In the beginning Hurricane names were LOCATIONIZED. When/why did the names become feminized then masculinized too?

Hurricanes were officially given names in 1951 (the first name was Able).  However, they dubbed one "George" in 1947 and one "Bess" (after Bess Truman) in 1949.

For at least 150 years, storm names were “fraught with racism and sexism, personal preferences and vendettas".  Their names were borrowed from places and saints, wives and girlfriends, as well as disliked public figures.  Although there was plenty of precedent for naming storms after both women and men, the U.S. decided in the early 1950s to settle on a system that only used female names. It’s not entirely clear why, but the maritime tradition of referring to the ocean as a woman may have played a factor.  Once these storms took on female names, weathermen began talking about them as if they were women. They used sexist clichés to describe their behavior—saying that this one was “temperamental,” or that another was “teasing” or “flirting” with a coastline.  It wouldn't be until 1979 that male names were finally added to the roster of hurricane names.  
Some argued that male-named hurricanes wouldn’t be as feared as ones with female names—which is actually the opposite of how people react to hurricane names today.  

My guess is that a name is more memorable than a place and date. Maybe the weather scientists find it easier to recall the traits of each event when it has a unique name. Maybe that makes it easier for them to discuss and study their topic.

Maybe it's easier for those who live through it too... "I remember when So-And-So hit. I'd only just managed to get to shelter in time, and when I came out... "