What's up with the hurricanes?

From:  "David K"

Who actually gives hurricanes their names? Is there some kind of World Meteorological organization that presides over this responsibility? If so, is there just one guy who makes this decision, or is there a committee of people who have to have a meeting and then take a vote on the name? Also, aren't they going to run out of names that begin with the letter "I", for example, or can they keep re-using names from past years?

(side note: it doesn't seem fair that they always start with the letter "A" every year. Since they never seem to get 26 tropical storms in a single year, there will never be a tropical storm Yolanda or Zelda).

Catt responded with this: 

Hurricanes actually get their names before they become a hurricane. The National Weather Service (NWS) has a set list if names before the season begins. When an Atlantic tropical cyclone has winds associated with it that are below 38 mph it is called a "tropical depression". When winds associated with the storm exceed 38 mph, the storm is called a "tropical storm". At this point the storm is given a name, despite not being a hurricane. When winds reach 74 mph, then it is officially a Hurricane. The NWS simply follows an alphabetical list. If the tropical storm does not reach hurricane status, it still maintains it's name, and the next letter is always used for the next storm

KJ gave us this information: 

There really is some kind of committee to name hurricanes. I not exactly sure but I know a group of people set out a list of names to call hurricanes that year. It started back around WWII i think when pilots started naming them after women they knew. Also the names alternate from boy to girl.

Whats a better way to honor your loved one than name a large swirling mass of destruction and mayhem after them.

Catt gave us this website: 

ahh damn here's the website for the names here

Xach gave us this little bit of information: 

Being from a family with a meteorologist in it I can say that there is a International Weather Organization, and it is them that come up with the names not just one person. The they start at A for the simple fact that there are a lot of dumb people out there, and to make there lives easier. Because with a simple glance they can tell how many storms there have been. Instead of having to figure out what letter they started with, then figure out what letter they're on and count from there.
and yes after a while they can use the same name more then once but that will be many years from now.
and as far as the side note I think at one time there was a 'Y' name used.
for the women out there they do alternate from male to female names (also to give more name options)
Finally I know this wasn't asked but I feel the need to share it, they also name Tsunamis