In these days of being online all the time and communicating over audio meetings etc. we often encounter clarifying what letter we mean we speaking out a reference number, code etc.

I just wonder if people bother to use the NATO phonetic alphabet

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_phonetic_alphabet

or just use whatever word come to mind.

I do see there is a thread in this forum todays Whiskey Tango Foxtrot moment. And of course Oscar Mike George

Back in the day when I  used to have to recite hex addresses over the phone (!) I used to use

able, baker, charlie delta easy fox for the hex digits

Now that would be

alfa, bravo, charlie, delta, echo foxtrot

But when talking to a customer support rep I will often say apple, boy, charlie, dog  so not to sound too nerdy :-(