@FayeTheFab I'm assuming that if the story's a tribute to this person, it's going to be a 'good' story for the character (as in, they're not going to get tortured and die two pages in)... If so, then the reaction to the story can only be positive, surely? (Especially when you take the quality of your writing into account!)? So I think you should keep the name of the character the same, because it may well end up fixing the problems you are having with them now, not make them worse. However, if it would make you feel better, then maybe change the name whilst you're writing it, and then fix it when you proof read it or something? I know writing is a very difficult thing to do at the best of times so if what you're writing makes you sad then I reckon you should rectify that as a priority - at least for the time being :)
But this is all just my opinion and I tend to be pretty terrible with people, so.... XD
