How did Evel Knievel get the name Evel?

Answer 1

Roger Craig Knievel was reportedly given the nickname "Evel" while in jail for reckless driving by one of the guards. His cell mate was known as "awful Knofel" (last name Knofel ryming with awful). It didn't take long before guards began calling them "awful Knofel" and "Evil Knievel". Roger Knievel took to the nickname but didn't want people to think he was "evil" so he changed the spelling to "Evel" (ending in -el like his surname).

His name was Robert Craig Knievel and his nickname was given to him by the people in his town because of many of the things he had done as a teenager. The above statement was taken from the 1971 movie starring George Hamilton.