Your distinction around hurricane vs typhoon is off. Typhoon is the name in the pacific west of 180 degrees longitude (in the jurisdiction of the JMA), hurricane is the name in the pacific east of 180 degrees, or in the atlantic (jurisdiction of the NHC). In the south pacific and indian ocean, they are called cyclones instead, so there's really three names. The difference in naming is simply because the organization responsible for reporting on them is going to use the name most familiar to it's country of origin.

Also, prairie and steppe are subtly different, though if it weren't for historic reasons they might be named the same. A prairie is more moist and has more vegetation as a result, and can support more trees and general flora/fauna.