Figuring out names for your characters in a new script can be torturous. Your hero is usually the easiest, since movie law dictates that their first name must be something staccato and manly ("Jack", "Nick", "Max", etc.) and the last name relatively easy to pronounce. If it's not easy to pronounce, then that itself becomes a character quirk ("Damn it, Krinowieski, get your (pick ethnic slur of choice) ass down to headquarters now!")
But for others, trying to find something new and unusual can be tough. I used to pore through the phone book, but you have to wade through a lot of Smith and Jones type names to find something interesting. But I have discovered an easier solution...
Just go through any political blog, doesn't matter what persuasion, liberal, conservative, nutball (though those can be the most interesting). For some reason, people in political life have some of the coolest names. Just scanning down one blog this morning, I found the following: Perriello, Ambinder, Culvahouse, Pawlenty, Bendixson, Taddeo, Bordallo, Visclosky, Oberstar... and that's just in three minutes. A little more looking and you can populate your story with some of the most interesting names, and get politically incensed/enthused at the same time!
