The origin of the name Puterhof (also attested as Putterhof and Putrhof) is unknown, but a folk story derives it from German Butterhof (i.e., 'butter farm'), relating that so much butter was produced there that a fire at the farm caused the butter to melt and run down the hill toward the mill on the creek.

[2][3][4] In the early 1950s, editorials were published stating that it was necessary to change the name of the village because of its presumed German origin.

[2][5] Suggestions for a new name included Košutnik, Podkošutnik, Žagarji, Jelengaj, and Jelendol.

[2][5] The name of the settlement was changed to Jelendol in 1955[6][7] on the basis of the 1948 Law on Names of Settlements and Designations of Squares, Streets, and Buildings as part of efforts by Slovenia's postwar communist government to remove German elements from toponyms.

[8] However, the name Puterhof remained in popular use,[9] and it was still condemned decades later as an "ugly Germanism" (Slovene: grd germanizem).