Star Trek III: The Search for Spock is a bit of a mistitle. Kirk knows exactly where he left Spock. He just has to go to Genesis, pick up the body, and deliver it to Vulcan.

A more appropriate title might be The Two-Day Delivery of Spock—although we suppose that doesn't have the same ring to it.

Shipping logistics aside, The Search for Spock is an appropriate title in the spirit of the film. Kirk's adventure to steal the Enterprise and rescue his friend from certain death has all the hallmarks of a classic quest story. There's the difficult journey, the dangerous enemies, the gathering of allies, the facing of hardships, and the object of desire.

Classics in this genre include Jason and the Quest for the Golden Fleece and modern quest stories include Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.

You'll notice that The Search for Spock follows a similar naming structure by including the object of desire—Golden Fleece, Lost Ark, a shiny new Spock—right in the title. This convention informs the viewer right away that this story will follow the classic quest structure, only substituting the Argo for the Enterprise.