Character design and problems that follow

 Few days ago I was reading Rod Hart's post about naming characters. It was an interesting read (as most things that he writes are, so I do recommend going over and having a read) and it got me wondering about how I normally go about naming the characters.

I have never had the problem with accidentally naming two people the same name. I have done something else though, equally silly. After conceiving Malin and all of her back story, future story, current affairs and a dozen of supporting characters I have moved on to halfheartedly working on another story. The main character was also a girlie, similar age, going by the name Rose. It was an entirely different setting (Malin's world was urban fantasy, Rose was a more of an epic fantasy - I had to look these up, honest). The backstories were different. Everything about them was different, apart from one - the way they looked. If you removed all of the surrounds you ended up with two black haired chicks with a bob. I spent a lot of time trying to make them look different. Rose as the newer one was bound to be the one that got redesigned. And I played around with this a lot, but in the end in my head she had BLACK HAIR. And there was nothing I could do about this apart from set this aside and come back later (unfortunately, similar fate has later met Malin. Perhaps the time to dig them back up is approaching?)

And here is just the faces in black and white. I suppose, the removal of all surrounds takes place here.

At the moment I am just lost. Are they really that similar? I can't tell anymore.

Help! ;)

(For real. What do YOU think?)