The namesake of this breed was given during the British Raj in India after the Pariah tribe presiding over Madras. From the Anglo-Indian word pye or paë and the Hindi pāhī meaning “outsider”, the Indian pariah dog is sometimes referred to as a canine dog (also spelled pie or pi) and an Indian indigenous dog. It is commonly known as Desi Kutta or Desi Dog (which comes from the Hindustani word desi, which means local), as well as Indi-dog or In-dog (in various spellings).