What's in a name

I like to find names that are different and I always asked the person if I can use their name. For instance, in Tell Her Goodbye, I asked a friend if I could use her last name. I had two characters, a father and daughter, and I needed a last name for them. Rooney and Ruth Ann (or Rugsby) were my lead characters, but they needed a last name. My friend's maiden name is Senn, and I latched on to it. For my latest unfinished manuscript I used another friend's name: Kimsey.  Just because I use a last name does not mean that the character is a reflection of my friend. A character is this complicated compilation of you, your friends and daily exposure. If a name is familiar to you in one of my books, don't think that it is their personality. It's not. I just took their name.