How did the person who came to be known as Sai Baba get that name?

The name 'Sai Baba' was given to Maharaj by a gentleman named Mhalasapati. As detailed in Chapter 0, when Maharaj first entered the Khandoba temple in Shirdi, he was wearing a kafni and a cap. Upon seeing him, Mhalasapati, a goldsmith and a devotee of Khandoba, welcomed him with the words 'Aavo Sai Baba,' which means 'Come, Sai Baba.' From that moment on, Maharaj became known by this name, and it stayed with him for the rest of his life. In fact, when his testimony was taken in a commission and he was asked his name, he simply replied, 'They call me Sai Baba,' confirming this was the name he was known by.