Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of animal death.

In Runt, the wolves are given names that correspond to their position in the pack and their most salient character traits, and this use of names offers additional context to The Many Forms of Strength, showing how each wolf brings something different to the pack. Using adjectives as names is common across the fantasy genre, and it is employed by such prolific authors as Robin Hobb (author of Assassin’s Apprentice) so that characters may then live up to or subvert the meaning of their given name. For Bauer, the adjectival names of her characters represent the traits that define each character. Since Runt is the protagonist—the only character who undergoes significant change over the course of the novel—he is the only one whose name changes. As the mother of the pups, Silver possesses instincts about each pup and can provide a name based on what she observes of them in their first moments. Silver’s instincts are then confirmed as Leader, Sniffer, Runner, and Thinker live up to their given names by leading, sniffing out prey, running swiftly, and thinking through problems, respectively. In the case of Runt, however, Silver is not able to determine his name immediately, which leads to his temporary moniker—bestowed by King, not Silver—and, by extension, Runt’s journey to find a new name and his place in the pack.

Runt’s new name in the final chapter of the book suggests that names within the wolf culture of the novel are not always meant to be permanent. Silver is unable to determine Runt’s name at birth because Runt’s proper name is dependent on his ability to sing (howl) to tell stories and call the pack to arms. Runt’s inability to howl and get his true name at birth represents the idea that not everyone grows or matures at the same rate. Thus, Runt changing his name is a sign that he has grown and marks a turning point for his idea of himself and his place in the pack. Further, King’s and Bider’s names suggest that both had different names in the past. King has not always been the ruler of the pack and, thus, was not always “king.” Similarly, Bider used to be a king who was not biding his time, meaning that the name “Bider” would not have suited him in his former life. Taken together, Runt, King, and Bider symbolize how there is more to each than their name, and on a storytelling level, this shows how the characters are built of more than their time on the page.