'Hindustani' originates from Persian, specifically the word 'Hindūstānī,' where 'Hindū' referred to the land beyond the Indus River and '-stānī' meant 'pertaining to.'

'Hindūstānī' was adopted into English during the British colonial period in India, reflecting the languages and cultures of the region.

Initially, it referred to the people and languages of the region beyond the Indus River, but over time it evolved to specifically denote the Hindi and Urdu languages.