What’s in a name?

I’m discovering that the hardest part for me…well one of the hardest parts, actually…is coming up with a name for my characters.

I can usually come up with a main character name, but the other people that get drawn into the story…well, I usually find myself using name generators, lol.

I think it’s because a name says a lot about a character.

How would I feel, for example, if Sam were named Fred…or Winston?

Would I have the same affection for the little hobbit?

Don’t know…maybe…but I think that a character’s name can be an important part of what makes them who they are.

In the back of my mind comes the chorus for “Boy Named Sue” by Johnny Cash… 😛

Another example…what comes to mind when the name “Bertha” is used?

I picture a rather large woman, who may or may not be ugly, who is loud and brutish.

Is it fair to the many women who don’t fit that description, yet they’re tagged with such a moniker?

No, it’s not, yet I find the image jumps into my mind just the same when I hear the name, while other people might not feel the same. (so didn’t mean to make that rhyme, lol)

What do you think? Am I making a mountain out of a molehill when choosing a name?