Remembering Names

[monarch64]

Specifically, people's first names. What's your technique?


I like to use association, but it doesn't always work to my advantage, because I like to assign nicknames based on celebrities or other prominent people in my life. Example: I met a guy who looked like Brad Pitt and I nicknamed him BP which brings to mind the gas station so he'll be forever etched in my mind as British Petroleum.

Or: I met a girl who my fiance used to date who has long blond hair and very tan skin. I nicknamed her (in my head) Donatella "effing" Versace.

Similar stories? Or am I just NUTZ? Please share.

 

[Hera]

Lol! I think I could use some tips too. I made the association for my female neighbor as "St Patrick's Day" and I have to go through a lot of the St patrick's options (green, leprechaun, beer) before I come to the most obvious conclusion. I think her name is Patty, but maybe her name is Pat also

 

[monarch64]

Lol! I think I could use some tips too. I made the association for my female neighbor as "St Patrick's Day" and I have to go through a lot of the St patrick's options (green, leprechaun, beer) before I come to the most obvious conclusion. I think her name is Patty, but maybe her name is Pat also

Hahaha! Exactly!

I have inadvertently called people I've met in the past things like "Vince Vaughn" or "Matt Damon" or "chick from Jurassic Park" not because I wish to be cavalier, but because I sometimes can't remember names and prefer to use associative terms. Is it wrong????

 

[katamari]

I can remember some names, but DH and I are both horrible with reality TV people's name. We always call people our made up names and then have to figure out their real names to talk to other people or lose our ability to remember them entirely. (Reenactment from a party last year talking about Project Runway. Me: "Oh, I think they are talking about 'Granola Bangs' and 'Case." Him: "Ah, yes, we like some of their clothes, too.").

 

[Cehrabehra]

I associate to someone I know with the same name. I meet someone named Kim I go oh my hairdresser is Kim and I link their faces, keep thinking about my hairdressers face. Next I see them I think of my hairdresser when I see their face and that reminds me of their name. Doesn't work with unusual names so well so I just warn them I'm not good at names. Sometimes I outright tell them, oh I'm not going to remember that! But I laugh at myself, the doof, and they laugh at me and don't mind reminding me...

 

[kenny]

It's hopeless.
I've given up.
I just apologize a lot.

 

[Hera]

I can remember some names, but DH and I are both horrible with reality TV people's name. We always call people our made up names and then have to figure out their real names to talk to other people or lose our ability to remember them entirely. (Reenactment from a party last year talking about Project Runway. Me: "Oh, I think they are talking about 'Granola Bangs' and 'Case." Him: "Ah, yes, we like some of their clothes, too.").

My husband an I do that too, but with real people. We have called our neighbors, "Hot Mess" (drunk neighbor), "Cocoa Goddess"(a beautiful African American woman), "Go Big or Go Home" (have bigger cars than their home) and "Mr. Stupid" (He ran us out of our condo with his loud music).

 

[Karl_K]

It's hopeless.
I've given up.
I just apologize a lot.

Your in good company.
I cant remember names hardly at all.

 

[Haven]

"I have an amazing mnemonic device by which I have now memorized all of your names."

http://www.hulu.com/watch/56364/the-office-mnemonic-device

 

[TubTub]

I've heard that repeating the person's name back to them when you meet them helps you remember their name. The problem is....I always forget to do this! haha

 

[somethingshiny]

I always say, "Nice to meet you, Blah blah." And I also end the conversation using their name. Saying the name twice while looking at the face helps to remember.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

I'm really bad at remembering names.

My trick is the next time I see the person, I pretend like I've never met him/her before and turn around and run away before he/she can come up and converse. Luckily if the individual does catch up to me, chances are he/she doesn't remember my name either

 

[Dee*Jay]

I just hope that I am in a setting where I can introduce them to someone else the second time around. Like, "Oh, I'd like you to meet my husband Bill," and then when that person gives their name to Bill I am off the hook. Except now I've divorced Bill so I will never get off the hook with this little trick again...

 

[LGK]

It's hopeless.
I've given up.
I just apologize a lot.

Your in good company.
I cant remember names hardly at all.

Me too. But my husband is literally the worst I've ever seen, haha.

My husband can recognize people by their voices really well, but never faces. But names? He's the worst! He calls *everyone* by the wrong name. Me, I get called by one of the cat's names sometimes. Or the cats are called by my name. Or if he's hanging out with my sister and me (our names both start with "H") he is likely to call her, me, or me, her at least once. It's pretty funny actually. His dad is just the same- DH answers to his brother's name w/o batting an eye, they're so used to having their dad mix their names up.

If he's calling one of the cats it's pretty funny. It might go something like this: "LKG!" "What?" "Er. No. Not you. That one!' (Points at furry orange O.P.) "Sonar? I mean Rat! Here Rat! Whoever you are!" By the end of the list he's got all of the household paying attention, me and every cat, lol.

(He's the same with sayings/cliches. He's always got them all mixed up, like "It's just the tip of the glass house," or some weird thing I'm usually rolling on the floor laughing as he tries to get one of these pithy sayings out, they *never* come out right EVER.)

 

[Tacori E-ring]

One of my professors had us tell her the story behind our name. How our parents decided? Were we named after someone? Etc. I thought that was pretty clever and helped me learn some of my classmates' names.

 

[redfaerythinker]

I try to think of something easier to remember like Kelly in the kelly green sweater, etc. If I can I just write them down. I have a list on my door at home of all of my neighbors' names and the names of their dogs. The dogs' names are much easier because I can hear them shouting all the way down the street. So now a lot of my neighbors are , so and so, is that hop's dad?

 

[jaysonsmom]

I can't remember any names. I just reintroduce myself when necessary, and explain that I've completely forgotten their name!