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Plenty of people are described in scripture without any mention of their names. This is usually because their role in the narrative is limited, but it could be for other reasons, too.
A good part of the Book of Alma in the Book of Mormon relates the epic missionary labors of four brothers, born the sons of a king, who decide that taking the Gospel message out to the furthest reaches of the land to an overtly hostile people (the Lamanites) is even more important than ruling their own people and enjoying the life of privilege which would accompany ruling positions.
Far removed from their country, family and friends, no one knows or cares about their former status. The brothers, wishing to avoid trouble, do not bring the matter up.
One of their first successes is with a local king named Lamoni, who rules in a part of the land but is still subject to his father. One day, Lamoni is traveling with one of the brothers when they happen to encounter Lamoni's father. At first, this ruler seems to be little more than a walking cliche: bullying, demanding and easily provoked to violence. He attacks the brother, Ammon, but is soon over-matched and finds himself pleading for his life. To his surprise, the king retains his life under conditions which seem, even to the king, to be quite generous. He notices that Ammon and his son have become quite close, and he is impressed enough to wish to know more about what has caused this change in his son.
Ammon's brother Aaron later teaches the king the principles of the Christian message, and he and all his household are converted. This might be one of those times in scripture which describe a process that may have actually taken months or years appears to be immediate. I'm unable to say how long it all took, though the record itself says that the brothers are away from their homeland for fourteen years.
The king is anxious to help the missionary work go forward, and issues a proclamation that is meant to guarantee religious liberty and the safety of the brothers and other missionaries, but the Lamanite converts, though numbering in the thousands, are never more than a despised minority group, and are subjected to persecution in spite of the king's efforts. The record praises these people and their descendents as especially fine men and women, whatever their living conditions.
As for the king, we must scratch our heads a little over the fact that while he plays a major role in these chapters, his name is not recorded even though his name would have been known by ALL the Lamanites and by some Nephites as well.
I have an idea as to why this is the case, but freely admit that it is pure speculation. There is, I believe, no sin in speculating, as long as one can remember which is which. The king, in my version, approached one of the brothers and said something like this: "It's true that I have been the king over these people, but there are a thousand peoples and a thousand kings, and my works in this regard are no different than many before me or others who will come forth later. I have come to believe that such an earthly honor is really of little or no consequence when I compare it to the gift you and your brothers have given me of knowing about Christ and his role in my life. My wish, therefore, is to ask that you omit any mention of my name from your official records. It matters nothing what people think of me. It only matters that I have been able to turn my life around and serve God in some tiny way."
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