Caleb Bradham renamed his drink “Brad’s Drink” Pepsi-Cola in 1898. North Carolina’s state history links the name to pepsin and kola nut extract; Pepsi’s own FAQ connects “Pepsi” with dyspepsia, or indigestion. The accounts differ on the word’s immediate derivation, but both reflect the drink’s early association with digestion.
Before Pepsi, there was “Brad’s Drink”
Pharmacist Caleb Bradham developed the beverage and served it at the soda fountain in his pharmacy in New Bern, North Carolina. The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources dates its beginnings to 1893 and places the pharmacy at Pollock and Middle Streets. Friends initially called the drink “Brad’s Drink.”
On August 28, 1898, Bradham renamed it Pepsi-Cola. PepsiCo also gives that date and New Bern as the place of renaming in its account of the brand’s 125th anniversary. North Carolina’s account of the 1898 naming · PepsiCo’s 2023 anniversary release
Why was it called Pepsi-Cola?
The ingredient-based explanation: pepsin and kola
North Carolina’s state histories say the name combined “pepsin,” a digestive enzyme, with kola nut extract. The state agency says these ingredients likely prompted Bradham’s choice of name. It also notes that pepsin was later removed from the beverage’s formula, so the naming explanation should not be taken to mean Pepsi contained pepsin throughout its history. North Carolina’s history of Brad’s Drink and the name
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The digestive-association explanation: dyspepsia
Pepsi’s current FAQ says “Pepsi” was inspired in part by “dyspepsia,” a term for indigestion, and by Bradham’s belief that the drink could aid digestion. That is the brand’s account of the name’s association and marketing rationale; it is not evidence that the beverage was proven to treat indigestion.
How to understand the two accounts
The explanations overlap in their focus on digestion, but they are not identical: North Carolina’s histories describe a combination of ingredient names, while Pepsi’s FAQ emphasizes the association with indigestion. The cited accounts do not establish a definitive statement from Bradham settling the exact word formation. It is therefore most accurate to attribute each explanation rather than present either as the sole, conclusively proven origin.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What happened after the renaming?
The name’s later business milestones came in 1902 and 1903. North Carolina’s histories say Bradham incorporated the Pepsi-Cola Company in 1902. One state history says he applied to register the Pepsi-Cola trademark on September 23, 1902, and that it was approved in 1903; another dates a trademark registration to June 16, 1903. These are later company and trademark events, distinct from the drink’s 1898 naming.
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