Syntax Question...

[Linda Walsh]

I want to have an array of  'names'.

given a name, "X", I had a prefix, _p_, so have _p_X,
I want to access / manipulate it as an array.

so given I pass in a name in a var, I have to use 'indirect' syntax:

${!name}

But that doesn't seem to play well with array syntax:

${#${!name}[*]}
bash: ${#${!name}[*]}: bad substitution

What syntax would I use for this?