Uncover the Truth: Why Michigan Calls It ‘Pop’ While Most of America Says ‘Soda’

Growing up as a kid one of my favorite treats was an ice cold pop.

I remember going to my aunt and uncle's cottage in Milford and their fridge always being packed full of Faygo.

They had all the good flavors including Rock & Rye, Red Pop and Moon Mist.

Read More: What Should Michigan's Official Pop Be?

You could also always find Michigan's other favorite pop, Vernors.

At that time, I didn't realize that most of America didn't call it pop; instead, they call it soda.

Do You Call It "Pop", "Soda", or "Coke"?

A CivicScience survey of more than 19,000 U.S. Adults from April 2020 to June 2025 found that half of all Americans refer to fizzy drinks as "soda."

When you break it down, 39 of the 50 U.S. states refer to carbonated beverages as "soda".

Nine Midwest and Rust Belt states, including Michigan, like to call it "pop".

And the final two states, Louisiana and Mississippi prefer to use the term "coke", which I never could fully wrap my head around.

Why People Call It "Pop"

While trying to find out why people in Michigan call it pop, I found several reasons behind the name with one common belief.

The most common reason given is the literal "pop" sound made when opening bottles of carbonated drinks, especially in the early days when they were sealed with corks or internal stoppers.

Some sources attribute the strength of "pop" in Michigan to Companies like Faygo, because their bottles made a distinct "pop" sound when opened.

Read More: Top 5 Faygo Sodas: Discover Your New Favorite Pop

After learning this I have a better understanding why so many people outside of Michigan call it Soda,  But as long as there is still Faygo and Vernors being made, I'll call it pop.