Name combinations

Just wondering, how are last names chosen according to the first name that you wrote down? Is it random, or is there some pattern relating to the letters in the first name? For example, if I write down some nonsense that no one in SL has ever picked such as "ashdfohpadfnxbasdgoasdp", the amount of last names I get is the same as if I picked a really common name like "Mary" as the first name. Also, is it possible to find out what first name you need to write down in order to get a last name you want? I'm thinking about making an alt.
Thanks.

Best I can tell, it is pretty random. However, you can go here http://slnamewatch.com/ to find a page that will at least give you a last name you are trying to get.

Thanks I already checked that site before posting. It only lists the available last names, which isn't really helpful since the last names generated are random anyways. The problem is because the SL site forces you to write a first name before choosing a last name. -.-' I tried several other sites on slnamelist, however none of them function (either broken link, no reaction, or takes me back to the registration page).

I'm very curious about this, too.

In my first experience with choosing a name, virtually all the last names seemed to be German. Because I was online in what was about 2am in the eastern part of the US, I wondered if the names change according to the time of day/night----under the assumption that people in (say) Australia will be on in largest numbers during one period, people in (say) Brasil will be on in largest numbers during some other time period, etc.

??

pretty much, your best bet is to try and try and try (and refresh) and hope that eventually the last name you're hoping for makes it's way into the semi random list. the other oriblem there is that it never wikk if someone has already paired your chosen names before you. it's a crapshoot, and a tedious one at that.
there's a possibility that all that may change someday, as there have been occasional polls on the login page regarding choosing names, paying for such, etc. though they may have just been collecting various data for some nefarious purpose...

I was going to suggest creating an account through the ISTE Education portal, instead of the main SL site, because it provided you with a much larger list and didn't require a first name first. I mentioned that in my discussion of names in my other thread. Unfortunately, I just checked it and they have updated it to the same front end as the SL site. I think they had to, though, because that portal was also very insecure.

Try typing in a nonsense first name, see what list comes up, refresh and try again... You'll get a chance to change the first name once you've got a last name you want.

I have to think that SL wants the name selection to be somewhat random.