What tricks do you use to remember the names of people?

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

The nature of my work requires me to be at several different places in a given week. I pretty much "know" all the people I deal with regularly but remember the names of a minority of them.

Then of course you are in the situation where you have worked, intermittently, with someone for a year or more and don't even know their name.

I suppose if the first time I met someone, I forced myself to address them by name a few times, asking them their name if I'd forgotten, that would help reinforce the name...

Certain jobs, like politicians, CEO types, sales people, education, have a lot of people who are very good at remembering names.

Do you have any special tips or tricks that you use? :shrug:

[Dangerously Amused]

1. Kevin Trudeau's Mega Memory.

Buy it on eBay or Amazon for about twenty bucks. You will never forget a name again. Or anything else for that matter.

*Yeah, I know he got into some trouble with the law. But the program works. Just sayin.





Edit: Green beer.

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. I kill everyone I meet who isn't named "Steve" or "Jane",

; thus reducing the number of names that I need worry about. :-)

Seriously, though, I'm with you - I'm awful with names. Either I remember a person's name right away, or I get it wrong repeatedly (and often, a different wrong each time) for a year or so until I figure it out.

I might try that book that the other poster recommended.

[trof]

3. I ask miz t.

Sorry you don't have that option.
;-)
Maybe you need a sidekick?

[Shine]

4. Yes, here's an excellent one I use all the time:

As you are meeting someone for the first time, LOOK INTO THEIR EYES as you repeat their name, back to them, i.e., "A pleasure to meet you, (insert name here) "

Works like a charm for me! :hi:

Plus, I'm not exactly shy about asking people to tell me their name again, if I happen to forget it. We can only be so perfect, afterall. ;)

[OhioBlue]

5. are you in a situation to get their business cards?

if so, asking them for the business cards will help you to remember. Also, I have a better chance of remembering someone's name if I write it down - send them an e-mail or a note and make a personal connection. Those may help with business associates - as far as being in a crowd of people and being introduced to a lot of people at once, I'm horrible at remembering people's names in that scenario.

[Nikia]

6. I usually remmeber names well except in certain situations

The situation where I tend not to remember names is in interviews where I meet a person once and only hear their name once, especially if I am interviewing with several people, especially if I am really nervous. In those cases, I write their names down if I don't have their name somewhere else like in an email telling me who I am going to meet.
I do usually remeber names, especially first names, if I see a person more than once or if they seemed significant to me. A person's name is just one of several pieces of connected information such as Bob-the x manager at company abc-who had pictures of vegtables in his office-who was tall and big-who seemed like a workaholic-who talked about...If I see hime again, I add even more information to that connection. If the person is more generic to me, I am less likely to remember their name, like one of eight people who I met at that company who I don't think that I want to work for.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

7. I almost never forget people's names.

I just have a good memory, that way, I guess. :shrug: