# Assign to @look_for, references to $name, etc.
# Note:  \($x, $y, $z) is the same as (\$x, \$y, \$z)
# because the reference symbol binds to each element in
# the list.

my @look_for = \( $name, $nerd, $noodle, $froodle,);

foreach my $item ( @look_for ) {

    # notice how I dereference $item so that we get
    # to what it points to.

    $$item =~ s/$i_seek/ /g;

}