The name Sovinja Peč is derived from the surname Sovina and literally means 'Sovina cliff'. The designation "cliff" refers to Sovina Peak (Slovene: Sovinjski vrh, 1,004 meters or 3,294 feet), which rises north of the village. The older spelling Savinja Peč, along with German Sawinapetsch, shows pretonic akanje. The surname Sovina is probably derived from the personal name Sova, originally used as a nickname based on the common noun sova 'owl'.[4]