A name is just a simple reference to a system composed of interrelated and essential OS components: Kernel, windowing system, networking tools, virtual memory, user interfaces, the list goes on…

Yes GNU is an essential suite of tools but so is X (or Wayland) and many other unnamed yet critical subsystems.

Now GPL licensing on the other hand, THAT is a foundational precept to FOSS that deserves sole credit back to a single project.