Domžale (Domschale) is a town and the seat of Municipality of Domžale. The town lies near the foothills of the Kamnik Alps and is crossed by the Kamnik Bistrica River. It includes the hamlets of Zgornje Domžale (Oberdomschale), Spodnje Domžale (Unterdomschale), and Študa. Domžale is known today for its small businesses, agriculture, and light industry.
Domžale was attested in written sources circa 1200–1230 as Domsselsdorf (and as Vnheilden dorf in 1260, Vnsselsdorf in 1302, Vnsersdorf in 1322, Dumsel in 1490, and Damschale in 1558, among other variations.) The medieval German name Unser(s)dorf is derived from (D)unselsdorf, which was presumably borrowed from the Slovene name and from which the initial D- was lost because it was reanalyzed as a definite article. The Slovene name could be reconstructed as *Domžaľe, based on a Slavic personal name such as *Domožalъ and referring to an early inhabitant of the place. Alternatively, the Slovene name may be borrowed from Middle High German Domsell(sdorf), based in turn on a Slavic name such as *Domoslavъ. In the local dialect, the town is referred to as Dumžale. In the past the German name was Domschale.
