You may know that the word in El Niño means “the little boy” and the word La Niña means “the little girl” in Spanish. If not, you have just learned two new words.

El Niño, Spanish for little boy or Christ child, was so named because the phenomenon was first noticed in the 1600s by South American fisherman around the Christmas season.

In 2025, another phenomenon known as La Niña (Spanish for "the girl") could emerge to slightly cool global temperatures, meaning it looks unlikely that the 2024 temperature record will be broken ...

In 2025, another phenomenon known as La Niña (Spanish for "the girl") could emerge to slightly cool global temperatures, meaning it looks unlikely that the 2024 temperature record will be broken ...