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Pepsi fans say ‘I had NO idea’ as they only just realise what the secret meaning behind drink’s name is

Did you know the history behind the popular Cola-flavoured drink?

PEPSI fans have been left mind blown after realising the secret meaning behind the popular soft drink's name.

Pepsi was first invented in 1898 as "Brad's Drink" by pharmacist Caleb Bradham, who sold the drink at his drugstore in North Carolina.

There is a hidden meaning behind Pepsi's name
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There is a hidden meaning behind Pepsi's nameCredit: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto
Pharmacist Caleb Bradham rebranded his soft drink as Pepsi to reflect the 'health benefits' of his product
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Pharmacist Caleb Bradham rebranded his soft drink as Pepsi to reflect the 'health benefits' of his productCredit: Getty

Pepsi is said to be named after dyspepsia - a synonym for indigestion, the  reports.

Bradham made the move to reflect the "health benefits" of the beverage, despite clashing with the highly-sugary Cola flavouring.

But it was announced in March 2023 that PepsiCo’s classic fizzy drinks now have 57 per cent less sugar in them.

The drink was touted by the pharmacist as a way to promote digestion and boost energy.

More on curious brand meanings

Some have claimed it was also named after pepsin, which is a digestive enzyme, although the recipe doesn’t contain pepsin as an ingredient.

Many Pepsi fans were shocked when they discovered the name's origins, with one person writing: “I was today years old when I learned that.”

Another claimed to have never known there was a reason behind the name, commenting: "I had no idea!"

It comes after Heineken fans were also shocked after noticing its logo has three hidden symbols.

The Dutch brand is defined by its oval shape, red star, green background, and white writing on a black banner, but have you noticed the slanted "e" letters?

The label originates from at least 1883 and would be constantly updated every time Heineken won a prize - a gold medal in 1875, the "diplome d’honneur" in Amsterdam in 1883, followed by the "grand prix" in Paris in 1889.

In the 1930s, a different rectangular label with a large red star was launched in the Dutch market - marking the first time the red star appeared on the label.

The same symbol was also added to the export label which remained oval and green with the black bar.

After World War Two, the red star would become associated with communism in many countries, leading the brand to change it to white with only a small red border.

Over the years, the red border of the star of all export labels gradually became more prominent, until 1991, when it became completely red again.

Since then, the label continues to develop, with changes made to meet market demands.

A post from the  explained the alterations "are not always directly noticed by the consumer".

"Nevertheless the e’s will always continue to smile," it added.

Customers have also taken a little while to figure out the meaning behind LG's logo.

The LG logo is a round deep red/pink circle with an L and a G in it, but you may also have noticed a friendly looking face.

The "L" can be seen as the nose of the stick figure while the swooping "G" around the outside creates the look of a smile.

Eagle-eyed Americans were also able to spot the hidden meaning in Gillette's design.

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There appears to be a ridge inside the letter G that's been sliced at an angle - which is similar to how you can cut your fingertip with a blade.

Pepsi is said to be named after dyspepsia, a synonym for indigestion
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Pepsi is said to be named after dyspepsia, a synonym for indigestionCredit: © 2021 Bloomberg Finance LP

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