It is likely that the name of tatenami was used because the shape of the surrounding moat was like a shield (tate) and each of the northern part (around the round part of the tumulus) and the southern part (around the front part of the tumulus) was aligned in parallel (nami) in a east-west straight line.
古墳群の名の盾（楯）列は、周濠の形が盾型をしており、それらが北側に後円部、南側に前方部という位置でそれぞれが平行に、また東西一直線に並んでいる様子を言い表したもののようである。