Backwords and
Semordnilaps
Here, for your reading pleasure, are a few backwords that I've discovered during my many years
of research. I hope you like them. Notice that many towns were named using backward formations. A curious phenomenon.
Backwords go by the technical name of
semordnilap (derived by reversing the spelling of palindromes).
Akimac Press Camika Spencer's name for her self-publishing book company.
Aneres Clothing brand name designed by Serena Williams (her name spelled backwards).
Arin Name given to a zebra born soon after the NIRA (National Industrial Recovery Act) was signed.
Aksarben Racetrack in Nebraska.
Cleo, Oregon Named after the Oregon Export Lumber Company (OELC spelled backwards).
Denlin, California Originally named Linden after local landowners but later
they reversed the letters to avoid confusion with another town named Linden.
dnL A drink from 7 Up. 7up flipped upside down (not exactly a backword, but certainly interesting).
Egnar, Colorado Named after a mountain range.
Ekal, Florida Named after a lake.
Enola, Nebraska Named after the founder, T.J. Malone.
Enola, South Carolina Originally named Alone.
Enola Hill, Oregon Alone spelled backwards.
Erehwon A book by Samuel Butler (nowhere spelled backwards).
Mirror of Erised In the Harry Potter books, the enchanted Mirror of Erised (desire
spelled backwards) reveals the deepest desire of the person seeing himself in the mirror.
Essiac A secret herbal formula used by Rene Caisse to cure people of cancer.
Etlah, Missouri Named after the German word for stop (halte).
Fun-N-Nuf Bookmarks.
Garus, California A sugar beet growing area named after its main crop.
Gnab Where an explosion goes bang, an implosion goes gnab.
Gnip A social media ping server.
Harry Greb This middleweight boxing champ (1923 to 1926) changed his name from Harry Berg to avoid
the anti-Semitic feelings of boxing fans.
Harpo The production company of Oprah Winfrey.
klim Dried milk.
Lebam, Washington Named after the town namer's daughter, Mabel.
Leinad Zeraus Daniel Suarez is the
pseudonymous author of the technothriller Daemon.
Leon Day This day, celebrated on June 25th (the midyear opposite of Christmas), was
originated by a disk jockey named Leon. But note the intentional backword of Noel.
Levan Utah town that got its name from
navel (because it is in the middle of the state).
llareggub In Yorkshire, it is a common custom to answer llareggub when asked questions such
as, What are you doing? Bugger all, of course, is another common Yorkshire expression.
Lorac cosmetics Created by Carol Shaw.
mho A unit of conductance (reciprocal of ohm).
morp An alternative prom (Malcolm in the Middle).
Muroc, California Named after two homesteaders named Corum.
Nagrom, Washington Named after a local lumberman, E.G. Morgan.
Naidni, Vermont Named after an Indian.
Namorf, Oregon Named after George Froman, a local resident.
Namyats A bidding convention in the
game of bridge that was developed by Samuel Stayman (who also developed the Stayman convention).
Nehwon A fantasy world where Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser made their home (in the stories by Fritz Leiber).
Nevaeh Heaven spelled backwords, this
was a popular name for girls at one time.
nez Wayne Dyer's term for a no-limit person (no erroneous zones), but also happens to be the
opposite of zen. A coincidence?
Nibroc Festival Held every year in Corbin, Kentucky.
Nivloc, Nevada Named after the Colvin family.
Nolem, Florida Named after a major crop, melons.
Notla, Texas Named after Alton Grocery, which operated a store on this site in 1890.
Ocapos, Arizona Named by reversing the first two letters of the three words of the Southern Pacific Company.
Ograbme In 1808, the Federalists political party used this word as part of its campaign
slogan, O This Cursed Ograbme (embargo spelled backwards). The Federalists lost that year.
Ooragnak Chief Thunderhead on The Howdy Doody Show was chief of this tribe (kangaroo
spelled backwards).
Orestod, Colorado Named after the town of Dotsero, which was at the other end of the railroad line.
Oriac Design A U.S. catalog published by German cataloger Cairo.
Oslek In a 2008 fantasy episode of the
TV comedy Scrubs, the character of Kelso plays the dark lord Oslek.
otnemem.com Website for the movie Memento, a mystery that unfolds backward.
pediddel A car with only one working headlight.
leddidep A car with only one working taillight.
rafos Long-range navigation system (sofar = sound fixing and ranging).
Red Om Actress Julia Roberts's production company, named after her husband Danny Moder.
Reklaw, Texas Named after Margaret C. Walker, owner of the town site.
Remlap, Alabama Named after the Palmer family farm.
Remlap Publishing Joe Palmer is the founder of this Los Angeles book publisher.
Remlig, Texas Named after Alexander Gilmer, a local lumberman.
Retlaw, Oklahoma Named after H. L. Walter, an official with the Southern Pacific Company.
Retlaw The first company founded by
Walt Disney (spelling his first name of Walter backwards).
Retsil, Washington Named in honor of Gov. Ernest Lister.
Retsof, New York Named after a man named Foster.
Revillo, South Dakota Named after J. S. Oliver, a local railroad man.
Rolyat Town in Oregon, founded by a man named Taylor.
Sacul, Texas Named after John Lucas, an early settler.
scimonoce Used in a headline about the downside of downsizing (economics spelled backward).
Seni-Om-Sed A festival held annually in
Des Moines, Iowa, in the late 1800's and early 1900's. It was revived for a
while in the 1980's, but it is no longer held today.
Senoj Lake, Oregon Named after someone named Jones.
Setag, Texas Named after a local plant manager named Gates.
Skoob Books Bookstore in Old Town, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.
The Land of Smaerd Dreams
spelled backwords, this is a children's book by Andrea von Botefuhr and Angela
Russell.
Smiktaw, California Named after W.F. Watkins, an 1850's journalist, who often used the reverse
spelling of his last name as a pseudonym.
Strebor Books Founded by Zane Roberts (maiden name), this publishing company took its name
from the backward spelling of her maiden name.
suber Rebus.
Tesnus, Texas Named after the great sunsets.
Ti, Oklahoma Named after the Indian Territory.
Trazom Effect The reverse of the Mozart Effect. Where listening to Mozart has been found to
increase intelligence, the Trazom effect describes those things which will probably lower intelligence such as sitting in on a Jerry
Springer show, listening to heavy metal music, or attending cigar bars.
Trebor mints English mints named after some man named Robert.
Trevlac, Indiana Founded by a man named Calvert.
Xobni A software program to help you
organize your Microsoft Outlook inbox (inbox spelled backward).
Yawbus Subway spelled backward; the name Oscar gave to a dog born on a subway (The Odd Couple TV show).
Stanley Yelnats Main character in the bestselling children's book and movie, Holes, by Louis Sachar.
Yensid The Sorcerer's name In Disney's
cartoon movie Fantasia (Disney spelled backwards).
Yesmar, Alabama Named after Erskine Ramsey, a coal operator.
Yeva Corporation The publishing corporation for romance novelist Mechelle Avery.
Yewed, Oklahoma Named after Admiral George Dewey, hero of the Spanish-American War.
yob British slang for male delinquent or rowdy boy.
Yreka Bakery A bakery in Yreka,
California. Now closed. In the same location is now the gallery listed below.
Yrella Gallery An art gallery in Yreka,
California.
Extra Tidbits . . .
It's no accident that stressed spelled backwards is desserts.
aibohphobia The fear of palindromes (words spelled the same both forwards and backwards).
sideburns Named after Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside.
