Ever just met someone and wouldn’t have the foggiest what their name was? Psychologist Dr Catherine Fritz gives us the best ways to help you train your brain.
Build associations
Give a name meaning by associating it with a simple and obvious word that rhymes, or a related object. For example, say you were introduced to someone called Rose, try picturing her holding a rose or drinking a glass of rosé wine.
Use a memory app
While smartphones are part of the problem, they can also be part of the solution, thanks to the memory apps on offer. Namerick (purchase it from iTunes) or Remember It (free from Google Play) allow you to add searchable details to every contact you enter, such as where they work and live, what they look like and where you met them.
Try Social recall
“When you get home, picture the people you talked to and run through their names,” says Fritz, “then do it again the next day.”
Repeat it
“The biggest barrier to remembering people’s names is not paying attention,” says Fritz. The solution? Repeat a new name as soon as you hear it and say it several times during the conversation.
Spell it out
“When we encounter unfamiliar names we have no association with, asking for the name to be spelled out can help you commit it to memory,” says Fritz. It also shows you’ve taken an interest in the person.
Retrain your brain
Read memory-tip bible, Your Memory: How It Works And How To Improve It by Kenneth Higbee, or Age-Proof Your Brain: Sharpen Your Memory In 7 Days by Tony Buzan. Or go to YouTube to watch Why Do You Forget Their Name? and 7 Clever Tricks To Remember Names.
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