The head of the Saigo family was named Kichibei, and Saigo's real name is Takanaga Kichibei SAIGO the eighth, the first generation having relocated from Kumamoto to Kagoshima; and their childhood names were Kokichi who known as Kichinosuke, and he was renamed Zenbei SAIGO and then Kichinosuke SAIGO.
西郷家の家長は吉兵衛と名乗り、西郷の本名は8代目西郷吉兵衛隆永と言う、初代は熊本より鹿児島に移り住む、幼名は小吉、通称(仮名)は吉之介、善兵衛、吉之助と順次変えた。