Candy on a stick has been around for centuries - people figured out long ago that holding sugar with a stick keeps your fingers from getting sticky. The modern version, where hard candy is mounted on a wooden or paper stick, only appeared in the early 1900s.
A candy maker named George Smith claimed he popularized the modern lollipop in 1908 and named it after his favorite racehorse, “Lolly Pop.” Smith even trademarked the name. He may not have been the first to invent the candy, but he was probably the first to make millions selling it.
The word might be older than the candy. In old English slang, “lolly” meant tongue, and “pop” meant a small noise. So a “lollipop” was something you popped onto your tongue. Either way, the name stuck, and lollipops are now sold in nearly every country - and almost always look like they have eyes painted on them.
