Character Names

I recently logged on to Yahoo Answers, and clicked on my favorite section: Books & Authors. I've neglected this section because of Twilight and the overall redundancy of most questions. One of them: Can you help me name my character?

My answer: Nope. Sorry, I can't do that. But you can since it's your character.

In most instances, people write a description of the character in the additional details, as if to help me name the characters. Here's the thing: the parents didn't know what their child's personality was going to be like when they named them. So naming a character "Raven" because they're dark, is a no-no (the name is a no-no in any case).

Here's how I was named: My mother was completely unprepared when I got sick of her and decided to pop out. And it was a few weeks late, too. So, she rounded up some of her closest, half-wit friends to come up with a name. "Well, I like Marisa Tomei," my godmother said. "Let's name her that!" And of course my mother went along with it. Honestly, I love Marisa Tomei and I'm glad I was named after such a great actress, but sometimes I wish my mom would have put a little more thought into naming me.

Stories like that are actually what happens. Maybe a parent has a relative they'd like to name their child after, or maybe they have a place in their heart for a name they adore. However, babies aren't named because their non-existent personalities.

Here's a list of no-no names:
Raven.
Don't even try it. Do you know how many characters are named that? Especially pseudo-goth ones? I've only met one person in real life named Raven, and she was rather happy-go-lucky. The only reason she was named that because her mother saw a painting she loved with that name. Only one person I have ever met owns that name. So, don't do it. EVER.
Anything Japanese in a non-Japanese setting.
Is your character Japanese? If not, they shouldn't have Japanese names, especially if everyone else is named "Bob" or "Kelly". "Tsumi" tends to stand out. So, unless your character is Japanese, no Japanese names (especially if they're uncommon names found in anime i.e. Rukia, Naruto, etc.)