Remembering Names

Some tips when you are good or bad with names

Deux hommes en pied by Edgar Degas

I always have a hard time remembering names of people I have met. There are tricks that have helped me over time. I understand I am not alone. If you are good at remembering names, congratulations. It’s a great skill to have. In that case, you can actually help people who are bad with names, or who have face blindness.

When you are good at remembering names, here is what you can do:

• When meeting a person, say your own name, even if you have already met them in the past. If possible, use a physical name tag or badge as a prop. Give people the chance to hear and read your name at the same time.
• Introduce two people to each other. Clearly pronounce their names. They may know each other already, but that is fine. This assumes you already know their names, of course, so we have a chicken and egg problem here.
• Always speak your own name and the names of others clearly and slowly.

When you are bad at remembering names, do this when meeting someone new:

• Start with: “My name is … What is yours?”
• Repeat their name at least three times.
• Give the other person your 10 second personal elevator speech.
• Use visualization or a rhyme to remember their name better.

When your discussion or meeting ends, remember to properly close it off. Thank the other person, tell them you enjoyed the interaction, compliment them on their insights, and tell them you look forward to the next meeting. Always use their name and make eye contact again.