The namesake of this breed was given during the British Raj in India after the Pariah tribe of the Madras Presidency. From the Anglo-Indian word pye or paë and Hindi pāhī meaning 'outsider', the Indian pariah dog is sometimes referred to as the pye-dog (also spelt pie or pi) and the Indian native dog. It is popularly known as Desi Kutta or Desi Dog (which derives from the Hindustani word desi, meaning native), as well as the Indi-dog or In-dog (in various spellings).People in Northern India and Pakistan call it 'desi kutta' (देसी कुत्ता, دیسی کتا) which means native dog in Hindustani. In Bengali they are named as 'Neri Kukur' (নেড়ি কুকুর). In Himachali, they are named as 'luru'. In Assamese language these native dogs are termed as bhotua (ভতুৱা কুকুৰ) kukur.