Pop, Soda Or Coke? The Fizzy History Behind America’s Favorite Linguistic Debate

Study Finds ^ | August 24, 2025 | Valerie M. Fridland, University of Nevada, Reno

[bgill]

Coke.

Soda a far away second.

Pop would never.

[Sacajaweau]

I’m guessing your proper name might be...Sir Reginald of Arcadia III but everyone calls you Regie...must drive you nuts.

[Migraine]

I just learned this morning that Dr. Pecker is owned by the K-cup Keurig company.

[discostu]

That is one of the fun parts about America. We really don’t have a mono culture. Regional variations are the norm. Whether it’s fizzy drinks having different names, or cold cut sandwiches, and then there’s the reverse 4 different major concepts of BBQ. It’s fun.

[mass55th]

"We used to visit a local gas station at night and pop the cap on a bottle of soda, let it pour into a cup (paper) then tip the machine to empty it. Usually left the appropriate change in the coin return."

We didn't have any gas stations around us. We didn't even have a car. Besides the Mom & Pop store around the corner, we had a sweet shop close by called Oddo's. It was right across the street from Holy Family Church on Ames Street in Rochester. They had a counter and served all sorts of ice cream and soda delights. First and last place I could get a a Chocolate Phosphate drink. They sold magazines and comic books too. That's where we got our MAD Magazines each month.

[Sacajaweau]

Then we discovered slugs. But I just couldn’t do it. But my bro could. So he gallantly bought me one, too.

[Red Badger]

Depends on the continent:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr_Pepper

Manufacturer Keurig Dr Pepper (2008–present; United States and Canada)

The Coca-Cola Company (United Kingdom, Japan, and South Korea)

PepsiCo (the rest of Europe)

[NEMDF]

I grew up in Illinois, where it was called “pop”. But we almost never had any. My parents were from Michigan. About once a year, my dad would buy a 6 pack of Bubble Up and some vanilla ice cream, and treat us to floats. Other than that, rarely had any soft drinks.

[Vaduz]

When I was teen the crew called them by it’s name one kid drank Green River (lime) strange stuff but he was too but okay.

[Sacajaweau]

All dads think alike....Occasionally, my dad would bring home all the fixings for banana splits. We had those elongated glass bowls. It was such a treat.

[MayflowerMadam]

If there was ginger ale in our fridge, someone was sick. Otherwise, no pop, ever.

[GingisK]

That and “Big R”.

[Sacajaweau]

Ginger ale was medicine in our house, too.

[roving]

We call it pop here.

[medical conservative]

Pop it tis

[ducttape45]

RC Cola!

[AlaskaErik]

Soda in Alaska.

[fidelis]

Regional divide: Northerners and Californians say “soda,” Midwesterners say “pop,” and Southerners use “coke” generically for any soft drink.

I was born and raised in Southern California and sometimes use "soda", but most often use "Coke" generically for any soft drink (when my lovely Filipina wife of almost 40 years first heard me ask for an "orange coke", she thought it was the funniest thing ever. Now she does it). "Pop" has always sounded kind of hokey to my ears.

[Red Badger]

“Soda Pop” does too.................

[wardaddy]

With a moonpie

Now I’m diet sun drop

118mg caffeine

Two in morning to wake up

Then my meds and a la Gloria or Copenhagen plain pouch

You know to cement the deal lol