What was Coca-Cola’s original name before it became known by its current name?

Coca-Cola’s original predecessor was called Pemberton’s French Wine Coca.

Pharmacist John Stith Pemberton created the beverage in Atlanta in 1885 as an alcoholic coca-wine drink. It was modeled partly on Vin Mariani, a popular European tonic containing coca leaves. Pemberton marketed the drink as a medicinal stimulant before developing the nonalcoholic Coca-Cola formula in 1886.

The change followed prohibition legislation in Atlanta and Fulton County. Pemberton reformulated the drink without wine and used carbonated water, producing the beverage that became Coca-Cola.

The name “French Wine Coca” can cause confusion because it refers to the earlier alcoholic product, not the finished soft drink. Coca-Cola’s eventual name emphasized coca leaves and kola nuts, whose caffeine contributed to the drink’s original stimulant profile.