Then, a deer appeared to help agricultural affairs of Ame no Futotama no Mikoto and carried rice plants, and that is the origin of the shrine's name as well as the place name of 'Nahaka' which literally means rice plant and a deer.
その際、天大玉命の農事を助けるために鹿が現れ、稲の苗を背負って運んだので「なはか（苗鹿）」という社名・地名になったという。