Actually, there is a precedent for a baked starchy dish being called a pudding in English. Namely, Yorkshire pudding, which is basically a large popover.

And then there is Indian pudding (and, as a New Englander, you may also be familiar with grape nut pudding) though that is sweetened. There's even hasty pudding which is, essentially, polenta. (Indian pudding is hasty pudding made with molasses and sweet spices added, at least in my admittedly limited experience.)