diff --git a/cheney_c89.c b/cheney_c89.c
index e6aee3a..25b248f 100644
--- a/cheney_c89.c
+++ b/cheney_c89.c
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ int uns_cheney_c89_collect(struct uns_gc *gc)
 	unsigned char *scanptr;
 
 	size_t newlen = gc->next_alloc;
-	struct uns_root_list *root;
+	struct uns_ctr *root;
 
 	assert(gc->next_alloc >= fromspace_lim - fromspace);
 
diff --git a/examples/string/test_inefficient.c b/examples/string/test_inefficient.c
index fb96684..46533ac 100644
--- a/examples/string/test_inefficient.c
+++ b/examples/string/test_inefficient.c
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 
 int test(struct uns_gc *gc)
 {
-	struct uns_root_list r = {0};
+	struct uns_ctr r = {0};
 	int i;
 
 	/* MistralAI 8x7B 0.1:
diff --git a/examples/string/test_large.c b/examples/string/test_large.c
index 68964ef..2ba7a8a 100644
--- a/examples/string/test_large.c
+++ b/examples/string/test_large.c
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 
 int test(struct uns_gc *gc)
 {
-	struct uns_root_list r = {0};
+	struct uns_ctr r = {0};
 	int i;
 
 	/* MistralAI 8x7B 0.1:
diff --git a/examples/string/test_small.c b/examples/string/test_small.c
index 08b2ed2..458c318 100644
--- a/examples/string/test_small.c
+++ b/examples/string/test_small.c
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 
 int test(struct uns_gc *gc)
 {
-	struct uns_root_list r = {0};
+	struct uns_ctr r = {0};
 	const char s[] = "hello, world";
 
 	uns_string_alloc(gc, &r, 32);
diff --git a/examples/string/uns_string.c b/examples/string/uns_string.c
index 219df89..fe6f06a 100644
--- a/examples/string/uns_string.c
+++ b/examples/string/uns_string.c
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ enum {
 	NUMBER_OF_IND = 3
 };
 
-static size_t get_size_t(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root, size_t i)
+static size_t get_size_t(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_ctr *root, size_t i)
 {
 	size_t r;
 
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ static size_t get_size_t(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root, size_t i
 	return r;
 }
 
-static void set_size_t(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root, size_t i, size_t val)
+static void set_size_t(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_ctr *root, size_t i, size_t val)
 {
 	void *p = gc->record_get_ptr(root->p, i);
 	memcpy(p, &val, sizeof(val));
@@ -53,22 +53,22 @@ static void set_size_t(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root, size_t i,
 #define set_allen(gc,root,val) set_size_t(gc, root, ALLEN_IND, val)
 #define set_len(gc,root,val) set_size_t(gc, root, LEN_IND, val)
 
-static size_t uns_string_allen(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root)
+static size_t uns_string_allen(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_ctr *root)
 {
 	return get_size_t(gc, root, ALLEN_IND);
 }
 
-size_t uns_string_len(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root)
+size_t uns_string_len(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_ctr *root)
 {
 	return get_size_t(gc, root, LEN_IND);
 }
 
-char *uns_string_ptr(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root)
+char *uns_string_ptr(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_ctr *root)
 {
 	return gc->record_get_ptr(root->p, BYTES_IND);
 }
 
-void uns_string_alloc(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root, size_t start_len)
+void uns_string_alloc(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_ctr *root, size_t start_len)
 {
 	unsigned char *p;
 	root->p = gc->alloc_record(gc, NUMBER_OF_IND);
@@ -91,11 +91,14 @@ void uns_string_alloc(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root, size_t star
 	gc->record_set_ptr(root->p, BYTES_IND, p);
 }
 
-void uns_string_resize(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root, size_t newlen)
+void uns_string_resize(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_ctr *root, size_t newlen)
 {
-	struct uns_root_list tmp_new = {0};
+	struct uns_ctr tmp_new = {0};
 	size_t old_len = uns_string_len(gc, root);
 
+	/* The temporary string needs to be added to the roots list because
+	 * there are multiple allocations that happen in the body of the string.
+	 */
 	uns_root_add(gc, &tmp_new);
 	uns_string_alloc(gc, &tmp_new, newlen);
 
@@ -109,7 +112,7 @@ void uns_string_resize(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root, size_t new
 	uns_root_remove(gc, &tmp_new);
 }
 
-void uns_string_ensure(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root, size_t extent)
+void uns_string_ensure(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_ctr *root, size_t extent)
 {
 	size_t used = uns_string_len(gc, root);
 	size_t allen = uns_string_allen(gc, root);
@@ -118,7 +121,7 @@ void uns_string_ensure(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root, size_t ext
 		uns_string_resize(gc, root, used + extent);
 }
 
-void uns_string_append_bytes(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *to,
+void uns_string_append_bytes(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_ctr *to,
                             const void *from, size_t bytes)
 {
 	size_t len = uns_string_len(gc, to);
@@ -127,12 +130,12 @@ void uns_string_append_bytes(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *to,
 	set_len(gc, to, len + bytes);
 }
 
-void uns_string_append_char(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root, char c)
+void uns_string_append_char(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_ctr *root, char c)
 {
 	uns_string_append_bytes(gc, root, &c, 1);
 }
 
-char *uns_string_cstring(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root)
+char *uns_string_cstring(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_ctr *root)
 {
 	char *p;
 	uns_string_ensure(gc, root, 1);
diff --git a/examples/string/uns_string.h b/examples/string/uns_string.h
index 14ae812..b583992 100644
--- a/examples/string/uns_string.h
+++ b/examples/string/uns_string.h
@@ -39,15 +39,15 @@
  *        (allocated length)    (used)     (size of used)
  */
 
-size_t uns_string_len(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root);
-char *uns_string_ptr(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root);
+size_t uns_string_len(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_ctr *root);
+char *uns_string_ptr(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_ctr *root);
 
 /* The following functions may cause a collection. */
-void uns_string_alloc(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root, size_t start_len);
-void uns_string_resize(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root, size_t newlen);
-void uns_string_ensure(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root, size_t extent);
-void uns_string_append_bytes(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *to,
+void uns_string_alloc(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_ctr *root, size_t start_len);
+void uns_string_resize(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_ctr *root, size_t newlen);
+void uns_string_ensure(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_ctr *root, size_t extent);
+void uns_string_append_bytes(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_ctr *to,
                             const void *from, size_t bytes);
-void uns_string_append_char(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root, char c);
-char *uns_string_cstring(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root);
+void uns_string_append_char(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_ctr *root, char c);
+char *uns_string_cstring(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_ctr *root);
 #endif
diff --git a/include/uns.h b/include/uns.h
index 1277b32..93a859d 100644
--- a/include/uns.h
+++ b/include/uns.h
@@ -48,10 +48,10 @@ typedef UNS_SIGNED_WORD uns_sword;
   * A root that is not a part of any GC MUST have ``prev`` and ``next``
   * set to NULL.
   */
-struct uns_root_list {
-	struct uns_root_list *prev;
+struct uns_ctr {
+	struct uns_ctr *prev;
 	void *p;
-	struct uns_root_list *next;
+	struct uns_ctr *next;
 };
 
 struct uns_gc {
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ struct uns_gc {
 	 *
 	 * The roots list can have repeated values.
 	 */
-	struct uns_root_list *roots;
+	struct uns_ctr *roots;
 	size_t next_alloc;
 	void (*oom)(struct uns_gc *);
 	void (*after_gc)(struct uns_gc *);
@@ -94,11 +94,11 @@ struct uns_gc {
 };
 
 /** Add a root to the GC. The root must point to valid memory, or NULL. */
-void uns_root_add(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root);
+void uns_root_add(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_ctr *root);
 
 /** Remove a root from the GC. It is OK to remove a root that is not a
   * part of any GC using this function (the call will have no effect).
   */
-void uns_root_remove(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root);
+void uns_root_remove(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_ctr *root);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/uns.c b/uns.c
index 4d6eaad..6ae6894 100644
--- a/uns.c
+++ b/uns.c
@@ -17,14 +17,14 @@
 
 #include "uns.h"
 
-void uns_root_add(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root)
+void uns_root_add(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_ctr *root)
 {
 	root->prev = NULL;
 	root->next = gc->roots;
 	gc->roots = root;
 }
 
-void uns_root_remove(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_root_list *root)
+void uns_root_remove(struct uns_gc *gc, struct uns_ctr *root)
 {
 	if (root->prev) {
 		root->prev->next = root->next;