Xenia, Yvonne & Zelda

In George R. Stewart's 1941 novel, Storm, a young meteorologist named the low-pressure areas on his map after girls (the stormiest: Maria). The U.S. Weather Bureau has since tagged feminine names on hurricanes. This year, to avoid repeating the names of three memorable 1954 hurricanes (Carol, Edna and Hazel), the bureau decided on a new list of names.

"People may think it's an easy job," said Norman Hagen, a bureau planning official, "but it isn't." He could not use names of states (Georgia) or cities (Charlotte, Myrtle) or months (May. June), or names indicating weather (Gail) or time of day (Dawn. Eve).

Last week, after consulting several handbooks (including What Shall We Name the Baby?), Hogan and helpers put out the new 1955 list of hurricane names: Alice, Brenda, Connie. Diane. Edith. Flora, Gladys, Hilda, lone, Janet, Katie, Linda, Martha, Nelly, Orva, Peggy, Queena. Rosa, Stella, Trudy, Ursa, Verna, Wilma, Xenia, Yvonne and Zelda. Only holdover: Alice, used because an out-of-season hurricane arrived before its name was chosen.

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