History of 7-Up
![Updated by an Infoplease Editor on March 1, 2017](/themes/ip/images/info-circle.png)
The Question:
What does the "7" in "7-Up" stand for or mean?
The Answer:
Unfortunately, nobody seems to know the exact origin of name 7-Up.
The popular lemon-lime flavored soft drink was created by Charles Leiper Grigg in 1929.
His first name for the new soda was "Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda." That became "7-Up Lithiated Lemon-Lime," before Grigg settled on simply "7-Up."
According to the official web site of 7-Up, which has been a product of the Cadbury Schweppes Company since 1995, there are several theories about how Grigg came up with the unusual name.
Here are the most plausible stories.
He named it after a cattle brand he saw that looked like a "7 Up."
He thought of it while rooting for sevens during a game of craps.
7-Up has seven ingredients.
The words "seven up" have seven letters.
The original 7-Up bottle held seven ounces.
-The Editors