By Jack Gramenz in Sydney

Tropical Cyclone Zelia may have dissipated but it won’t be the last to threaten Australia’s coastline – and the next one has forced a name change before it even forms.

Zelia, which crossed the West Australian coast on Friday, brought the Bureau of Meteorology to the end of an alphabetical list that alternates by gender, with the next cyclone due to be named Anthony.

But as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese currently occupies The Lodge, the decision was made to jump to the next A-initial name on the list Australia’s next cyclone, due to be given the same name as the nation’s leader, will get a new title but a more complicated choice might loom before long – Alfred.

“When a name matches a prominent person of the time, we reorder to the next name starting with that same letter to avoid any confusion,” a bureau spokesman told AAP on Monday.

The change to the bureau’s list took place earlier in February.

Australia will vote within months on whether Mr Albanese continues to lead the nation, with polls indicating Opposition Leader Peter Dutton could restore the Liberal-National coalition to power.

If Mr Dutton is successful, it could pose a similar, albeit less clear-cut, problem for the bureau 16 cyclones on from now.

The next P-named cyclone is Peta, a traditionally feminine spelling of the nonetheless identically pronounced name.

The bureau did not respond when asked about that one, but with an average of 11 cyclones forming in the nation each season, it might have to make a decision before long.

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