Which feature is essential for allowing the same function name -- especially constructors -- to be used with different argument lists?

Function overloading is essential for allowing the same function name to be used with different argument lists. Recursion is a programming technique where a function calls itself, and it is not directly related to using different argument lists. Inheritance refers to a programming concept where a class can inherit attributes and methods from another class, and it is not directly related to function names and argument lists. Name decoration is a technique used in some programming languages to modify function names for various purposes, and it is not directly related to different argument lists. Therefore, the most suitable answer is C.