wp_nav_menu echo/output title?

I’m trying to pull the title of the menu in wp_nav_menu using a code like

function start_lvl(&$output, $depth) {
  global $wp_query;
  $indent = str_repeat("\t", $depth);
  $output .= "\n$indent
  <a href='/' class='SplitCtrl' rel='Menu'></a>
  <div class='Menu JsOnly tabMenu'>
  <div class='primaryContent menuHeader'>\n";
  $output .= '<h3>' . $item->attr_title . '</h3>';
  $output .= "\n$indent<div class='muted'>Quick Thread/forum Links</div>
   </div> <ul class='secondarydroplinks blockLinksList'>\n";
   }

$output .= '<h3>' . $item->attr_title . '</h3>';

is obviously not calling the title… any suggestions how I could grab it in there, so I can style it h3 in my menu above ‘Quick Thread/forum Links’ text and have “FORUM”, the menu name, showing there.
https://i.imgur.com/PLD2X.png

??