The Track of Typhoon Wutip. (PHOTO: Shenzhen Typhoon)

Latest meteorological data shows that, as of 7 am on June 12, Typhoon Wutip was located about 205 kilometers southeast of Sanya City in Hainan Province. Wutip is expected to make landfall along Hainan's south coast somewhere between Lingshui and Ledong in the early hours of June 13, by which time it is predicted to have intensified into a severe tropical storm.

For something as fierce as a typhoon, it certainly has a cute name. Where do these quirky monikers come from? In the case of Wutip (which means 'butterfly' in China's Cantonese language), it was selected from the 2025 list of names for tropical cyclones adopted by the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee for the Northwest Pacific and the South China Sea. The name itself was submitted by China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR).

To help people prepare for and address disasters brought about tropical cyclones and strengthen regional international cooperation, the 30th annual meeting of the World Meteorological Organization's Typhoon Committee, held in China's Hong Kong SAR, from November 25 to December 1, 1997, decided that tropical cyclones in the Northwest Pacific and South China Sea would be named using names submitted by member countries (regions) themselves. This system was officially implemented on January 1, 2000.

The typhoon naming list consists of 140 names, with each of the 14 members contributing 10 names. The vast variety of languages and cultures across the region results in a broad palette of names with fascinating origins. 

Japan favors the names of constellations, like Koto (Lyra), Yagi (Capricorn), and Koinu (Canis Minor), while the Chinese mainland prefers mythological figures, including Wukong (of Journey to the West fame), Haishen (Poseidon), and Mulan. China's Macao SAR, on the other hand, primarily uses names of animals and plants, including Wutip (Butterfly), Peilou (Spoonbill), and Muifa (Plum Blossom).

The names on the list are not fixed and are updated annually. When a typhoon causes extensive destruction or casualties and gains widespread infamy, its name is removed from the list to prevent confusion with subsequent typhoons that may otherwise have taken the same name. The original contributing country or region is then required to submit a new replacement name.