Greetings traveler,
Certainly it's never wrong to ask your own Guidance about any issue that effects your spirit. Even if you can't hear their answer clearly, you may feel within your own system a relaxation or flow after you ask your question. That shows you're on the right track even if the issue is not totally resolved.
These people are in your dreams for a reason, for sure, whether it's emotional, symbollic (maybe emotion involved here too but less apparent), maybe even their name or face is a reminder of something else.
A small addition to Vicky's list is that some names are puns for the issue to be dealt with. Maybe you were driving in a van, hailing old friends.
Then it could be a signal that the old friend(s) are thinking of you and you of them--maybe time to look them up? Of course, you already came up with that meaning using a different approach.
Sounds like Guidance has found a good way to get in touch with you, through your dreams!
Bets