I am not going to lie, I am awesome at remembering people’s names. But the truth is that I have cultivated this skill since I was a teenager and worked in the service industry.
I believe that remembering someone’s name communicates that you listen, you care about that person.

But more often I hear people have the tendency to forget names.  However, remembering people’s names and their interests are important, especially if you want to convey that this person is significant to you. Just think back to your own experiences. How did you feel when someone unexpectedly remember your name? Now how did that boost the opinion of that person?

Although you may not be disappointed if someone doesn’t recall your name, I am sure you are impressed  when that person does remember?!

Since name-recall is one of my gifts, I am going to share some of my best tips and practices to help you remember the name that goes with the face!

1. Get Confirmation – Meet & Repeat

Get the name of the person clearly. Get confirmation and then repeat the person’s name back to them with a handshake.

When you meet people, instead of focusing on their attire or who they may be standing next to, you should always listen to their name properly. Introduce yourself and then gesture for a handshake and while shaking the person’s hand say, “Hello [name], it’s nice to meet you.” This is not only polite, but it reinforces physically and audibly the name in your brain.

 “A person’s name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” – Dale Carnegie.

If you didn’t hear the name correctly in the beginning, this is a fine time to ask and be clear on the name again. Trust me, people appreciate this. This is the common mistake usually made by us; we do not pay attention to the name precisely, and moreover don’t bother to ask for their name if we are unable to understand it clearly.

2. Create a Memory Hook (word association)

You can create some memory hooks or word associations to remember the names of people you meet, especially if you have the tendency to forget them. Some options for worth attempting are:

Try putting different names to faces. For example, if someone says their name is Ryan, picture Ryan Gosling.

Try to find out the meaning of someone’s name, if any. For example, You meet someone named Henry. What is the origin or history of the name? Henry is derived from the Germanic name Heimirich, which meant “home ruler.”

Rhyme the name with another word or incorporate their name in a memorable phrase. For example, “Anna Banana” or “Heather likes the weather.”

3. Post-repeat

After you walk away from the conversation you should repeat the person’s name to yourself (I do this five times). Repetition is a fantastic memory habit. This will also help you to keep the person’s name in your long-term memory. People are always pleasantly surprised when I greet them with their name weeks later after we spoke.

4. Write it down

The power of putting pen to paper is another great way to implant data in our memory. If possible you can even ask to exchange business cards. Write their name on the back, the date you met, and one fact about them or the topic of the conversation. Writing things down is another way to store information in the most powerful computer: Your brain.

If you adopt one or more of the above mentioned strategies, then soon you’ll earn the reputation of having a great memory for names.

In fact, I challenge you to omit the tired phrase in your vocabulary: “Oh I am not good with names…” – Select all and delete! Oh Yes, you rock at remembering names, just like me!