The Numidinae is a subfamily of birds that include guinea fowl and helmeted guineafowl. Synonyms for Numidinae are rare, as it is a specific taxonomical classification. However, the term "guiniformes" is occasionally used to refer to the order of birds that includes Numidinae as well as other guinea fowl-like species. Additionally, the species within the Numidinae subfamily are often referred to simply as "guinea fowl" or "helmeted guineafowl." The name "Numidinae" is derived from the Latin word "numida," which means "a person from Numidia," an ancient region in North Africa where guinea fowl were first domesticated.