Despite countless viral posts claiming otherwise, KitKat is not an acronym. The letters do not secretly stand for a phrase about chocolate, wafers, taking breaks, or anything else. The popular candy bar’s name has a much older and more interesting history.

KitKat began in Britain in 1935 under the name Rowntree’s Chocolate Crisp. A couple of years later, the company changed the product’s name to KitKat. According to the brand’s official history, the name was inspired by the Kit-Cat Club, an exclusive social and political club that existed in London during the 18th century. The club itself was associated with a man named Christopher Catling, who was known for serving small meat pies called “kit-cats.”
Rowntree’s had actually registered versions of the Kit Kat name years before launching the famous wafer bar. When the company eventually adopted it for the chocolate product, the name was considered memorable, distinctive, and slightly sophisticated.

The slogan most people associate with the candy—“Have a break, have a KitKat”—came later and helped connect the bar with taking a quick pause during the day. However, the slogan did not create the name, nor does “KitKat” stand for “Keep in Touch” or any other internet explanation.

So the surprising truth is that KitKat does not “stand for” anything. It is a historic brand name borrowed from a centuries-old London club, proving that some familiar products have stories stretching much further back than most people realize.