Need an alternative to listing 1000 options in a dropdown SELECT field

A person's name needs to be specified to be printed on the products ordered. Each name submitted needs to match a name in the exact format from a list of a few thousand names I have in a database.
Example: SGT First M. Last

The only current options I see available is to list 1000s of names in a 'select' dropdown list to choose from, or just use a text 'input' field and require the user to enter the name. The problem with the former is having 1000s of options to scroll through (and enter in the first place), and the problem with the latter is the name that the user specifies must exactly match a name in the database.

Since the names are listed on another part of the website, what I would like to be able to do is link to the product page with the person's name in the URL and use the GET request method to have that name put in a text 'input' field.
Example: http://www.website.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2**&name=Persons%20Name**

I'll probably then want to run a check to make sure that the name submitted hasn't been altered and matches a name in the database before the order is complete.

Before I go hacking the files to attempt to create this customization, I figured I would ask in the Forum to see if someone has already created a customized version to allow this, or if anyone could offer suggestions and/or recommendations.

There is not a method for this built into Zen Cart at this time ...

Perhaps if you better explain what you are doing with the name or what makes it unique and yet must be from an existing list there might be a solution to propose ...

I am inclined to think make a special name look up to add the Product with the right name as no server that I know of is going to manage the listing of that magnitude without costing a pretty penny to you ...