Can you link to the file, please? If I were replacing names what I'd do is use my
Data Generator and then import the csv with the replacement names into the game.
EDIT: Oh, you're talking about MD's set. Well, those files will only create those names after you install them, not before. Try installing them first, then creating the league. I don't think whether they'll work should matter on the year (I started a league with my name set in the year 1001) and I'm certain what names get generated don't depend on the year.
If you want to change names after the players have been generated, then you need to go the importing csv route.