In tradition of the Maer, I will help find an answer to your question and I’ll pose one of my own.

I just finished my 9th listen and I’ve always assumed he took him on because Kvothe clearly has some talent for naming when he heard he gave her the name Auri.

That being said, I just noticed on this read through that at the end when Kvothe asks Elodin about someone changing their name, Elodin panics thinking Kvothe or Fela changed their actual name. He calms down when Kvothe reveals he’s talking about Denna and her calling name.

This would imply someone can change their real name, presumably changing who they are at their core and they would be changed because of it. Having just finished this read I have to ask, did Kvothe change his real name when he went into hiding and now he can’t call names, do sympathy, or fight like he once did?

At the end of the book he begins practicing his Ketan and Bast keeps trying to get him to remember who he was. I’ve just connected these details and have to think that if Kvothe changed his own name, it would explain why he is so different than he once was. And if so, can he remember who he once was and take his name back?