Character Names

[PlanetHauth]

The last few days I've been combing through the baby name list on (removed by mod) making a list of the names I like. These names have the potential of becoming characters in my writing. However, this website has some of the goofiest and craziest names I've ever encountered. Here are some I've come across that made me want to smack the curator of the list:

1. Peekaboo (I wish I were lying about this one and it's various spellings, folks)
2. Nori (this is Japanese for those seaweed sheets that are used in cooking; you find nori on your sushi, in your ramen, on top of rice, on top of katsudon, etc.)
3. Flaumbe (flambé is also a cooking practice where you add alcohol to the pan of food, then light it on fire)
4. Paprika
5. Poem
6. Poetry

These are just a few I've come across that are worth noting, but it got me thinking. A character's name is pretty important to me. If it's too outlandish when a setting is pretty normal, or is a name I dislike, then I have a hard time liking the character. So, as a writer, I want to do right by my potential readers and use names that work for them.

How important are names to you as a reader? Why?
What names have you come across in novels that you love? Which ones do you hate? Why?
As a reader, what do you wish writers knew when it comes to naming their characters?

[Monet_va]

I find it really important how writers name their characters. They should choose names they love but still remember their setting. If they use a certain culture's names for all their characters except their lead, then it will stick out in a bad way. Alternately, sometimes writers try too hard to create unique names. Keep it simple. Keep it memorable.