pure cf8-based solution will be using CFCs and cfajaxproxy
tag.
you can do it in pure js, too. it all boils down to sending
an
asynchronous request to a page/cfc which looks up the data in
your db
and returns something to the calling page which tells you if
te name is
taken or not.
if you have never done any ajax stuff, you may want to learn
the basics
and then how cf8 does it.
google is your friend in all the above.
Azadi Saryev
Sabai-dee.com
http://www.sabai-dee.com/