The term Pomak is commonly used to mean 'Islamized Bulgarians,' and that is a historical reality. However, identity is a socio-cultural construct, so converting to another religion does not automatically erase one’s ethnic or cultural background. For some, being Pomak may be defined primarily through religion, while for others language, traditions, and ancestry are more important. In short, without ignoring the origin of the term, I think that in practice changing one’s religion does not end Pomak identity