Girl · #12,360 in 2026

Pepsi

Name: Popularity of the name Pepsi in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Pepsi, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink with a cola flavor, the flagship product of PepsiCo. In 2023, Pepsi was the second most valuable soft drink brand worldwide behind Coca-Cola; the two share a long-standing rivalry in what has been called the "cola wars".

Current Rank

#12,360

Peak Rank

#5,601 (1976)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1970

First Year

1989

Last Year

1976

Peak Year

#5601

Peak Rank

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Pepsi

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Origin & history

The pharmacy of Caleb Bradham , with a Pepsi dispenser Pepsi was first invented in 1893 as "Brad's Drink" by Caleb Bradham, who sold the drink at his drugstore in New Bern, North Carolina. It was renamed Pepsi-Cola in 1898, "Pepsi" because it was advertised to relieve dyspepsia (indigestion) and with "Cola" referring to the cola flavor . Some have also suggested that "Pepsi" may have been a reference to the drink aiding digestion like the digestive enzyme pepsin , but pepsin itself was never used as an ingredient to Pepsi-Cola. The original recipe also included sugar and vanilla. Bradham sough

The Story of Pepsi

Pepsi first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1970, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1976, when 10 Pepsis were born — ranking #5,601 that year. As of 2026, Pepsi ranks #12,360 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 44 Pepsis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Pepsi

Phonetically similar names — useful when Pepsi is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Pepsy
Popsy
Popsi
Peppy
Pepe
Peps
Pepi
Pesi
Peppi
Pepy
Puppy
Pups

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Pepsi

What does the name Pepsi mean?

How popular is Pepsi in 2026?

In 2026, Pepsi ranks #12,360 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Pepsi most popular?

Pepsi reached its peak popularity in 1976, ranking #5,601 that year with 10 babies given the name.

Is Pepsi a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Pepsi is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Pepsi?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Pepsi include Rozina, Jillyn, Satira. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Pepsi

Pepsi is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1970 and has accumulated 44 births in the dataset. Pepsi's peak popularity came in 1976 when it ranked #5,601. Use the chart and map above to compare Pepsi's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.