The Otona originally meant a representative of miyaza (organization of shrine parishioners in a hamlet), which executed religious services in a village; however, as the soson was connected mainly through a ceremony held at miyaza, Otona came to mean the leader of the soson.
乙名は元々、村落の祭祀を執り行う宮座（みやざ）の代表者をさしていたが、惣村の結合が宮座での儀式を中心として行われていたことから、惣村の指導者を意味するようになった。