Baby Name of the Day Pepper: Sparky and Unexpected

The baby name Pepper straddles the line between nickname and formal choice, but might wear well in the 21st century.

Thanks to Deka for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.

WHAT DOES THE NAME PEPPER MEAN?

In many ways, Pepper fits with Olive and Clementine.

Pepper can be a spice or a vegetable.

• The spice comes from the dried berries of the pepper plant. In this case, peperi comes from Sanskrit via the Latinterm piper. 
• When pepper, the vegetable, was first imported from the Americas, they were considered quite spicy. And so they shared the name with pepper the spice, even though there’s no connection. 

IS THIS A BOY’S NAME OR GIRL’S NAME?

In 1937, five boys were given the name – the first year it registered on Social Security Administration lists.

So how did Pepper make it on to the list of possible baby names at all?

It might’ve started out as a nickname, in the key of Cricket or Buddy. And it’s seen usage as a surname for someone who sold spices; a person with a fiery temper; or maybe someone with dark hair, the color of a peppercorn. Or maybe it was mixed up with last names like Piper and Peppard and Pfeiffer. 

Popular children’s book series The Five Little Peppers followed a family by the last name. The first story appeared in 1881, and the last in 1916. Thanks to a series of films based on the books, they remained popular into the 1940s. 

Early days it seems to have been gender neutral. Only as time passed did it shift to the baby girl names column. 

POP CULTURE PEPPER

During the 20th century, Pepper rose in use as a given name.

But there’s also the soft drink Dr. Pepper, for which there’s no definite explanation for the name. It was first sold in 1885. 

During the late 19th century, pepper shortened to pep and meant energy. Think pep rally. The term increased in use during the early 20th century. 

The Newark Peppers played baseball during the 1910s. There’s a card game and a long list of athletes who used Pepper as a nickname.

Comic strip Little Orphan Annie debuted in 1924. A successful radio program followed and then, in 1977, it became a hit Broadway musical. One of Annie’s fellow orphans answers to Pepper. 

In 1936, a comedy movie introduced a sparky young girl character named Pepper in a a movie by the same name. 

By the 1950s, it was in use in small numbers for boys and girls.

In 1963, Marvel Comics gave us Virginia Potts – nicknamed Pepper. She’s the capable assistant and sometimes love interest of Tony Stark – a.k.a. Iron Man. Eventually, Pepper Potts becomes CEO of Stark Industries and a super hero in her own right, too. Gwyneth Paltrow has played the part for decades. 

The Beatles’ 1967 album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Bandremainsa landmark in music history. 

And then came a small screen police officer. Angie Dickinson starred in Police Woman on NBC from 1974 through 1978. She’s Sergeant Pepper … Anderson.

The police woman was part of an undercover squad, taking on all sorts of roles to make the arrest. At different points, the character’s legal name appeared as Leanne, Patricia, and Lisa.

HOW POPULAR IS THE GIVEN NAME PEPPER?

The name’s biggest spike in use came in 1975, the only year the baby name Pepper has ever cracked the US Top 1000. 

That’s almost certainly down to the television series Police Woman, though all those forerunners – comics, radio, and music – paved the way. 

There’s another rise in use earlier in the 21st century, likely tied to Iron Man and The Avengers. But it didn’t last.

As of 2025, just 102 girls received the name Pepper.

Still, there’s another factor in play: the letter P.

POPULAR P NAMES 

Earlier in the 21st century, names like Peyton, Paisley, Piper, Pippa, Poppy, Parker, and Penelope rose in use. Some of them have plateaued, but others continue to gain.

More P names, including Persephone, Pearl, Palmer, Priscilla, and Paloma, are now attracting more attention. 

While P names have been in use – think of former Top Ten Patricia, 1950s star Pamela, or Margaret-nickname Peggy – there’s something about the pop of these 21st century favorites that opens the door for Pepper. 

And of course, it could still be a nickname for longer choices, including the ever so stylish Penelope.

If you love sparky names that straddle modern word names and vintage nicknames, Pepper could be the perfect choice for your family. 

What do you think of the baby name Pepper? 

First published on January 21, 20216, this post was revised on March 9, 2016 and again on September 8, 2026.