# Do You Say Pop or Soda **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 21, 2001, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618 "2001-11-21T17:40:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![whatever1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@whatever1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whatever1)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/1 "2001-11-21T17:40:38Z")
Me and my friend were fighting over this, I say pop, he says soda. I’m from Colorado and hes from California.I was wondering what you call it ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/2 "2001-11-21T17:47:45Z")
Soda or soft drink. ---
**Author:** ![KimKatt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac91a4/32.png) [@KimKatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KimKatt)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/3 "2001-11-21T17:50:58Z")
Southwestern Ontario - pop. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/4 "2001-11-21T17:57:08Z")
I’m originally from Utah, living in So Cal now, and I say soda pop. Obviously since “soda” is first, when I’m feeling too lazy for that extra syllable I drop it and just say “soda”. But regularly, I go with the whole phrase. ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/5 "2001-11-21T18:01:20Z")
I also say soda, and am originally from Nevada. Maybe it’s a Western United States thing? ---
**Author:** ![manwithaplan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@manwithaplan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manwithaplan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/6 "2001-11-21T18:03:15Z")
This is probably uniquely Irish - we call them minerals (and this pre-dates mineral water). In the North West, they can stop at a gas station and ask for petrol, a mineral and a Twirl (chocolate bar) and they all rhyme. ---
**Author:** ![tapioca\_tundra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a88e57/32.png) [@tapioca\_tundra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapioca_tundra)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/7 "2001-11-21T18:04:43Z")
~~I’m proud to say that we never said either If it’s a Pepsi we say Pepsi If it’s a Coke we say Coke Anyone who said anything else was a Yankee, it was a dead give away… ---
**Author:** ![geepee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ebca7d/32.png) [@geepee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/geepee)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/8 "2001-11-21T18:05:13Z")
Personally i call them soft drinks of call it by its brand name coke for coke 7up etc , but listening to mothers with their kiddies they seem to say pop “do you wanna can of pop luv” etc UK btw ---
**Author:** ![ultress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7c8e57/32.png) [@ultress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultress)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/9 "2001-11-21T18:07:26Z")
In North Carolina we call all soft drinks, Coke, no matter what kind we want. When you ask someone if they want a Coke, they’ll say yes, I’ll have a Sprite. ---
**Author:** ![Kilt-wearin\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kilt-wearin\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilt-wearin_man)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/10 "2001-11-21T18:13:59Z")
In Texas, it’s a Coke. No matter what brand. For example: “Hey, I’m going to the store. You want me to pick up some Cokes?” “Sure” “OK, what kind?” “Dr Pepper, and maybe some 7-Up. Grab a six-pack of Coke while you’re at it.” Coke is a generic term for all soft drinks (except maybe Root Beer). “Pop” and “Soda” are dead give-aways for people who aren’t from around here. Most people I’ve met who refer to it as “pop” tend to be Canadians. ---
**Author:** ![Dilbert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58f4c7/32.png) [@Dilbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dilbert)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/11 "2001-11-21T18:17:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kilt-wearin’ man \* > \*\*In Texas, it’s a Coke. No matter what brand. > > For example: > > “Hey, I’m going to the store. You want me to pick up some Cokes?” > “Sure” > “OK, what kind?” > “Dr Pepper, and maybe some 7-Up. Grab a six-pack of Coke while you’re at it.” > > Coke is a generic term for all soft drinks (except maybe Root Beer). “Pop” and “Soda” are dead give-aways for people who aren’t from around here. Most people I’ve met who refer to it as “pop” tend to be Canadians. \*\* Funny, I’ve never heard it referred to in that context. I’ve read a lot about people saying that it happens though. I’ve heard soda most often, however people usually refer to it by the type they are getting. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/12 "2001-11-21T18:17:52Z")
_Canadian_: Last week, I was on holiday and bought a mickey. I tried mixing it with some pop but everything spilled all over the broadloom. I wiped it up with a serviette. _American_: Last week, I was on vacation and bought a fifth. I tried mixing it with some soda but everything spilled all over the wall-to-wall. I wiped it up with a napkin. ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/13 "2001-11-21T18:20:22Z")
Soda! Wherever I’ve lived in NY or New England, it’s been soda. I think in Western NY they say pop. ---
**Author:** ![tevya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@tevya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tevya)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/14 "2001-11-21T18:23:19Z")
I’ve lived in Ohio, New York and Texas. I call soft drinks either Coke (used in the generic Texas way to mean all soft drinks regardless of brand) or soda (in the New York way). I never cottoned to pop (the Ohio way). ---
**Author:** ![roadrunner70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@roadrunner70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roadrunner70)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/15 "2001-11-21T18:24:04Z")
Pepsi. But I call my beers “barley pops.” ---
**Author:** ![tevya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@tevya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tevya)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/16 "2001-11-21T18:37:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Weedeater \* > \*\*Pepsi. But I call my beers “barley pops.” \*\* “Barlye pops” – I love it! It brings to mind a beer flavored popsicle. ---
**Author:** ![Slang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Slang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slang)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/17 "2001-11-21T18:47:43Z")
I call it all Coke. But if someone asks me what kind of coke I want, and I want a Welch’s, I’ll say “Get me a grape soda!” If I’m in superhick mode, I’ll remove the A and add a Y. There’s nothin’ like good ol’ grape sody. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/18 "2001-11-21T18:49:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KarlGauss \* > **_Canadian_: Last week, I was on holiday and bought a mickey. I tried mixing it with some pop but everything spilled all over the broadloom. I wiped it up with a serviette.** What’s a broadloom? (I’m Canadian.) ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/19 "2001-11-21T18:59:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Caricci \* > \*\*Soda! > > Wherever I’ve lived in NY or New England, it’s been soda. I think in Western NY they say pop. \*\* I grew up in the Finger Lakes region of NY, and there was a mix of “soda” people and “pop” people. I think “pop” is dying out - it seemed to me that it was mostly older people calling it that, like my grandparents, mom, aunts, uncles, but younger people called it “soda.” For the longest time I called it “soda pop” because that was understood by both my grandma and my friends. Now I live in Boston and tend to call it “soder.” It started as me poking a little fun at the tendency in these parts to stick Rs on then ends of some words (like my first name! grr!!) and now I call it soder out of habit and my family gives me weird looks when I’m home for a visit. Though the older people here call it a Tonic, which I still have a hard time wrapping my brain around. Tonic to me still means the stuff you use to dilute your gin. ---
**Author:** ![Home\_of\_the\_Braves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Home\_of\_the\_Braves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Home_of_the_Braves)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/20 "2001-11-21T19:01:04Z")
and it’s all Coke to me. Must be a south thing. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618.md?page=2)