One simple solution:

sub checkDuplicateName
{

    ## args
    my($db, $name)    = @_;

    ## important! do not forget to quote name
    $quotedName    = $db->quote( $name );

    ## select statement to count number of occurences
    my $select    = "select count(*) from customers where names=$quote
+dName";

    ## atomic fetch
    my( $toReturn )    = $db->selectrow_array( $select );

    ## return value
    return $toReturn;

}
[download]

Will perl for money
JJ Knitis
(901) 756-7693
gt8073a@industrialmusic.com