Clyde and Dorothy Popp of Missouri had a baby boy in 1952 and named him Soda.
Yup — Soda Popp.
When Soda Popp was enrolled in school, it made the news:
Jefferson City, Mo., May 15 (AP) Soda Popp, 5, has been enrolled for kindergarten here next year.
And he’s been in the news quite a bit since, thanks to his memorable name.
In a 2003 interview with the Kansas City Star, he had this to say about it:
“I tell folks I have a sister named Lolly,” he said with a laugh. “And that I have twin sons, Snap and Crackle.”
That’s fiction, of course. But his name? That’s pure fact, he insists.
“My mom wanted to give me a name that would stand out – something unusual; something folks wouldn’t forget,” he said.
It’s worked. “People say, ‘How could your parents name you that?’ But I’m glad they did. My name has opened a lot of doors for me.”
A writer for the Topeka Capital-Journal spent a few days with Soda Popp in 2007. He said Soda was often forced to produce his driver’s license to prove his name really was “Soda Popp.”
What do you think of the name “Soda Popp” — cool, or cruel?
P.S. Soda Popp reminds me of two names I’ve seen on the 1940 census: R C Cola Osbey, a 21-year-old man in Texas, and Seven Up Stubin, a 22-year-old man in South Carolina.
Sources:
- “A Little Drink.” Milwaukee Sentinel 16 May 1957: 2.
- Frazee, Brent. “Refreshing Soda: Yes, his name is really ‘Soda Popp.'” Kansas City Star 25 May 2003: C14.
- Murrell, Marc. “Drinking in Soda’s tales.” Topeka Capital-Journal 13 May 2007.
Image: Adapted from Coca Cola by Håkan Dahlström under CC BY 2.0.
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Soda is a good guy and part of the local history down on the lower osage. He’s a little eccentric but knows more local history then most do.
Soda Popp was my PERSONAL teacher in grade school.He’s one of the kindest,most sincere men I know! If he likes his name, then it was not a cruel thing for his parents to do.
Not PERSONAL- P.E.
I went to high school with Soda, the ststement regarding his sister being named “LOLLY ” is true.