Is there a name for a word pronounced the same backwards as forwards?

I find it very interesting that Judge /dʒʌdʒ/ is pronounced the same backwards as forwards while it is not a palindrome. Does this phenomenon have a name?


It is a phonetic palindrome, as defined in this Wikipedia article:

  • a portion of sound or phrase of speech that is identical or roughly identical when reversed.

  • Some phonetic palindromes must be mechanically reversed, involving the use of sound recording equipment or reverse tape effects. Another, more abstract type, are words that are identical to the original when separated into their phonetic components (according to a system such as the International Phonetic Alphabet) and reversed.

Some phonetic palindromes: (from the same article):

  • "crew work"/"work crew", "dry yard", "easy", "Funny enough", "Let Bob tell", "new moon", "selfless", "Sorry, Ross", "Talk, Scott", "to boot", "top spot" (also a regular palindrome), "Y'all lie", "You're caught. Talk, Roy", and "You're damn mad, Roy".