It was originally the haimyo (also known as haimei, a kabuki actor's offstage name which can be used officially and privately) of Utaemon NAKAMURA, and it is often used after Fukusuke and before Utaemon.
もとは中村歌右衛門の俳名であったが、現在では福助の後、歌右衛門の前に襲名することが多い。