How did the saint who first arrived in Shirdi come to be known as 'Sai Baba'?

The name 'Sai Baba' was bestowed upon Maharaj by a gentleman named Mhalasapati, a goldsmith and resident of Shirdi. As Chapter 0 recounts, when Maharaj arrived in Shirdi with a wedding procession, he entered the Khandoba temple. Upon seeing him in his kafni and cap, Mhalasapati greeted him with the words 'Aavo Sai Baba,' which translates to 'Come, Sai Baba.' Maharaj held onto this name for the rest of his life. The text even notes that when his testimony was required in a commission and he was asked his name, he simply replied, 'They call me Sai Baba,' indicating his acceptance of the name given by his devotee.