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A builder can allow you create different kinds of objects from a common stem. They don't have to be bags of properties.

Say, SQLAlchemy is all built on chaining builder-like methods, which make one of the finest DSLs that translates to SQL. In the end, you build a representation of a SQL statement, but in no way could that work with named arguments alone.

Instead, consider named arguments as nice shortcuts over curried functions.

> Would you use the Builder pattern if the language had named variables in arguments?

Yes, absolutely. I see it all the time in the Ruby ecosystem and have used it myself in Ruby. Many times it gets called by a different name. I've seen it in Python and Elixir too.

I suppose any feature you need is a design pattern, and everything from functions onup are whys of implementing features your language doesn't natively support.