X

What does "X-ray" mean?

In the NATO phonetic alphabet, the letter X is represented by the codeword X-ray, pronounced EKS-ray. When spelling over radio, phone, or in person in noisy environments, you say "X-ray" to unambiguously indicate the letter X.

History & etymology

Named for the imaging technology; the 'ray' ending makes it rhyme with nothing else in the alphabet.

How to use it

Say "X-ray" whenever you need to specify the letter X aloud. Common situations: dictating an email address or license plate over the phone, reading a serial number to technical support, making a radio call in aviation or maritime contexts, or simply avoiding the common confusion between similar-sounding letters (B/D/P/T, M/N, F/S).

Example

If your name starts with X, you might say "X-ray as in X-ray" when spelling it out — or use the NATO alphabet for your whole name using our translator.

Neighboring letters

Explore the codewords for the letters before and after X below. For the full 26-letter chart with pronunciation and history, visit the NATO alphabet reference page. Prefer to memorize it? Try our flashcards.