"I suppose you don't want to lose your name?" the Gnat asked Alice. She replied anxiously, "No, indeed." The Gnat then speculated on how useful it would be if Alice could go home without her name, suggesting that if the governess called her by name, she wouldn't be obliged to go. It’s a humorous thought about the importance of names and their role in obedience and communication in the whimsical world Alice inhabits.

"only think how convenient it would be if you could manage to go home without it! For instance, if the governess wanted to call you to your lessons, she would call out 'come here-,' and there she would have to leave off, because there wouldn't be any name for her to call, and of course you wouldn't have to go, you know."