We don't have much guessing to do with this one. Curtis gives us a great explanation in the book, when Bud is remembering how his mother once said, "Bud is your name and don't you ever let anyone call you anything outside of that either. […] Especially don't you ever let anyone call you Buddy...You're name is Bud, period. […] And do you know what a Bud is? […] A bud is a flower to be. A flower-in-waiting. Waiting for just the right warmth and care to open up. It's a little fist of love waiting to unfold and be seen by the world. And that's you" (5.42).
Even though Bud's mother did a great job explaining how Bud's name reflects the type of person he is, we figure it couldn't hurt to talk a little more about the title.
So what's the big deal with his name? Why is the title of the whole book named after Bud? It's probably because Bud's name sums up what happens in the book. Take a look: Bud is a "little fist of love" who sleeps with his knife open, fights with his foster brother, and whacks a hornets' nest with a rake. He does what he needs to do to take care of himself and doesn't really trust people. Bud is brave and, like Miss Thomas says, is "an old toughie" (16.58).
When he meets Lefty, he opens up a little, but not too much. Lefty is kind but is still mysterious, so Bud isn't sure about him. Finally, when Bud enters The Sweet Pea (named after another flower) and finds the warmth and humorous banter of the band and the comfort of Miss Thomas, Bud opens up all the way, as if he really were a flower