Top Five: Caitlin Barasch

Jessica, because it has an ambiguously gendered nickname: Jess or Jesse. It can supplement the tough, cynical street urchin you’ve attempted to create. Also, watch how she introduces herself and what her mother calls her.
James, because it’s a sexy name and it sets the right mood for certain kind of scenes, if you catch my drift.
Kate, because it’s a variation of my actual name, and I can use it in a story that is semi-autobiographical and yet still claim it is entirely fictional.
Lee, because everyone needs a villain who also may or may not go by the name of your ex-boyfriend.
Eduardo, because a longing for travel, foreign adventures, and foreign people cannot be squashed. This longing therefore must factor into a character your protagonist will pine after, for all that they represent.