Who Invented the first soda and came up with the name soda?

The word "soda" actually comes from "soda water" which is used to carbonate soft drinks. The word "soda" refers to the sodium salts that soda water contains.

Joseph Priestley is credited as the first person to make man-made carbonated water. From wikipedia:

"In 1767, Englishman Joseph Priestley first discovered a method of infusing water with carbon dioxide to make carbonated water when he suspended a bowl of distilled waterabove a beer vat at a local brewery in Leeds, England. His invention of carbonated water, (also known as soda water), is the major and defining component of most soft drinks. Priestley found water thus treated had a pleasant taste, and he offered it to friends as a refreshing drink. In 1772, Priestley published a paper entitled Impregnating Water with Fixed Air in which he describes dripping oil of vitriol (or sulfuric acid as it is now called) onto chalk to produce carbon dioxide gas, and encouraging the gas to dissolve into an agitated bowl of water".

 In 1832, John Matthews was credited with the first person to mass market soda water, and was considered the father of the soda fountain. He may have also been the first person to use the term "soda". I found a series of youtube videos on the history of soda pop:
"The drinking of either natural or artificial mineral water was considered a healthy practice. American pharmacists, who were selling most of the mineral waters, started to add medicinal and other flavorful herbs to the unflavored beverage, i.e. birch bark, dandelion, sarsaparilla and fruit extracts. The early drug stores with their soda fountains became a popular part of American culture. Customers wanted to take the drinks home with them and the soft drink bottling industry grew from the consumer demand".


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_drink
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soda_water
http://www.usfirehouse.com/SodaHistory.htm
http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/ah/1962/5/1962_5_10.shtml

Hate to change the subject, but when I think of soda, I think of my pet rabbit when I was in fourth grade. I was at the fair and played this game where you put a ring around the ducks neck. The had this giant spud McKenzie doll I was the dog in the beer commercials. My mom grabbed the rabbit instead and I named him Soda. My grandfather built him a house outside..