Short answer: for the food in the blue can, most people say “spiced ham,” though Hormel treats SPAM as a brand name rather than a strict acronym. For unwanted messages, the word comes from a Monty Python sketch that repeats “Spam” to absurdity, which inspired the tech slang for repetitive, intrusive messages.

The food brand

• Origin: SPAM debuted in 1937 after a naming contest. The winning entry was “Spam,” submitted by actor Ken Daigneau.
• Meaning: Over time, two explanations circulated, “spiced ham” and “shoulder of pork and ham.” Hormel has leaned into the playful ambiguity, emphasizing SPAM as a trademarked name.
• What it is: Pork, salt, water, sugar, potato starch, and sodium nitrite. Simple shelf stable protein designed for rationing and convenience.

The internet term

• Monty Python link: A 1970 sketch repeats “Spam” so often it drowns out normal conversation. Early internet users borrowed the joke to describe messages that overwhelm a channel.
• Why it fits: Spam messages are repetitive, low value, and crowd out useful content, just like the chorus in the sketch crowds out the menu.

Why the acronym myth persists

• People like tidy stories. Acronyms feel definitive and memorable.
• The original naming was a contest, not a corporate etymology lesson. Ambiguity left room for folklore.
• The canned meat and the messaging term share the same spelling, which invites retroactive acronym building.

Quick timeline

• 1937: SPAM food brand launches.
• World War II: Massive global distribution cements its place in food culture.
• 1970: Monty Python’s “Spam” sketch airs.
• 1980s to 1990s: Early online communities adopt “spam” for junk messages.
• Today: “Spam” is the default word for unsolicited digital messages, and SPAM remains a global pantry staple.

How to use the word today

• Food: SPAM is a proper noun for the canned meat product.
• Messages: spam is a common noun or verb for unwanted digital messages.

Bottom line

For the can, think brand first, with “spiced ham” as the popular backstory. For the inbox, think Monty Python and the idea of noisy repetition. Same letters, two cultural icons, one memorable word.