Language

In a backronym, an expansion is invented to treat an existing word as an
acronym. An example is the PERL programming language whose name is now
explained as an acronym of Practical Extraction and Report Language.

When naming, sometimes a suitable name is chosen and then an acronym
is retrofitted on top of it: USA PATRIOT Act (Uniting and Strengthening
America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct
Terrorism). The clunkiness of the expansion is a quick giveaway. How about
forming a backronym for ACRONYM itself: A Contrived Result Of Nomenclature
Yielding Mechanism?

Often, backronyms serve a useful purpose as mnemonics. For example, see
Apgar Score: http://wordsmith.org/words/apgar_score.html

eg. - "Some people think chad is an acronym standing for Card Hole Aggregate
Debris. But Kevin told me about the cyberlegend that chad is a backronym."
Marsha Mercer; Chad Finds New Meaning in Post-election Verbiage;
Richmond Times-Dispatch (Virginia); Nov 19, 2000.

Can you think of any that might fit?

How about TWAIN (scanning term) - Technology Without An Interesting Name.

the vulgar term for coitus might seem to fit with many people believing that the backronym that includes the term "carnal knowledge" is its etymology. not that i've ever HEARD the word used… :)

and for all those FORD owners… there are the many versions of "Fix Or Repair Daily" or "Found On Road Dead"… do THESE qualify???

pooga… you've been around long enough on the net to have maybe played ACROPHOBIA on line… that was ALL about creating backronyms… and a lot of fun. anyone else here a former ACROphobic?

I'm not an ACROphobic, but…

I believe there is a section in the Department of National Defence whose sole purpose is to generate acronyms, which are then handed out to various departments, projects and other applications that require titles. It is up to the people in those sections to come up with a name to fit the issued acronym.