Chapters eight and nine are mostly about outcasts.  Krakauer interrupted Chris's story in these chapters to talk a little bit about outcasts, because Chris was kind of an outcast among his family.  He had different point of views than most people around him and that made him an outcast.  The question, "What's a name," is asking what do the letters put together represent.  What makes people remember your name after meeting you once.  That's what matters.