It is said to have been designed after the calyx of a cherry blossom or to have been adopted as a pun based on two possible meanings for "tamayoke" (written as "弾除け," it means bulletproof", but written as "多魔除け," it means "barrier against multiple evils"); however, the word's origin and exact meaning are unknown.
桜花の萼（がく）の形を模しているとも、弾除け（多魔除け）の意味をかついで採用されていたとも言われており、その起源や意味についてははっきりしない。