Like most recipes, the origins of the dish are obscure, and there are many legends about it. As the name is derived from the Italian word for charcoal, some believe that the dish was first made as a hearty meal for Italian charcoal workers. Others say that it was originally made overcharcol grills. Still others suggest that it is so named because the specks of bacon and pepper in the pasta look like bits of charcoal. It has even been suggested that it was created by the Carbonari ("charcoalmen"), an Italian secret society.

The dish was obscure before theII World War, and it is not present inAda Boni classic book La Cucina Romana, which was published in 1927. It is thought to have originated in the hills outside Roma, not in the city itself. Its popularity began after the Second World War, when many Italians were eating eggs and bacon supplied by troops from theUnited State. It also became popular among American troops stationed in Italy; upon their return home, they popularized spaghetti alla carbonara in North America.