Pepper

English from Latin, Sanskrit, "the pepper plant; berry"
"the pepper plant; berry"

Pepper Origin and Meaning

The name Pepper is a girl's name of English origin meaning "the pepper plant; berry".

With its bubbly sounds and stylish feel, Pepper joins a small but distinctive group of names inspired by the spice rack: Saffron, Juniper, Cassia, Sage, Ginger, and Rosemary. Enough like Pippa, Piper and Penelope that it feels usable, Pepper has appeared every year in the US stats since the 60s.

As a word, pepper can refer to the seasoning made from the dried seeds of a black pepper plant or to the many varieties of the vegetable-that-is-technically-a-fruit. Though unrelated, they bear the same name, deriving from the Indian name for the black peppercorn plant piper nigrum. When peppers (of the fruity kind) were first brought into Europe by Christopher Columbus, they were grouped together under the term 'pepper' because that's what all spices with a hot and strong taste were called.

Pepper Potts is a character from the Marvel Universe, while Pepper Ann Pearson is the title character of a 90s Disney series. Also used in novel Good Omens, in the title of The Beatles album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and for the soda drink, Dr. Pepper, Pepper has only ever featured once in the US Top 1000.

Possibly inspired by the 1975 film The Great Waldo Pepper, more than 130 girls were given the name that same year — five times as many as the year before. It's popularity was short lived however, and it wasn't until the 2008 release of the first Iron Man movie that the name began to gain traction. Given to 128 girls in a recent year, it is familiar while not overly popular.

There is a chance that Pepper may rise up the charts, thanks to Juniper's popularity, though some parents may be held back by the sound alike name of Peppa Pig. If you do enjoy the name but are put off by the cartoon character, you could consider Pepper as a nickname for Penelope, Persephone, or Phillipa. Parents are beginning to scan the whole spice shelf for inspiration, picking up on Saffron, Sage, and Cinnamon -- and opening up a chance for this spiciest possibility of all; used for peppy TV characters.

# 956 in the US

Pepper Rank in US Top 1000

# 1115 on Nameberry

Pepper Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Pepper Popularity

Famous People Named Pepper

  • Pepper
    ring name of Cynthia Peretti, American pro wrestler
  • Pepper Hall (b. 2012)
    daughter of actress Moon Bloodgood and director Grady Hall
  • Dottie Pepper
    American golfer
  • Lavone A. "Pepper" Paire Davis
    American baseball player
  • Wendy Pepper (Anne Eustis Pepper Stewart)
    American fashion designer
  • Pepper Binkley
    American actress
  • Pepper Schwartz
    American sociologist and sexologist
  • Pepper MaShay
    stage name of American singer Jean McClain
  • Pepper Winters
    award,winning novelist
  • Pepper Somerset (Traci Danielle)
    female vocalist in the American Industrial band My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult
  • Pepper Joseph
    daughter of JOCObrand owner Zack Joseph, niece of singer Tyler Joseph of twenty one pilots

Pepper in Pop Culture

  • Dr. Pepper
    brand of soda
  • Pepper Anderson
    main character on TV's "Police Woman"
  • Virginia "Pepper" Potts
    character in Marvel comics and films
  • Pepper Ann Pearson
    main character on animated TV series "Pepper Ann"
  • Heidi "Pepper" Steiger
    from Australian TV soap "Neighbours"
  • Pepper Friberg
    archangel in the Hush Hush series
  • Pepper Brooks
    minor character in the movie "Dodgeball"
  • Peppa Pig
    British animated TV series and its main character
  • Pepper
    orphan girl in the musical "Annie"
  • Pepper
    puppy in the "101 Dalmatians" films
  • Pepper
    lovely and sweet character from "American Horror Story: Asylum" and "American Horror Story: Freakshow"
  • Pepper Clark
    character in animated TV series "Littlest Pet Shop"
  • Pepper Small
    character in 2011 film "Inside Out"
  • "Pepper Dennis
    " TV show and its main character
  • Pepper
    main character in webcomic "Pepper&Carrot"
  • Mrs. Pepper
    pepper character from "Blue's Clues"
  • Pepper
    character in "Inanimate Insanity"