They’re called “deviled” eggs because, in 18th–19th century cooking, deviled meant highly seasoned, zesty, often spicy food, which fit the seasoned yolk filling in these eggs.

What “deviled” means

  • In older English cookbooks, to devil a dish meant to load it with bold seasonings like mustard, pepper, and other pungent condiments.
  • The word likely plays on the idea of the Devil being associated with heat and fire, so spicy, “hot” flavors got a devilish nickname.

How that became “deviled eggs”

  • Stuffed eggs with mashed yolks mixed with mustard, vinegar, and spices became popular, and the spicy versions started being called deviled eggs.
  • Over time in the U.S., even mild versions (with just mayo and a little mustard or paprika) kept the deviled name, even if they aren’t very spicy anymore.

A bit of history

  • The idea of seasoned boiled eggs goes back to ancient Rome, where eggs with spicy sauces were served as starters.
  • By the 18th–19th centuries, English and American recipes used the term “deviled” for eggs whose yolks were mixed with mustard and other sharp ingredients, then stuffed back into the whites.

Other names people use

  • Some people who dislike the Satanic-sounding label call them “stuffed eggs,” “salad eggs,” or even “angel eggs,” especially in religious communities or church cookbooks.
  • Despite those alternatives, deviled eggs remains the most common name, especially in North America, for this classic party appetizer.

Meta description:
Deviled eggs get their name from an old culinary term for highly seasoned, spicy dishes, linking “hot” flavors with the Devil’s fiery heat, not from anything actually sinister.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.