Nacirema is a gender-neutral American name that holds a unique meaning – "American" spelled backwards. The term originated from a satirical anthropological paper titled "Body Ritual among the Nacirema," penned by Horace Mitchell Miner in 1956. This paper, a critique of American culture, described the Nacirema as a little-known tribe living in North America, although it actually corresponded to mid-20th-century Americans. The Nacirema culture featured rituals such as oral cleanliness, hospital care, and psychiatry, presented in a way that created a sense of self-distancing. The term gained further attention with Neil B. Thompson's 1972 paper, "The mysterious fall of the Nacirema," which focused on environmental issues. The Nacirema concept has been referenced in various scholarly works and continues to serve as a thought-provoking exploration of American society through a unique lens.