10 Tricks to Help Remember Names
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Posted in Communication
There was a doctor by the name of Bradey, who had a difficult patient by the name of Mrs. Hall. She was forever getting his name wrong and calling him Doctor Brodey. No matter how often he corrected her, she got it wrong.
One visit he was more annoyed than usual, and was a short-tempered as he corrected her, once again. She became defensive and asked what difference it made.
The doctor replied, “Mrs. Hell, it makes a hall of a difference!”
Okay, that’s not the greatest joke in the world, but we are sensitive about our names. Everybody wants to be seen as an individual, to feel special and respected. When you use a person’s preferred name, you honour them and show respect. You see them as individuals and it’s a good foundation for a relationship.
Use the following tips to remember names and the important details that go with them:
- When you hear someone’s name, repeat it out loud as soon as possible in conversation.
- Append it to the beginning or ending of your greeting to that person: “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Amber”, or “Tyrone, how nice to meet you.
- Try to associate their name with what they tell you about themselves. Repeat it out loud if need be: “Ken the southeast quality-control manager”; “Ariana, the internal service starlet.” Hearing yourself say their names makes it more real and memorable.
- Chinese names may take the form of last name (surname), first name (given name).
- Employ mnemonic devices or alliteration to help you remember people’s names: Ling from Laos, Helen who’s gellin’, Darlene… like my sister-in-law (of the same name).
- Make written notes to yourself, as soon a possible after meeting the person. Don’t tax your memory. Write on the back of their business card or in your PDA.
- Ask for help with complicated names or those from another language. Take time to learn the sounds and accents of foreign languages. People will appreciate your effort to correctly pronounce their name.
- Learn the story behind the person’s name. Orunamamu’s name, in the Nigerian language of Yoruban, means “Oh you royal one, miss morning star.”
- If you ask someone how to pronounce their name, never respond “Oh, I could never pronounce that!” Not only is it disrespectful, it’s lazy on your part, to not even attempt the correct pronunciation. Try your best to pronounce it correctly in their presence; ask for help if you aren’t letter perfect the first time. Remember, it’s not about you and your comfort level, it’s about them and making the effort to respect their identity.
- Most importantly, remember that other people share your pain. If you know your name will be hard to remember or pronounce for others, help them out.
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This article is spot on! Well said. I totally agree that it honors someone when another makes an effort to remember a name and learn the pronunciation. This is exactly why I started a website with name pronunciations — not spelled out, but in audio format. So you can hear people’s names as they’re pronounced. http://www.howtosaythatname.com
Do you mind if I link to this article? Or perhaps I could post your article on the site? — Elizabeth