"That name is in use" - but just deleted it?

[Ignacius1176]

My friend had a character whose name I wanted, so they deleted it so I could take it, but even after they did so it's telling me the name is in use when I try to create it

[H4T3]

Deleting a character does not immediately deletes it from the database. Otherwise nobody will be able to recover their characters.
Give it some time and then you'll be able to get that name.