Z

What does "Zulu" mean?

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

History & etymology

The African people; the two-syllable 'oo' vowel pattern is unique among the codewords. Also used for UTC time ('Zulu Time').

How to use it

Say "Zulu" whenever you need to specify the letter Z 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 Z, you might say "Zulu as in Zulu" 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 Z below. For the full 26-letter chart with pronunciation and history, visit the NATO alphabet reference page. Prefer to memorize it? Try our flashcards.