No, I guarantee you that isn't the case. The controller would get written up for using non-standard phraseology like that. ATC all around the world uses the NATO alphabet.

There is a fix names DIXIE in NJ somewhere, though. And no, it's not like a metric thing. The NATO version is, from an international usage point of view, a much better solution than 'David', etc. Using that in domestic law enforcement might be fine, but there is a good reason for why certain words were chosen for the NATO alphabet.