They are called "Spaghetti Westerns" because these films were primarily made by Italian filmmakers during the 1960s and early 1970s. The term "Spaghetti" is a playful reference to Italy's most famous cultural export, spaghetti pasta, used to highlight that these Western-style films originated from Italy rather than the United States. Spanish journalist Alfonso Sánchez is generally credited with coining the term, initially with a somewhat mocking tone to describe these low-budget, stylistically distinct Westerns made predominantly in Italy and filmed in Italy and Spain. Over time, however, the term became a badge of honor recognizing the unique gritty style, antiheroes, and moral ambiguity that set Spaghetti Westerns apart from traditional American Westerns.

Spaghetti Westerns differ from classic American Westerns by featuring anti- heroes with questionable morals, despicable villains, desert landscapes, and intense violence, often with distinctive music scores by composers like Ennio Morricone. While American Westerns traditionally portrayed clear-cut heroes and villains and idealized rugged individualism, Spaghetti Westerns brought a cynical and darker tone to the genre.

In summary, the name "Spaghetti Western" comes from the Italian origin of the films and the playful association with spaghetti as a symbol of Italian culture, marking a unique subgenre of Western films made mostly in Italy and Spain, characterized by a distinct style and tone different from American Westerns.