If it’s a main character, I usually have a name picked out. If the character is somehow unique or I need a culturally appropriate name, I’ll use a name generator. Random sims get game generated names. I’ve rarely met a real person who inspires a sim name, but will sometimes do Sim like puns on real names. The Wilson brothers of The Beach Boys became The Wilsims. I named a politician Ron Bragg, because that’s all he did. A Jimmy Buffett look alike became Jimmy Buffet because that’s a common misspelling. I gave him the glutton trait.