Do you remember people's names?
By besweet
@besweet (9859)
Ireland
September 19, 2015 9:00am CST
When I am introduced to someone new, I have the tendency to forget their name in seconds. On the other hand, I have great visual memory and I can remember faces with much detail.
I think it's either due to bad memory or I don't pay much attention to their names. It is embarrassing to admit I am forgetfull and ask them to repeat their names and I pretend to remember or ask someone else.
I would like to be one of those people who remember everybody. How do you react when you meet new people? Do you think you can remember their names and faces the next time you meet with them?
9 people like this
9 responses
It sounds helpful to associate people with places. It would be very useful at work as well, because I visit many offices and see new faces every day.
@Jadedjinn (118)
• Pea Ridge, Arkansas
19 Sep 15
I am the same way. Truth is i don't even try to remember peoples names, but i do remember their personality. Odds are our paths will not cross again so it really dont matter if I forget. If I see the same person again I might take note of their name.
1 person likes this
@Jadedjinn (118)
• Pea Ridge, Arkansas
19 Sep 15
I think it's the least important attribute of a person. It can be changed but that doesn't change the person.
1 person likes this
@besweet (9859)
• Ireland
19 Sep 15
@Jadedjinn I agree, it doesn't define a person.
In my country names repesent families, the majority of people have their grandparent's first names (depending on the gender). It's a tradition and for this reason some may be offended.
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
4 Oct 15
I have very little problem in respect of someone new, but like everyone else I do forget the names of people that I have known for a long time. This can be very difficult when you suddenly cannot remember a person's name, so I usually keep up a conversation until something occurs to remind me.
1 person likes this
@besweet (9859)
• Ireland
5 Oct 15
I forget names when I am trying to talk about some people from my past for example classmates in the university. But if I see them in person, the name will come naturally with the conversation.
Do you mean old friends/colleagues or people you've seen a couple of times in the past?
@arthurchappell (44987)
• Preston, England
8 Oct 15
I could have written this post myself - my memory for names is abysmal but I easily recall faces
1 person likes this
@gregario888 (1276)
• Aurangabad, India
19 Sep 15
It becomes pretty taxing to keep track of all the people you meet, and very embarrassing, if the person runs in you, and you gasp to remember his name.
1 person likes this
@besweet (9859)
• Ireland
19 Sep 15
@gregario888 Yes I know, and it's really bad when it's about business. When it's a friendly person, I can make a joke about it and maybe avoid the embarrassment. But in business we have to remember both faces and names.
1 person likes this
@gregario888 (1276)
• Aurangabad, India
19 Sep 15
@besweet But the person whose name you forget, is taken pretty aback, if he is able to guess, that you don't know his name.
1 person likes this
@munhozmib (3836)
• Sao Paulo, Brazil
19 Sep 15
Hey there, besweet!
I'm exactly the opposite of you. I am able to remember people's name easily. However, I have barely nothing of your visual memory.
More than just remembering names, I am also able to remember surnames. I have studied in a classroom at University with over sixty students. I graduated a few years ago. I'm still able to remember almost everybody's name and surname. Not sure why my subconscious decided to keep that information, but it's just the way I am, hahaha.
And, about not having the visual memory... I have tried a few things to improve it, but it just seems like I forget faces easily. Once I see the person, though, it all comes back freshly. I can consider myself lucky, as well, to live in a digital era, in which we can see profile pictures at social networks like Facebook.
Have a nice time!
1 person likes this
@besweet (9859)
• Ireland
19 Sep 15
If you can connect the name to the face, it helps very much. Social networks are really helpful, I agree.
It must be a natural skill to remember names in such a great detail. Maybe the brain has to keep some information inactive in order to keep up with all the new stuff that we are learning each day. That's why you can't recall faces until you see them again.
My problem with names is something that I should practice on too, there are some tricks that can help memory, like repeating or connecting them to something familiar. I am still working on that.
1 person likes this
