What’s the origin of “7-Up”?

Dear Cecil: Since you’re looking into the origins of products names these days, here’s one for you. Why do they call it 7-Up? Marilyn Clark, Country Club Hills, Illinois

Cecil replies:

Anything had to be an improvement over the original name: Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda. Figuring that he was going to have a problem selling a product that you needed two years of speech therapy just to be able to pronounce, soda pop mogul C. L. Grigg changed the name to 7-Up, apparently because the drink contained “seven natural flavors blended into a savory, flavory drink with a real wallop.” You may wonder what the seven natural flavors were besides lemon and lime. I ain’t saying. I’m just glad they dropped the horseradish.

Cecil Adams

Send questions to Cecil via cecil@straightdope.com.