I like the Replace button in Word as you can do these little experiments: you can try to Replace all the names of one character with another more apt name. This is so easy to do but the problem is if the character feels the same to you afterward.
I tried doing this and I couldn’t relate to this particular character I am talking about at all. This is because I’ve spent some time with her, trying to get into her mind and her name is as strong a part of understanding her as her basic traits. While I write, so many such problems crop up. I thought maybe I should compile a list of the problems I face when I write, but then I thought I could do a compilation post later (an excuse to blog!) and just start writing about them. There are name generators that help you zone in on the right names and if you are writing historical fiction, it would be best if you chose an adequate enough name that suits the time, but if you find a good name afterward and your character has settled nicely into the name you’ve given in the beginning, don’t bother to change it. The character will simply not allow it.
They really do have a life of their own!