The Top 10: Acronyms you may not have realised were acronyms

From Aga to Zip code: words that were made from the initial letters of other words

Radar dish at Douvres-la-Délivrande, Calvados, France

Dan Fox suggested this list, offering the first two. I have done a Top 10 Abbreviations and a Top 10 Backronyms (artificial acronyms invented to fit an existing word, such as Ash, Action on Smoking and Health). But here are some that you may not have realised were acronyms.

1. Pakistan. Coined in 1933 for Punjab, Afghan (North-West Frontier) Province, Kashmir, Sindh and Baluchistan. Strictly a backronym, retrofitted to the Urdu for “Land of the Pure”.

2. Gulag. Russian: G[lavnoe] u[pravlenie ispravitelʹno-trudovykh] lag[erei], “Chief Administration for Corrective Labour Camps”.

3. Aga. Cooker invented in Sweden in 1922, from the abbreviation of the company name, Aktiebolaget Gasaccumulator (Gas Accumulator Company). Served up by Vinny Burgoo.

4. Laser. “Light amplification by stimulated emitted radiation.” Focused by Aaron Nash and Harris.

5. Scuba. “Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus.” Paul Richards brought this up from the depths.

6. ‏Base jumping. Parachuting or wingsuit-flying from a building, antenna, span (bridge) or Earth (cliff). Extreme nomination from Andy Martin.

7. Radar (above). “Radio detection and ranging.” Detected by Adam Tyndall. And sonar, “sound navigation and ranging”, added Hackbencher.

8. Flak. From German Fliegerabwehrkanonen, “aeroplane defence cannon”. Put up by Christian Moon.

9. Syriza. Contraction of Coalition of the Radical Left in Greek. Another backronym: syriza (pronounced suh-ree-zuh) is Greek for “radically”. Voted in by Peter Lyon.

10. Zip code. “Zone improvement plan.” Posted by Graham Kirby.

An honourable mention this week for Rod Morris: he said Nimrod, the aircraft, stood for “Not Intended for Maritime Reconnaissance or Defence”. But he went on: “Sorry, RAF, old Fleet Air Arm gag.”

Next week: Bands that were renamed with the lead singer’s name on top, such as Diana Ross and the Supremes

Coming soon: Journalist-politicians, after Boris Johnson and Michael Gove, leaders of the EU Leave campaign

My book of Top 10s, Listellany, is available on Kindle for just £3.79, or in hardback for £9.99. Your suggestions, and ideas for future Top 10s, in the comments please, or to me on Twitter, or by email to top10@independent.co.uk