How To Remember People’s Names
- April 7, 2008
- 39,482 Views
Writer
ShannonH
Music
Jim Mickshe
Voice Over Artist
Peter Coleman
Actor
Sean O'Hagan
The only thing worse than forgetting someone’s name is calling them by the wrong one. Learn how to lock people’s names into your brain with these tricks.
You Will Need
- Deep breathing
- Eye contact
- Visualization
- Imagination
Step 1: Take a deep breath
Take a few deep breaths before you’re introduced to someone. When you’re stressed out, the brain activates an enzyme that impairs short-term memory, reducing the chances that you’ll remember what you hear.
Step 2: Lock eyes
Look the person in the eye as they say their name. Research shows that making eye contact with the speaker doubles your retention.
If you’re at a party, wait until all the introductions are made before you hit the buffet; a Yale study found that memory is best on an empty stomach.
Step 3: Say it out loud
Say the person’s name out loud when you first learn it, as in, “Nice to meet you, John.” Repeating the name activates the auditory part of the brain, and the more senses you use the better chance you have of retaining information.
Step 4: Psyche yourself
When you are told a name, say to yourself, “I will remember that his name is John.” Our brains have a filter that purges information they consider unimportant. By giving the name extra significance, your brain will be more likely to retain it.
Exercising your brain with games like Scrabble, crossword puzzles, and Sudoku improves memory by strengthening neural pathways and creating new ones.
Step 5: Picture it
Take a tip from President Teddy Roosevelt, who was renowned for his name recall. His secret? Picturing the person’s name written across their forehead when he was first told it.
Step 6: Try word association
Think up a word association that will help you recall the name. Remember “Mrs. Lyon” by picturing her with a mane and a tail. Envision a guy named Arnold as the Terminator—especially if he’s scrawny. The sillier the association, the better it’ll stick.
The average person forgets half of what he’s heard within 30 minutes.
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Comments (18)
what is your name again?
over 3 years ago by KatieL
MY NAME IS DAN.
over 3 years ago by norgon
Loved it! Funny and informative...actors were great!
over 3 years ago by abbirosekelly
I second that :)
Thanks, this is useful
over 3 years ago by fedmich
My Name is STEELY;
DAN and I have a date with you tonight KatieL, remember?
over 3 years ago by deckard1
Great video, entertaining and memorable, now if I can only remember this past 30 min. later, ummm.
over 2 years ago by shanenetwork
I am with you on that one
about 1 year ago by Mary_Priebe_Koivu
Omg, this is the PERFECT video for teachers!
over 2 years ago by NBL18
this is fabulous!
over 3 years ago by jackierange
I just imagined myself doing exactly this in front of a party of people I just meet, remembering there names like she is doing, it would be so hilarious
over 2 years ago by pedritogaby
muy bueno
over 2 years ago by Jordi_Agusti_Fonoll
Remembering people's names has been a long-time weakness for me. The video is a big help C :
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over 2 years ago by mobile
Ha ha ha, that was really good! Thanks and great job!
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about 1 year ago by mobile
so what's the point of watching this video?
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about 1 year ago by mobile
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