# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/41 "2001-11-21T21:59:53Z")
Alabama. Coke, even though I’m drinking a root beer. ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/42 "2001-11-21T22:00:23Z")
From Texas. Was always coke growing up. ---
**Author:** ![tronvillain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@tronvillain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tronvillain)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/43 "2001-11-21T22:03:51Z")
Vancouver, British Columbia: “Pop” or possibly “soft drink” but virtually never “soda.”. While cream soda is still cream soda, I can’t recall ever seeing anything labelled “orange soda” or “grape soda” though that could be due to me not paying attention. ---
**Author:** ![Montgomery\_Burns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/db5fbb/32.png) [@Montgomery\_Burns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montgomery_Burns)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/44 "2001-11-21T22:23:04Z")
Growing up in south-central Wisconsin it was always “pop”, but when I moved to Madison for college I was converted to “soda” by all the Milwaukee-area students in the dorms. You don’t have to go far to find it different. It’s still soda to me. ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/45 "2001-11-21T22:34:24Z")
Philly area, and it’s always soda. An amusing side-story, though still pointless … Years ago I worked in a supermarket and while I was standing on a crate setting up some product on a high shelf, a - lets say middle-aged - couple came up behind me and the gent asks, “Do you have any pop?” And I asked confusedly, “Some what?” And he said, “Pop.” His wife interrupted that last part giving a brisk-yet-hushed “They call it _soda_ here!” And he self-corrected, saying soda. I felt really stupid, because I know other parts call it pop, but it was alien to my ears. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/46 "2001-11-21T22:46:32Z")
Well, I have always said soda (I’m from New England, BTW). Everyone I know except for one calls it soda (and most everyone I know is from New England or New York). She is from the greater Buffalo area, and says everyone there calls it pop. I’ll have to take her word for it. ---
**Author:** ![SouprChckn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f9b8f/32.png) [@SouprChckn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SouprChckn)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/47 "2001-11-22T00:04:01Z")
I’m from Chicago, I call it sweet can juice. People look at me weirdly for some reason when I say that though. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/48 "2001-11-22T01:08:39Z")
I’m from the greater Chicagoland area, and I generally just say the name of whatever it is that I want. If I’m being generic, I’ll say a “drink” or a “Coke.” Occaisionally, I’ll say pop. ---
**Author:** ![IGJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/igjoe/32/5420_2.png) [@IGJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IGJoe)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/49 "2001-11-22T01:33:10Z")
Another Albertan checking in. It’s pop all the way. I don’t think I’ve ever referred to it as soda. Also, for the record, I’ve never said the word “serviette”, and I’ve never even _heard_ of a broadloom before! ---
**Author:** ![Ripple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@Ripple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ripple)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/50 "2001-11-22T01:43:44Z")
I’m another one of those Boston area Tonic drinkers. I know it’s not right, but that’s what I call it. I remember being about 8 years old and taking an airplane to Fl. I asked the flight attendant for some tonic, any type, doesn’t matter, boy was I surprised with what she brought me! Lesson learned. ---
**Author:** ![tevya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@tevya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tevya)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/51 "2001-11-22T02:13:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by King Hobo \* > \*\*I thought everyone in Texas drank Dr. Pepper. > > Isn’t it true that when y’all get _the doctor_ it ain’t what the rest of N.America drinks? > I heard that it was made differently or something? > > T or F ? \*\* I haven’t lived in Texas for quite some time but I’ll try to field this one. When I lived there, many people drank a Dr. Pepper like beverage called Big Red. I don’t believe they actually drank a differently formulated version of Dr. Pepper. ---
**Author:** ![spheric\_thor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@spheric\_thor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spheric_thor)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/52 "2001-11-22T02:22:09Z")
Another one from Chicago. I’ve always called it pop. ---
**Author:** ![PigBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/97f17d/32.png) [@PigBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PigBoy)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/53 "2001-11-22T03:07:55Z")
I’m an Ohio person, but I refuse to call it pop as everyone here does; it’s soda. I acquired my vocabulary elsewhere, I guess. [This map](http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~almccon/pop_soda/) seems relevant. ---
**Author:** ![Dirty\_Earthworm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Dirty\_Earthworm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dirty_Earthworm)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/54 "2001-11-22T04:35:01Z")
I’d say 90% of the people in Michigan say pop, but I think it sounds silly for some reason (not to say I’m high-brow or anything) so I say soda. I’ve always just thought of “pop” as something I call my father. -Syko ---
**Author:** ![The\_Wrong\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b782af/32.png) [@The\_Wrong\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Wrong_Girl)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/55 "2001-11-22T04:43:55Z")
I’m from Pittsburgh, and we definitely say pop here. My boyfriend is from Buffalo, and spend a summer stocking “pop” on store shelves. For some reason, the Pittsburgh “pop” thing really bothers some of the people I go to college with. I’ve had people get ticked because I don’t say soda. To each their own, I guess…personally, it doesn’t really bother me. ---
**Author:** ![jabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/db5fbb/32.png) [@jabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabe)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/56 "2001-11-22T04:51:56Z")
Up here in NW VT we say soda. I have an aunt from upstate NY, and she says pop…so now my little cousins say pop as well…It strikes me as funny when I see them, dressed in their flannel shirts and shit kickers in the barn, asking me to buy them ‘a pop.’ I giggle every time. peace, JB ---
**Author:** ![VeraGemini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e9bcb4/32.png) [@VeraGemini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VeraGemini)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/57 "2001-11-22T05:03:58Z")
Oklahoma. It’s pop here. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/58 "2001-11-22T06:51:12Z")
Another Texan: I want a coke. And, just so y’all know, there ain’t no “.” in Dr Pepper. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/59 "2001-11-22T07:04:09Z")
it’s soda. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618/60 "2001-11-22T07:07:55Z")
forgot to say where i’m from, it’s NY [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-say-pop-or-soda/94618.md?page=4)