The struggle is real
We’ve all been there. You’re introduced to a stranger at a party. A few weeks later, you run into them in a coffee shop. They tap you on the shoulder and say, “Remember me? We met at Jo’s party.” You smile, nod, and make some small talk as you try to recollect his name. Meanwhile, your mind races. Is it Bill or Bob? Or maybe Steve or Mike? Ugh! You simply can’t remember. Not only might forgetting someone’s name feel awkward, but you may wonder if you’re losing your mind. Not to worry! It is common to forget names. Here are some fun & clever tricks to recall people’s names.
- Repeat the name – Repetition makes absorbing and retaining information easier. For this reason, repetition is frequently used in the classroom for learning. That’s because the more we hear something, the more it sticks in our brains. Let’s try it. You’re introduced to Janice at a business lunch. You say, “Hello, Janice, so nice to meet you.” Later, you say, “Janice, I found the information you shared so interesting.” In other words, you are repeating their name in conversation to help reinforce it in your brain.
- Try name association – Say you meet someone named Dan, and you have a brother with the same name, picture them together in your brain. Or reinforce the name by saying, “Nice to meet you. I have a brother named Dan. That’s a great name.”
- Use imagery – Sometimes people’s names contain words that put pictures or images in our heads. Use it to your benefit. For example, if someone’s name is Jim Poole, picture them lifting weights (Gym) next to a swimming pool. In another example, for someone named Melody Green, picture a green music note. These little visual tricks help the brain to remember names we might otherwise forget.
- Use rhymes – You have a business meeting in one hour in a high-rise tower with Amanda Power. Why not use that information creatively to help remember her name? Hour, tower, power. Here’s another example. A friend tells you the name of a party planner, but your phone battery dies so you can’t write it down. His name is Martin Hart. Marty, hearty, party can help you remember.
- Refer to a song – Some people are fantastically musically inclined, and they never forget a lyric or song title. If you’re lucky to be in this group, simply use songs to help you remember names. Say you meet someone named Lucy and she is wearing a noticeable diamond ring. Why not remember her with the Beatles song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds?
- Name tags – Guests at social events frequently have not met before. Having guests write their names on name tags is a great way to help folks read and later recall names. The combination of the introduction and seeing the name in print is helpful. Guests generally write their preferred nicknames on their name tags. As a bonus, you know exactly how they like to be addressed.
- Games – Party games that include saying or remembering names are not only great icebreakers for guests who are strangers, but they also reinforce people’s names. The “Name Game” can be played in business meetings. Here’s how it goes. Each new hire states their first name and an adjective or favorite animal that starts with the same letter as their name. The next person must repeat the previous person’s name and adjective or animal. This memory game continues down the line.
- Write it down – Adding names and contact details to your cellphone, or writing it down on paper the old-fashioned way, are sure ways to refresh your memory and reference names and other pertinent information that might otherwise be forgotten.
Am I losing it?
No, you are likely not! Know that it’s common to forget names of people you only met recently or briefly. If you fail to recall a name, opt for honesty. Simply and politely say, “So nice to see you. Would you please tell me your name again?” Being straightforward is not rude. In fact, it’s just the opposite. It shows that you are interested enough to ask. If you struggle to remember names, try using some of the above eight tricks to get them to stick!
Note that if you experience issues recalling names of people you frequently see or know, contact a medical professional to examine cause(s) and solutions.
Disclosure: This article is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice.