diff --git a/doc/guides/prog_guide/cryptodev_lib.rst b/doc/guides/prog_guide/cryptodev_lib.rst
index 30f0bcf7a..3dbf4dde6 100644
--- a/doc/guides/prog_guide/cryptodev_lib.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/prog_guide/cryptodev_lib.rst
@@ -302,24 +302,24 @@ enqueue call.
 Private data
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~
 For session-based operations, the set and get API provides a mechanism for an
-application to store and retrieve the private data information stored along with
-the crypto session.
+application to store and retrieve the private user data information stored along
+with the crypto session.
 
 For example, suppose an application is submitting a crypto operation with a session
-associated and wants to indicate private data information which is required to be
+associated and wants to indicate private user data information which is required to be
 used after completion of the crypto operation. In this case, the application can use
-the set API to set the private data and retrieve it using get API.
+the set API to set the user data and retrieve it using get API.
 
 .. code-block:: c
 
-	int rte_cryptodev_sym_session_set_private_data(
+	int rte_cryptodev_sym_session_set_user_data(
 		struct rte_cryptodev_sym_session *sess,	void *data, uint16_t size);
 
-	void * rte_cryptodev_sym_session_get_private_data(
+	void * rte_cryptodev_sym_session_get_user_data(
 		struct rte_cryptodev_sym_session *sess);
 
 
-For session-less mode, the private data information can be placed along with the
+For session-less mode, the private user data information can be placed along with the
 ``struct rte_crypto_op``. The ``rte_crypto_op::private_data_offset`` indicates the
 start of private data information. The offset is counted from the start of the
 rte_crypto_op including other crypto information such as the IVs (since there can
diff --git a/doc/guides/prog_guide/event_crypto_adapter.rst b/doc/guides/prog_guide/event_crypto_adapter.rst
index 5c1354dec..9fe09c805 100644
--- a/doc/guides/prog_guide/event_crypto_adapter.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/prog_guide/event_crypto_adapter.rst
@@ -223,9 +223,9 @@ crypto security session or at an offset in the ``struct rte_crypto_op``.
 The ``rte_crypto_op::private_data_offset`` is used to locate the request/
 response in the ``rte_crypto_op``.
 
-For crypto session, ``rte_cryptodev_sym_session_set_private_data()`` API
+For crypto session, ``rte_cryptodev_sym_session_set_user_data()`` API
 will be used to set request/response data. The same data will be obtained
-by ``rte_cryptodev_sym_session_get_private_data()`` API.  The
+by ``rte_cryptodev_sym_session_get_user_data()`` API.  The
 RTE_EVENT_CRYPTO_ADAPTER_CAP_SESSION_PRIVATE_DATA capability indicates
 whether HW or SW supports this feature.
 
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ the ``rte_crypto_op``.
                 m_data.request_info.cdev_id = cdev_id;
                 m_data.request_info.queue_pair_id = qp_id;
                 /* Call set API to store private data information */
-                rte_cryptodev_sym_session_set_private_data(
+                rte_cryptodev_sym_session_set_user_data(
                         op->sym->session,
                         &m_data,
                         sizeof(m_data));
diff --git a/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_18_08.rst b/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_18_08.rst
index bc0124295..8f84a088c 100644
--- a/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_18_08.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_18_08.rst
@@ -60,6 +60,14 @@ API Changes
    Also, make sure to start the actual text at the margin.
    =========================================================
 
+* **Renamed cryptodev experimental APIs.**
+
+  Used user_data instead of private_data in following APIs to avoid confusion
+  with the existing session parameter ``sess_private_data[]`` and related APIs.
+  ``rte_cryptodev_sym_session_set_private_data()`` changed to
+  ``rte_cryptodev_sym_session_set_user_data()``
+  ``rte_cryptodev_sym_session_get_private_data()`` changed to
+  ``rte_cryptodev_sym_session_get_user_data()``
 
 ABI Changes
 -----------
diff --git a/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev.c b/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev.c
index 7e5821246..88f4af5f6 100644
--- a/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev.c
+++ b/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev.c
@@ -1123,7 +1123,7 @@ rte_cryptodev_sym_session_create(struct rte_mempool *mp)
 	}
 
 	/* Clear device session pointer.
-	 * Include the flag indicating presence of private data
+	 * Include the flag indicating presence of user data
 	 */
 	memset(sess, 0, (sizeof(void *) * nb_drivers) + sizeof(uint8_t));
 
@@ -1236,7 +1236,7 @@ rte_cryptodev_sym_get_header_session_size(void)
 	/*
 	 * Header contains pointers to the private data
 	 * of all registered drivers, and a flag which
-	 * indicates presence of private data
+	 * indicates presence of user data
 	 */
 	return ((sizeof(void *) * nb_drivers) + sizeof(uint8_t));
 }
@@ -1277,31 +1277,31 @@ rte_cryptodev_sym_get_private_session_size(uint8_t dev_id)
 }
 
 int __rte_experimental
-rte_cryptodev_sym_session_set_private_data(
+rte_cryptodev_sym_session_set_user_data(
 					struct rte_cryptodev_sym_session *sess,
 					void *data,
 					uint16_t size)
 {
 	uint16_t off_set = sizeof(void *) * nb_drivers;
-	uint8_t *private_data_present = (uint8_t *)sess + off_set;
+	uint8_t *user_data_present = (uint8_t *)sess + off_set;
 
 	if (sess == NULL)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	*private_data_present = 1;
+	*user_data_present = 1;
 	off_set += sizeof(uint8_t);
 	rte_memcpy((uint8_t *)sess + off_set, data, size);
 	return 0;
 }
 
 void * __rte_experimental
-rte_cryptodev_sym_session_get_private_data(
+rte_cryptodev_sym_session_get_user_data(
 					struct rte_cryptodev_sym_session *sess)
 {
 	uint16_t off_set = sizeof(void *) * nb_drivers;
-	uint8_t *private_data_present = (uint8_t *)sess + off_set;
+	uint8_t *user_data_present = (uint8_t *)sess + off_set;
 
-	if (sess == NULL || !*private_data_present)
+	if (sess == NULL || !*user_data_present)
 		return NULL;
 
 	off_set += sizeof(uint8_t);
diff --git a/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev.h b/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev.h
index ccc0f73fd..5d4e690c2 100644
--- a/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev.h
+++ b/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev.h
@@ -1041,35 +1041,35 @@ int rte_cryptodev_driver_id_get(const char *name);
 const char *rte_cryptodev_driver_name_get(uint8_t driver_id);
 
 /**
- * Set private data for a session.
+ * Store user data in a session.
  *
  * @param	sess		Session pointer allocated by
  *				*rte_cryptodev_sym_session_create*.
- * @param	data		Pointer to the private data.
- * @param	size		Size of the private data.
+ * @param	data		Pointer to the user data.
+ * @param	size		Size of the user data.
  *
  * @return
  *  - On success, zero.
  *  - On failure, a negative value.
  */
 int __rte_experimental
-rte_cryptodev_sym_session_set_private_data(
+rte_cryptodev_sym_session_set_user_data(
 					struct rte_cryptodev_sym_session *sess,
 					void *data,
 					uint16_t size);
 
 /**
- * Get private data of a session.
+ * Get user data stored in a session.
  *
  * @param	sess		Session pointer allocated by
  *				*rte_cryptodev_sym_session_create*.
  *
  * @return
- *  - On success return pointer to private data.
+ *  - On success return pointer to user data.
  *  - On failure returns NULL.
  */
 void * __rte_experimental
-rte_cryptodev_sym_session_get_private_data(
+rte_cryptodev_sym_session_get_user_data(
 					struct rte_cryptodev_sym_session *sess);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev_version.map b/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev_version.map
index be8f4c1a7..c0ea9c875 100644
--- a/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev_version.map
+++ b/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev_version.map
@@ -97,6 +97,6 @@ DPDK_18.05 {
 EXPERIMENTAL {
         global:
 
-	rte_cryptodev_sym_session_get_private_data;
-	rte_cryptodev_sym_session_set_private_data;
+	rte_cryptodev_sym_session_get_user_data;
+	rte_cryptodev_sym_session_set_user_data;
 };
diff --git a/lib/librte_eventdev/rte_event_crypto_adapter.c b/lib/librte_eventdev/rte_event_crypto_adapter.c
index ba63a87b7..11b28ca9b 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eventdev/rte_event_crypto_adapter.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eventdev/rte_event_crypto_adapter.c
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ eca_enq_to_cryptodev(struct rte_event_crypto_adapter *adapter,
 		if (crypto_op == NULL)
 			continue;
 		if (crypto_op->sess_type == RTE_CRYPTO_OP_WITH_SESSION) {
-			m_data = rte_cryptodev_sym_session_get_private_data(
+			m_data = rte_cryptodev_sym_session_get_user_data(
 					crypto_op->sym->session);
 			if (m_data == NULL) {
 				rte_pktmbuf_free(crypto_op->sym->m_src);
@@ -512,7 +512,7 @@ eca_ops_enqueue_burst(struct rte_event_crypto_adapter *adapter,
 	for (i = 0; i < num; i++) {
 		struct rte_event *ev = &events[nb_ev++];
 		if (ops[i]->sess_type == RTE_CRYPTO_OP_WITH_SESSION) {
-			m_data = rte_cryptodev_sym_session_get_private_data(
+			m_data = rte_cryptodev_sym_session_get_user_data(
 					ops[i]->sym->session);
 		} else if (ops[i]->sess_type == RTE_CRYPTO_OP_SESSIONLESS &&
 				ops[i]->private_data_offset) {
diff --git a/test/test/test_event_crypto_adapter.c b/test/test/test_event_crypto_adapter.c
index 066b0adef..de258c346 100644
--- a/test/test/test_event_crypto_adapter.c
+++ b/test/test/test_event_crypto_adapter.c
@@ -205,12 +205,12 @@ test_op_forward_mode(uint8_t session_less)
 		TEST_ASSERT_SUCCESS(ret, "Failed to get adapter capabilities\n");
 
 		if (cap & RTE_EVENT_CRYPTO_ADAPTER_CAP_SESSION_PRIVATE_DATA) {
-			/* Fill in private date information */
+			/* Fill in private user data information */
 			rte_memcpy(&m_data.response_info, &response_info,
 				sizeof(response_info));
 			rte_memcpy(&m_data.request_info, &request_info,
 				sizeof(request_info));
-			rte_cryptodev_sym_session_set_private_data(sess,
+			rte_cryptodev_sym_session_set_user_data(sess,
 						&m_data, sizeof(m_data));
 		}
 
@@ -389,10 +389,10 @@ test_op_new_mode(uint8_t session_less)
 		TEST_ASSERT_SUCCESS(ret, "Failed to get adapter capabilities\n");
 
 		if (cap & RTE_EVENT_CRYPTO_ADAPTER_CAP_SESSION_PRIVATE_DATA) {
-			/* Fill in private data information */
+			/* Fill in private user data information */
 			rte_memcpy(&m_data.response_info, &response_info,
 				   sizeof(m_data));
-			rte_cryptodev_sym_session_set_private_data(sess,
+			rte_cryptodev_sym_session_set_user_data(sess,
 						&m_data, sizeof(m_data));
 		}
 		rte_cryptodev_sym_session_init(TEST_CDEV_ID, sess,
