The NATO Military Alphabet Quiz

"Alpha" represents the beginning of many things, including the first letter of the Greek alphabet. It is also mentioned in the Bible, as the "Alpha and Omega," the beginning and the end.

The word "bravo" is often used to bestow praise upon someone or something. The NATO alphabet uses it to represent the letter "B." During World War II, the word used for "B" was actually "baker."

Most of us recognize the word "Charlie" as a man's name, typically a shortened version of the more formal name, Charles. Before "Charlie," the NATO alphabet turned to the word "cast," but changed it before the start of World War II.

Most everyone has heard of Delta Airlines, but did you know the word "delta" is also useful in the NATO alphabet? Prior to "delta," the alphabet made use of the word "dog." Nothing like a little puppy love from the military!

Thanks to your voice traveling at the speed of sound all the way to the canyon's bottom and back up again, you'll be able to hear whatever you said delivered to you in the form of an echo. It is the NATO alphabet's fifth letter, taking the place of the previously-used "easy."

When the military uses the word "foxtrot," they're not talking about dancing (most likely), but it is a type of dance made up of long, graceful moves. The word "trot" was added to the word "fox" that was used before the current iteration.

Fore! You can go play golf, talking about golf or use the word "golf" to convey the letter "G" when speaking in the military language. It wasn't always "golf," though. The military used the name "George" for a while, too.

Have ... Hypo ... How ... Hotel? No, it's not a weird coded message; it's all of the words that start with "H" that have represented part of the military alphabet. One thing seems clear: The body that comes up with these words can't make up their mind on "H!"

Travel with us to India, the word that represents the letter "I" in the military alphabet. India's capital is, indeed, New Delhi, but the military is far more concerned with the word's use in their alphabet. It's certainly less of a mouthful than a previous choice: Interrogatory!

Though he spelled it "Romeo and Juliet," Shakespeare knew what was up! The military started using the word "Juliett" following World War II; before, the word to represent "J" in the alphabet was "jig."

You may associate the term "kilo" with a unit of measurement, like kilogram or kilometer, but it has special significance for the armed forces who use it as their "K." Before they called it "kilo," the word for "K" was more royal — "king."

Lima, Peru ... Lima beans ... or "lima" as the military "L." The word "lima" connects all of these vastly different things. Maybe they thought the previous word, "love," was a bit too romantic?

Though the sound amplifier is technically called a microphone and, yes, it most commonly abbreviated as a "mic," we think it's close enough. Of course, the word "Mike" is also a popular man's name ... and a popular alphabet choice. It is the longstanding representation of the letter "M" for the NATO alphabet.

November is the 11th month of the year, the prelude to the Christmas season and the word the military uses for the letter "N." Previously, "N" has been associated with the words nan, negative and negat.

"Oscar" might be one of the more well-known letters of the military alphabet, and it's undoubtedly famous in Hollywood, but for other reasons — The Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars. The military has also used the words "oboe" and "option" in history.

"Papa" is another word for father, used primarily by children, it seems. It is also the word for the letter "P" in the NATO alphabet, coming after previous attempts with "pup," "preparatory" and "prep."

Quebec is a province located in the eastern part of Canada and is also the quirky "Q" in military communication. It wasn't always the first choice, though. Other words like "queen" and "quack" were tried out before "Quebec."

Apparently, the military has a secret love affair with "Romeo and Juliet" since it uses both terms in its alphabet. They've also used "Rush" and "Roger," but we don't think either flows as nicely with Juliet(t).

Military, meet the Sierra Nevada Mountains. "Sierra," meet the military. This is the current representation of the letter "S," though previous S-words have included "sail" and "sugar."

It takes two to tango or, in this case, a few hundred thousand NATO military members who use the word "tango" in place of the letter "T." It's their first tango with, well, "tango," previously using only the word "tare."

Creating a uniform language for all military members was part of the reason this alphabet was created, so it's only fitting that the letter "U" is represented by the word "uniform." They've also used the word "unit" and "uncle."

The saying, "To the victor go the spoils," is a phrase that means the winner gains the prize. The military's use of the word "victor" has been in place since the late 1930s when it replaced the word "vice."

Whiskey, if that's your thing, is a dark liquor made from fermented grain mash. Jack Daniels is a popular brand. It is used as the military's "W," replacing previous selections including "watch" and "William."

When you go hunting for words that begin with "X," you'll find your options are pretty small. The body that created this alphabet, then, settled on the word "X-ray" and have not veered from it since.

From The New York Yankees and the military's "Y" to a disparaging term Southerners sometimes use for Northerners, the word "Yankee" has found its place in multiples places in American society. It replaced the use of the word "yoke" in the NATO alphabet.

The Zulu people are the biggest ethnic group in South Africa, and their name has also become a part of the military's language. It serves to represent the letter "Z," replacing previous choices that included "zed" and "zebra."