What is the name of the demon king in the Holi legend?

The demon king in the Holi legend is Hiranyakashipu.

In the story associated with Holika Dahan, Hiranyakashipu is an asura king who receives a powerful boon from Brahma. Believing himself nearly invincible, he demands that everyone worship him. His son Prahlada refuses because he remains devoted to Vishnu, leading the king to subject him to repeated attempts on his life.

Hiranyakashipu’s sister Holika eventually tries to burn Prahlada in a fire, but she dies while Prahlada survives. Vishnu then appears as Narasimha, a half-man, half-lion form, and kills Hiranyakashipu at twilight on a threshold, using claws rather than a conventional weapon. These details bypass the conditions of the king’s boon.

A common mix-up is confusing Hiranyakashipu with Holika, whose burning is commemorated by the Holika Dahan bonfire. Ravana and Mahishasura are different figures from Hindu mythology and are not the demon king in this Holi narrative.