The origin of his name, according to the Kojiki, derived from the story that he was born in the middle of the flames burning the Inagi Castle, whereby his mother named him Homuchiwake no miko (son born through the flames).
名の由来を記では稲城の焼かれる火中で生まれたので、母により本牟智和気御子と名づけられたとする。