6 Tricks to Help You Remember Names

Posted by Ian McKenzie
Written on June 12, 2009

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Dora the Explorer
Image via Wikipedia

I’m not very good at remembering people’s names. I often start poorly by not learning a person’s name. Then, sometime in the future, I’m embarrassed when someone greets me by name and I can’t remember their name.

I envy people who remember your name from the first time they hear it. The ability to remember and use names is a big boost to building strong relationships.

Here are 6 tricks I use to help imprint that new name in my memory:

  1. Show interest in the other person – Your initial frame of mind makes a big difference in name retention. I have lost countless names because I was thinking about the impression I was making and not listening to the person I was meeting. There’s an irony about making a bad impression because you’re too focussed on making a good impression.
  2. As soon as possible, repeat the name – It’s easy to confirm what you heard by saying something like, “Nice to meet you, Joan.” If the person’s name is a little unusual, you can repeat it to make sure you’re pronouncing it correctly. If you’re unclear about a name given via telephone, ask for the spelling. Saying the name immediately helps lock it in the memory.
  3. Use it often – When you’re speaking with someone you’ve just met, use their name throughout your conversation. End your conversation with their name.
  4. Write it on their forehead – Not literally! Picture the name you’ve just learned on the person’s forehead. Visualizing this incongruous image reinforces the name.
  5. Use word association – Dora the Explorer is easy to remember because of the rhyme pattern. Mike Holmes is easy to remember by playing off his last name; Holmes on Homes. Come up with some sort of word association on a person’s name.
  6. Write it down – The best thing I can do to learn a new name is to write it down. The minute I walk away from the person, I pull out my pocket pad and write the name. 90% of the time, that’s all it takes to seal the name in my mind. The other 10%, I can pull out the pad and refresh my memory.

Our names are important to us. We appreciate those people who take the effort to learn and remember our names. If you want to make a strong impression on someone you meet, remember their name.

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