The name Pepsi originated from the digestive enzyme Pepsin

Does anything quite scream ‘delicious beverage’ like your stomach’s digestive enzymes? Apparently, the company now known as Pepsi did not think so, as they named their brand Pepsi after the digestive enzyme Pepsin. Pepsin was a key component in cocaine, the illegal drug that was actually used in Pepsi when the soft drink first came out. Since there is no longer cocaine in Pepsi, it no longer contains any pepsin. However, the name is still apt, as Pepsi can break down most solid things, just like its namesake Pepsin.