When you create the deeplink any name can be used.
The deeplink will be triggered when the url is provided, as you are invoking the requesthandler via the url. With a deeplink the requesthandler is <your app url>/link everything behind the link part are parameters (name of the deeplink config and input parameters). The handler is created in the after startup microflow, so make sure that the after startup microflow runs the deeplink register handler microflow.
Then in a deeplink you provide a microflow that needs to be executed when accessing your specific deeplink. The microflow allows for using the parameters after the name of the configuration in the url. So in a url <your app url>/link/<your deeplink config name>/<parameter(s). In order to trigger the microflow the homepage needs to be changed in the navigation. The specific execute deeplink microflow should be used as (part of) the homepage microflow. I suspect that this part was not implemented or incorrectly implemented in your project and that’s why you don’t see anything happening.