Since the deity enshrined in honganchi was called 'Ubusunagami' (guardian deity of one's birthplace), Hongan was also called Ubusuna, and gradually became a synonym of 'Ujigami' (guardian god or spirit of a particular place in the Shinto religion).
本貫地に祀られている神を、「産土神（うぶすながみ）」と称するため、本貫を（うぶすな）と訓み、次第に「氏神（うじがみ）」と同意語となった。