We talked about doing that, Loki. But ultimately it would have been a lot of work to register all those accounts, we inevitably would have missed a few names anyway (How far back and obscure do we go? Novels, 1st ed sourcebooks, any ShadowTalkers?).
Plus, I'm a fan of using the same handle cross the web. I use Bull damn near everywhere (and if I can't get that, Bulldrek, which is usually open), and I find keeping track of multiple "identities" to be a giant pain (For instance, with the exception of a couple of folks I know pretty well from outside the forums, if you use a different nick here and on Dumpshock, I probably don't realize you're the same person). And some people use SR names as handles elsewhere. So making them choose a new handle here because we locked theirs out would suck. (though there's not much we can do if someone else grabs it first).
That said, I'm also a fan of creating your own identity rather than "borrowing" one from fiction. I've given FJ crap about his handle once or twice

Bull