The number of "seven" was a mere play on words made up in later years (However, the feats that were said to be theirs were performed only during the running battle after Hideyoshi's victory had been secured. The honor of launching the attack fell to a group of samurai called sakigakesyu [the vanguard], which included Yoshitsugu OTANI and Mitsunari ISHIDA).
7人と言うのは後の語呂合わせである（ただし彼らが挙げたとされる手柄は勝利が確定した後の追撃戦によるもののみであり、一番手柄も大谷吉継、石田三成らの先駆衆と呼ばれる武士達に与えられている）。