I always use National Geographic when I have to come up with last names for characters from foreign countries. It's a lot easier than looking through every name in the phone book. Debra Dixon gathers her character names from several sources. Although I have no baby naming books, I use the phone book, my son's school directory, and the credits of every film I watch. There are some wonderful names in the credits of movies.
Most authors think so, especially if they're asked to change a character's name.
When you pick a name that fits the character like a glove, no other name will do no matter how hard you try. Debra ran into just such a situation. Two Loveswepts in the same month used the name Sullivan. After extensive effort by my editor and myself, it was determined that Sullivan Kincaid of Bad to the Bone could only be Sullivan Kincaid. There simply was no other name despite a willingness to try.