How to Make Anagrams of Names

Anagrams are words or phrases that are formed by rearranging the letters of other words or phrases. For instance, the word "tables" forms an anagram of "ablest." Working with anagrams can help language learners such as young children develop vocabulary, and writers employ them for depth in their stories. One fun way to learn about anagrams involves using a name to form different words.

Using plastic or magnetic letters or the letter tiles from board games makes creating the anagram of the name easier since the pieces are easily manipulated. Pick one letter to begin your new word and see how the rest may combine to follow that letter. Look for patterns of letters that may help you create a different word, such as "-ed" or "-est" for the word ending. Try various combinations of vowels like putting an "a" and "e" together, shifting the letters until you can see a word or phrase. Consider breaking the name into multiple words for the anagram, like finding "ye cats" out of "Stacey." Other options for finding anagrams include online programs like the Internet Anagram Server and the Anagram Maker 3 from MIT.