works

Newspoint
Cyclone Arnab is named under the official system used to identify tropical cyclones developing over the North Indian Ocean. Bangladesh proposed the name, which appears on the list adopted in April 2020 by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Panel on Tropical Cyclones.
Cyclone Arnab


The naming system covers cyclones over the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, with names contributed by 13 countries in the region.

Bangladesh Proposed the Name Arnab

The name Arnab was submitted by Bangladesh for inclusion in the official list of tropical cyclone names. The list was adopted in April 2020 and is used for tropical cyclones that develop over the North Indian Ocean.


Arnab is commonly associated with the Bengali word for the ocean or sea. However, the official naming list published by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) identifies Bangladesh as the country that proposed the name and provides its pronunciation, but does not specify its meaning.

How the Official Cyclone Naming List Was Created

The official list contains names submitted by 13 countries: Bangladesh, India, Iran, the Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

You may also like



Each country contributed 13 names, taking the total to 169. These names are used in sequence as tropical cyclones form over the North Indian Ocean, which includes the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.

The system provides a common set of names for identifying individual weather systems across the region. Cyclone Arnab is one of the names included in this arrangement.

Why Are Tropical Cyclones Given Names?

According to the IMD, naming tropical cyclones makes it easier for people to identify and follow individual storms. A recognised name also helps meteorological agencies and authorities communicate weather information more clearly.

Names are particularly useful when multiple cyclones occur at the same time. They help reduce confusion by making it clear which weather system is being discussed in forecasts, warnings and public advisories.


A distinct name can also make cyclone alerts easier to remember and communicate. This helps the public follow updates about a particular storm as it develops and moves across the region.

The naming system therefore serves a practical purpose beyond simply assigning labels to weather systems. It provides a consistent way for authorities and the public to refer to individual tropical cyclones across the North Indian Ocean.

Loving Newspoint? Download the app now
Newspoint