It has been suggested that because Yamato Takeru used the sword at that time to cut down grass in order to escape from an attack of burning fields, the sword was given the name Kusanagi no Tsurugi (literally "grass-mowing sword").
この時、倭建命が野火攻めから脱出する為に、この太刀で草を薙いだ事が草薙剣の名前の由来とされている。