The title was derived from the body of text saying 'People always call them Niou (perfumed) Hyobukyo (head of the Ministry of War) and Kaoru (sweet-smelling) Chujo (Middle Captain).'
巻名は本文の「世人は匂ふ兵部卿、薫る中将と聞きにくく言ひつづけて…」に因む。