It was originally called 'Higashi-Ichijo Dono' (the residence by Eastern Ichijo Street) but it subsequently came to be called 'Kazanin' (the residence by the mountain covered with flowers) after the dianthus and lespedeza flowers in the estate (according to "Kokon Chomon-Ju").
なお、当初は東一条殿（ひがしいちじょうどの）と呼ばれていたが、邸内に撫子や萩が咲き乱れていたことから、「花山院」と呼ばれるようになったとされている（『古今著聞集』）。