John,

I completely agree with your final comment: "A name is only a point of reference, in my opinion, to give us some indication of its description, and not the final word in how it can, must, or shall be tied". But, you either have to get the name right and be speaking the same language. Example: You and a friend are going to a highly recommended river. Now, sometimes getting information about a particular pattern is like playing telephone. You learned of this river through a friend of a friend of a friend. So you contact this last friend and ask what he'd recommend you guys tying. He's not available but another friend, who works at the same shop, recommends a size 16 PTN. Great you guys tie up a sh*tload of PTNs. And just to be on the safe side you tie them up in 14, 16 and 18. Then you get to the river and get skunked that first day you go to the shop and speak to the 'friend'. He shows you the 'killer' and it's the 'Misery'. All you guys could muster to say, probably under your breaths was, 'Why didn't he just say so?"
So yes, a name is a point of reference and sometimes it's exact. However, often the words have meaning beyond the norm and that's where they need to be specified. Just another quick example: On the W. Branch Del. there's a good hatch of sulphurs with an orange body. If someone suggested I tie up some sulphurs for a trip up there, unless the tier new the area he'd not use orange for the body.

Regards.

Allan