There are various views on the origin of the name, TAWARA no Tota, such as a view that the Tawara, Yurugi-gun, Sagami Province was the place of the origin of the family name, a view based on the legend that he lived in Tawara near Kyoto in his childhood, and a view that is based on a legend that he was from Tawara-go, Kurita-gun, Omi Province.
田原藤太の由来説には、相模国淘綾郡田原を名字の地としていたことによるとする説、幼時に京都近郊の田原に住んでいた伝説に求める説、近江国栗太郡田原郷に出自した伝説に求める説などがある。