The Dawes Act is less a title than it is a declaration of whom we should blame for this legislation. Henry Dawes was this bill's most vocal proponent and drafter, and thus shoulders the responsibility for all it entails. He didn't choose to name it after himself, it just kind of happened. Like an unfortunate nickname (although he was pretty proud of it at the time).

Officially, it's also called the General Allotment Act, but that just doesn't have the same ring to it.