I think it can. Names carry a distinct 'personality' of their own. Not only do names have their own original meanings but the very sound of the name can often conjure an image by itself. Choosing the right name for a character is very important. It's an instinctive thing for me. In the first draft of River Boy the main character was called Lucy. I've always liked the name Lucy and I was keen to use it in the book, but for some reason it didn't fit the character and I couldn't get myself into the story because the girl didn't feel as though she was real. Then one night I suddenly woke up (it felt like the character herself had come into the room and prodded me awake) and realised that she wanted to be called Jess. So she became Jess. And the story took off from that moment.