Bartleby the Scrivenor part 2

"I would prefer not to" no I'm not talking about whether I would like to watch any of the twilight movies. This phrase is repeated over and over in this story and I am struggling to see it's true significance. I mean sure it is showing defiance but what more? The fact that it is possibly the nicest way to decline someones command has got to mean something right? Maybe it is just showing that Bartleby, while representing going against the norm of wall street is not doing it out of malice or anger, he is simply different than other people in that he is not afraid to share his true feelings. I also felt like the names of the characters were a bit odd. Bartleby for one is an odd name but could have been common or at least not as weird in the time this was written. But what about Turkey and Nippers? What are these names supposed to represent? We are in the Characterization unit so I feel like they've got to have more significance.