Why are hurricanes given names?

Question

Why every 5 or 6 years the same names are used again?

Answer 1

Names make them easier to recall...   gives them a personality over what a number would do...

Answer 2

To help us identify storms and track them as they move across the ocean. Remember, there can be more than one hurricane at a time and without naming them, we could get confused about which storm we're talking about.

Answer 3

Hurricane information is needed by ships at sea as well as by people on land.  Radio communication requires efficient and understandable conventions.  Hurricanes used to be identified by lat/long location, which has several problems.  

The World Meteorological Association (I think) manages a list of six years of names, that are reused except that names of particularly damaging storms are retired and replaced.

Answer 4

Names are chosen that are not misunderstood and cannot be confused with any other nautical terms or names, primarily in warning ships at sea.

Answer 5

It's easier to keep track of them by a name, rather than say, storm #38, etc.

The names are recycled but you won't see certain names repeat, such as Katrina, because of the devastation of that storm.