Spoken Alphabets

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Vivian Cook

For various military or police purposes it may be necessary to spell crucial words, call-signs or locations out aloud letter-by-letter in an unambiguous way over the radio or phone, etc. Two main variants are the widely-used so-called 'NATO' alphabet, and the Names alphabet. 

  'NATO' alphabet  Names alphabet

A

Alpha

Andrew

B

Bravo

Benjamin

C

Charlie

Charles

D

Delta

David

E

Echo

Edward

F

Foxtrot

Frederick

G

Golf

George

H

Hotel

Harry

I

India

Isaac

J

Juliet

Jack

K

Kilo

king

L

Lima

Lucy

M

Mike

Mary

N

November

Nellie

O

Oscar

Oliver

P

papa

Peter

Q

Quebec

Queenie

R

Romeo

Robert

S

Sierra

Sugar

T

Tango

Tommy

U

unifrom

Uncle

V

Victor

Victor

W

Whisky

William

X

X-ray

Xmas

Y

Yankee

Yellow

Z

Zulu

Zebra