Has this ever happened to you? After a long and interesting conversation with someone you have just met, you turn to introduce them to another person – and find you cannot remember their name. Failing to put a name to a face is something that happens to most of us. Fortunately, there are some simple ways to improve your ability to do it.
Putting names to faces
Now, give these methods a try. Here are six faces with their names. Look at the faces, and try memorizing the names using one or more of the ‘picture a name ‘ association techniques above. Then, cover the names and see how many you can remember.
Making the task easier
First of all, anticipate the problem. Conferences, job interviews, school events, and dinner parties are just a few situations where introductions are likely, so relax and start by taking practical steps to make the task easier.
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Make sure you hear clearly
Make sure your host – or the chair of the meeting – takes enough time to introduce people properly. If you don’t hear a name clearly, ask for it to be repeated. Don’t be embarrassed about doing this: others will probably have missed it, too, and will be grateful to hear it again.
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Use it or lose it
When you start talking to a new acquaintance, try to use their name at least once or twice. This ‘rehearsal’ technique helps you to assimilate and store information in memory. The bonus is that most people will feel flattered that you have remembered their name, taking it as a sign that you are interested in meeting them.
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Pay attention
Although you may be introduced to several people almost simultaneously, try to concentrate on the names as you are hearing them – particularly the ones that you think are important to you or that you are most likely to want to remember.
Picture A name
One basic memory technique is known to be enormously useful in building the ability to remember names and faces – even allowing people who have suffered brain damage to regain this ability. The idea is to build up a vivid mental image that forms a memorable association between a person and their name.
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Build a mental image
The easiest names to remember using this technique are those with a clear meaning. For example, if you meet a man with the surname Fox, first form a mental image of his face. If he has some fox-like aspects to his face – red hair, perhaps – link these to the name. If not, add some fox-like features to the image. When you think of his face later, the foxy aspects will help you recall his name. A similar approach is to link the new person’s image with that of a famous person of the same name. So if you meet someone called Susan, combine her face with Susan Sarandon’s.
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Add wordplay
Most surnames lack an obvious meaning or connection. So, in these cases, use your imagination to make word connections. For example, if you meet a woman with the surname Sykes, you might connect this to the word ‘socks’ and think of her standing in her socks. This technique can help with first names, too. For example, if the person’s name is Caroline Sylces, you might think of her wearing socks and singing carols in the snow (caroling).
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Use characterization
To help make your memory of a person more vivid, try thinking about what kind of person they look like. Is this a gentle face – or a condescending one? You can then make associations between your observations and their name. However, be careful that this characterization doesn’t influence your true opinion of the person.
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Put it all together
When you get used to these methods, try combining them. First, spot resemblances between the new person and someone you know or a famous person. Then, build up your name associated with an image, combining the person you know with the name you want to remember. For example, to remember James French, who looks like your uncle, you could imagine your uncle eating some delicious French jam. Or for May Smith, who looks like Shirley Bassey, imagine the singer dancing around a maypole, watched by a blacksmith.
Helping Recall
There will be times when you have not made use of any association techniques but still need to remember a name. In this case, try using some of the general memory methods for helping recall. For example, imagine yourself back in the situation where you met the person who can help. Similarly, you can prompt recall by focusing on aspects of the name you feel you remember – such as the likely number of syllables or the letter you think it began with. At the very least, such methods get your mind working in the right direction, so you may find the name emerges without effort later on.
