History Main / SdrawkcabAlias

* In ''VideoGame/StarcraftII'', a certain scientist involved with Protoss/Zerg hybrid experimentations is named [[spoiler:Professor Narud]]. If you're any familiar with ''Brood War'''s campaign, try spelling [[spoiler:Samir Duran]]'s backwards. Yep, it's the same [[spoiler:shapeshifter who's been acting as a mole for [[BigBad Amon]] in that game.]] Funnily enough, [[spoiler:Narud]] is its ''true'' name.

-->-- '''[[CaptainObvious Mr. Burns]]''', ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''

* ''Rastan Saga II'' was released outside Japan under the {{Market Based Title}}s ''Nastar'' and ''Nastar Warrior'' ("st" is a diagraph).

* Horace Miner's famous Sociology/Anthropology study "Body Ritual Among the Nacirema" which is meant as a caution of treating other cultures as savage.

* ''Series/CSIMiami'': In "Dispo Day", the mastermind behind the drug heist uses the alias 'Nedir Kire', which is his original name 'Erik Riden' spelled backwards (although he is now going by the name of '[[ThisIsmyNameOnForeign Enirique Rameriz]]'.

* In ''Series/DarkOracle'', Cally's [[spoiler:[[BalefulPolymorph pet frog]], Nemo]], turns out to be the Season 1 BigBad, [[spoiler:Omen]]. Justified in that he was named by someone else, as a joke ([[spoiler:Nemo translated to "nothing"]]).
* In the Danish {{Julekalender}} ''Series/JesusOgJosefine'' the villain introduces himself as [[spoiler: Natas]] at one point.

* In the "Marge vs. the Monorail" episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', Mr. Burns attempts to get his money back by disguising himself with a fake mustache at the town meeting and calling himself "Mr. Snrub" (accompanied by an undisguised Smithers, by the way). The average citizen of Springfield is consistently depicted as not too bright, so it says something about how bad the disguise is that ''no one'' at the town meeting is fooled.

* ''ComicBook/DisneyDucksUniverse'': A Creator/CarlBarks story featured female creatures called "larkies". When disguised as males, they called themselves "eikrals". Each larkie's eikral counterpart has a name that's the larkie's name spelled backwards. For example, the larkie named Agnes became an eikral named Senga.
* ''ComicBook/DisneyMouseAndDuckComics'': In one Mickey Mouse story, Mickey and Goofy must find a hillbilly nicknamed "Turkey Neck". In their search, they find a "Ken Yekrut". Mickey sees through the deception immediately but pretends to be fooled so he can get more information.

* ''ComicBookDisneyDucksUniverse'': A Creator/CarlBarks story featured female creatures called "larkies". When disguised as males, they called themselves "eikrals". Each larkie's eikral counterpart has a name that's the larkie's name spelled backwards. For example, the larkie named Agnes became an eikral named Senga.

* ''Rastan Saga II'' was released outside Japan under the {{Market Based Title}}s ''Nastar'' and ''Nastar Warrior'' ("st" is a diagraph).
* In ''VideoGame/StarcraftII'', a certain scientist involved with Protoss/Zerg hybrid experimentations is named [[spoiler:Professor Narud]]. If you're any familiar with ''Brood War'''s campaign, try spelling [[spoiler:Samir Duran]]'s backwards. Yep, it's the same [[spoiler:shapeshifter who's been acting as a mole for [[BigBad Amon]] in that game.]] Funnily enough, [[spoiler:Narud]] is its ''true'' name.
* One puzzle in ''VideoGame/KingsQuestIQuestForTheCrown'', Rumpelstiltskin gives you a riddle on how his name is spelled. The clue received is to think backwards. You think it's spelled "Nikstlitselpmur", but you have to reverse the alphabet (A becomes Z and so on) which spells the quite unpronounceable "Ifnkovhgroghprm". This was resolved in the remake by making both solutions acceptable.
* ''VideoGame/BarkleyShutUpAndJamGaiden'' has a plot arc centered around [[spoiler: Yelmirb, who is actually Wilford Brimley, who can cure diabetes by absorbing it into himself.]]
* Hector from ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaCurseOfDarkness'' is aided by a priest by the name of Zead. It was easier to tell in the original Japanese, but his name is a phonetic reversal of [[TheGrimReaper Death]].
* ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiSuperstarSaga'' used this trope to hide the word "fatso".
--> '''Skeleton:''' Old Bloat is even more of an "ostaf" than before!... Whuzzat? You dunno what an "ostaf" is??? Sheesh! It's simple! Try spellin' it backwards!
* Tantris of ''VideoGame/AtelierRoronaTheAlchemistOfArland'' does this half-heartedly to hide the fact that [[spoiler:he's the son of the game's main antagonist, Meredith Alcock]]. His real name is [[spoiler:Tristan, and his alias only swaps the syllables of his name]].

* During the "License to Drill" Event in ''VideoGame/DinerDashAdventures'', Flo needs to infiltrate into [=BigCorp=]. When Mr. Big asks who she is, Flo introduces herself as "Olf".

* During his initial appearance in ''WesternAnimation/TotallySpies'', Tim Scam masquerades as Mac Smit. Alex figures it out when she sees his name tag in the mirror, although the letters are not mirror-image reversed.
* In the "Marge vs. the Monorail" episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', Mr. Burns attempts to get his money back by disguising himself with a fake mustache at the town meeting and calling himself "Mr. Snrub" (accompanied by an undisguised Smithers, by the way). The average citizen of Springfield is consistently depicted as not too bright, so it says something about how bad the disguise is that ''no one'' at the town meeting is fooled.
** In one of the ''WesternAnimation/TreehouseOfHorror'' stories, a company named Remoh Industries turns out to be headed by Homer Simpson, who [[EpicFail doesn't notice 'Remoh' is 'Homer' spelled backwards]] until someone points it out.

* Similarly, the AlmightyJanitor Mr. Suez in ''WesternAnimation/ClassOfTheTitans'' is the god Zeus.
* In ''WesternAnimation/ShaggyAndScoobyDooGetAClue'', the BigBad's MadScientist assistant, Dr. Trebla, turns out to be Shaggy's missing Uncle Albert in disguise.

* In an episode of the ''WesternAnimation/SuperFriends'', Superman deduces that a man is a robot in disguise by noticing that his name is "Tobor." He [[ForgotAboutHisPowers could have just used his X-ray vision]], but where's the fun in that?
* ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated'': In "The Secret of the Ghost Rig", Rung Ladderton uses the alias 'G. Nur Notreddal' to hide some of the purchases he made to create his identity as the Ghost Trucker.

* ''Anime/YuGiOh'': In the English dub of the KC Grand Prix arc, Yugi's grandpa disguises himself as a duelist named Apdnarg Otum to enter a tournament (and it's a PaperThinDisguise to boot). (The original version averts this - his alias there is "Mask the Rock".) In the German dub, his alias was Retavßorg Otum for the same reason.

* The GrandFinale of the original ''Manga/LupinIII'' manga series featured the MusicalAssassin [[spoiler: Ataginez. Of course, it's Inspector Zenigata in disguise.]]
* ''Anime/EighthMan'''s secret identity is named Tobor.
* In ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' [[spoiler:Obito disguises himself as "Tobi", which is just his name with the Kanji reversed.]]

* In the Fleetway ''ComicBook/SonicTheComic'' continuity, Dr. Robotnik used to be a friend of Sonic's, a kindly scientist called Dr. [[MeaningfulName Ovi]] Kintobor. In one of the novels, Sonic goes back in time before the transformation occurs, nearly blurting out Robotnik's name at one point before realising that, while Kintobor is a little ditzy at times, he's not stupid.
* He was also called Kintobor in ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics''. ''Julian'' Kintobor, at that. "Julian Kintobor of the House of Ivo", fully. (In ''[[WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM SatAM]]'', he was called "Julian", but no last name was given.) However, it gets confusing considering that there are separate Kintobor and Robotnik families! [[AllThereInTheManual The Official Encyclopedia]] [[{{Retcon}} clears the matter]]: When Julian came to power, he took his father's name (Ivo) and [[SdrawkcabName mother's surname (Robotnik)]].
* One story of the ''Turma da Mônica'' (''ComicBook/MonicasGang'') comics had Monica, Cebolinha/Jimmy Five, and Cascão/Smudge meeting a knight named Rengaw (actually a [=RPG=]-obsessed man living in his very own fantasy world) and getting captured by a dragon. At one point, Cebolinha [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this by saying that Rengaw's name is just "Wagner" backwards, implying that this might be Rengaw's real name.
* An early ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' comic had a criminal masquerading as record shop owner "Old man [[ComicBook/TheJoker Rekoj]]". He has also gone by Dr. J. Reko, [[DepravedDentist DDS]].

* A Creator/CarlBarks story featured female creatures called "larkies". When disguised as males, they called themselves "eikrals". Each larkie's eikral counterpart has a name that's the larkie's name spelled backwards. For example, the larkie named Agnes became an eikral named Senga.
* In one [[ComicBook/DisneyMouseAndDuckComics Disney Comics]] Mickey Mouse story, Mickey and Goofy must find a hillbilly nicknamed "Turkey Neck". In their search, they find a "Ken Yekrut". Mickey sees through the deception immediately but pretends to be fooled so he can get more information.

* In ''ComicBook/TexWiller'', Tex's sworn enemy Mefisto disguises himself as a doctor, calling himself ''Dr. Anatas'', Anatas being ''Satana'' (Italian for Satan) backwards.
* It once took the ComicBook/{{JSA}} an entire issue of ''All-Star Comics'' to realise that evil Professor Elba and kindly Professor Able were one and the same. Not exactly their finest moment.

---> '''Patton''': Gee whiz, don't you see? The name Yobgib spelled backward is BIG BOY!

* In ''ComicStrip/FoxTrot'', Eileen uses the on-line handle 'Sgt. Neelie'.

[[folder:Fanfiction]]

* ''Fanfic/TheNewAdventuresOfInvaderZim'': Near the end of Season 1, when Zim [[spoiler: begins a [[TheStarscream rebellion against the Tallest]]]], he adopts a [[MalevolentMaskedMen masked persona]] that he dubs "Miz". When [[LampshadeHanging called out on how obvious this is]], he counters that [[RefugeInAudacity that's the point, as no one will believe he'd go with something so obvious]]. Judging by the Tallests' reactions in Season 2, he's right.

* For contractual reasons, the Music/{{Melvins}} album ''Prick'' was credited to Snivlem - like the NWA example, the band name appeared in mirrored writing on the cover.
* After vocalist Lynn Strait's death, Snot eventually reformed as Tons.
* The Music/BloodhoundGang's ''One Fierce Beer Coaster'' ends with a short sketch consisting of someone doing a [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Homer Simpson]] impression and [[DontExplainTheJoke explaining the joke of the album title]] - to avoid potential copyright issues, it was titled "Reflections Of Remoh".
* After The Gits' vocalist Mia Zapata's murder, Music/JoanJett joined the remaining members of the band for a benefit concert and an album under the name Evil Stig. Evil Stig is of course "Gits Live" backwards.
* Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun wrote several songs credited to A. Nugetre.
* British PunkRock group The Boys also released material under the name The Yobs, mainly Christmas novelties. "Yob" is a British term for a hooligan, and its etymology is in fact "boy" spelled backwards.
* Pioneering electronic composer Dick Raaijmakers worked for the Philips Natuurkundig Laboratorium ([=NatLab=] for short) early in his career, earning himself the nickname "[=NatLab Dik=]". When he published his first recordings, he decided to use a stage name rather than releasing them under his real name. So the UrExample of SynthPop, "Song of the Second Moon", was attributed to "Kid Baltan".

* The final boss in the NES version of ''[[VideoGame/DoubleDragon Double Dragon III]]'' is an evil sorceress named Queen Noiram, who is revealed to be Marion ([[SpellMyNameWithAnS whose name is usually spelled "Marian" in other games]]) possessed by an evil spirit. In the original arcade and Famicom versions, she was actually Cleopatra.
* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'': Organization XIII operates under names that are {{Significant Anagram}}s with a letter X added in. In Axel's case, it turned out to be a reversal of his original name (Lea) with an X added.

* The syllabic version of this trope is OlderThanPrint: Tristram disguises himself as "Tramtris" in the [[KingArthur Arthurian]] legends.

* He was also called Kintobor in ''ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog''. ''Julian'' Kintobor, at that. "Julian Kintobor of the House of Ivo", fully. (In ''[[WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM SatAM]]'', he was called "Julian", but no last name was given.) However, it gets confusing considering that there are separate Kintobor and Robotnik families! [[AllThereInTheManual The Official Encyclopedia]] [[{{Retcon}} clears the matter]]: When Julian came to power, he took his father's name (Ivo) and [[SdrawkcabName mother's surname (Robotnik)]].

* In ''FanFic/AlvanAnTheChipmunks3TheSecondSqueakuel'', Ian Hawk disguises himself as a chipmunk called "Kwah Nai". The chipmunks don't catch on until it's too late.

* ''Anime/YuGiOh'': In the English dub of the KC Grand Prix arc, Yugi's grandpa disguises himself as a duelist named Apnarg Otum to enter a tournament. (The original version averts this - his alias there is "Mask the Rock".) In the German dub, his alias was Retavßorg Otum for the same reason.

* Though ''VideoGame/StarcraftII'' has only just begun its "trilogy", WildMassGuessing has already pegged a certain [[spoiler:Professor Narud]] as being an important character from the previous game who was conspicuously absent in this one. WordOfGod has since confirmed this.

* It once took the ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica an issue to realise that evil Professor Elba and kindly Professor Able were one and the same. Not exactly their finest moment.

* He was also called Kintobor in ''ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog''. ''Julian'' Kintobor, at that. "Julian Kintobor of the House of Ivo", fully. (In ''[[WesternAnimation/SonicSatAM SatAM]]'', he was called "Julian", but no last name was given.) However, it gets confusing considering that there are separate Kintobor and Robotnik families! [[AllThereInTheManual The Official Encyclopedia]] [[{{Retcon}} clears the matter]]: When Julian came to power, he took his father's name (Ivo) and [[SdrawkcabName mother's surname (Robotnik)]].

* There is a famous Sociology/Anthropology study of the "Nacirema" which is meant as a caution of treating other cultures as savage.

When Dracula does this, see {{Alucard}}. For other ways to make a quick alias, try CharacterNameAlias, LineOfSightName or SueDonym.

** Early in ''Discworld/ThiefOfTime'', a very punctual milkman by the name of Ronnie Soak is introduced as a minor character. However, once the plot truly gets underway, his true nature is revealed: he is Kaos, the fifth Horseman of the Apocralypse (not a typo), who [[Music/TheBeatles left before the other four became famous]]. Pratchett himself had not planned it that way, at least consciously. The story goes he'd planned for him to be the fifth horseman, but hadn't figured out what he would be until he looked at the name in the mirror.
** ''Discworld/{{Hogfather}}'':

** ''Discworld/CarpeJugulum'': The narration describes vampires' apparent inability to compensate for their well-known weaknesses, and at one point says "Do they really think spelling their name backwards is going to fool anyone?"
** In ''Discworld/{{Thud}}'', the Ankh-Morpork City Watch's new vampire recruit Salacia sends a "clacks" (a sort of [[PunkPunk clock-punk]] version of a telegram) using the alias "Aicalas". The normally practical and intelligent vampire Salacia von Humpeding suffers from the curse of her kind: the deep and abiding conviction that ''[[{{Alucard}} no one will recognise your name if you spell it backwards]]''. Of course, Vimes instantly sees through that, mentioning it as one of the vampires' lesser-known failings.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheEmperorsNewSchool'', Yzma's alias while masquerading as the principal of Kuzco U. is Amzy. Of course, no-one falls for her PaperThinDisguise except for Kronk, the only one who's ''supposed'' to know. Though this is {{subverted|Trope}} in the finale when Kronk admits he figured out "[[MediumAwareness about three episodes back]]" and proceeds to [[LampshadeHanging point out everything that made it obvious]] while admitting he'd been [[ObfuscatingStupidity pretending to remain ignorant]] since the realization.

* A variation on ''{{Series/CSINY}}'': Stella's psycho ex-boyfriend named a sculpture he made for her the Aresanob, which was her last name, Bonasera, spelled backward. He then uploaded a sex tape to Aresanob.com shortly after.