my %names = map { $_ => '' } qw(foo bar baz);

print "$names{$_}\n" for keys %names;

# access individually

print "$names{foo}\n";

##</code><code>##

my @names = ('') x 6;

# the following is wrong, pointed out in the reply by mr_ron
# my @names = '' x 6;

print "$_\n" for @names;

# access individually

print "$names[2]\n"; # prints 3rd element