The oronym Kočna is derived from the Slovenian common noun kočna 'cirque', referring to a valley with an amphitheater-like head and also to the valley head itself with pastures and forests below the wall of a mountain, and was applied to the mountain via metonymy. The common noun kočna itself is derived from the Slavic root *kǫtъ 'corner'. The name Kočna is also found as a settlement name for the nearby village of Kočna and in the derived name Podkočna.