How to remember names: 5 practical tips

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone you’ve met before, but instead of listening to what they were saying, you spent the entire time struggling to remember their name?

You're not alone.

Remembering the names of the people you meet is difficult, but it is crucial for building strong relationships.

The good news? With the right strategies, it can become much easier. So keep reading to learn more about why it's so hard to remember names and how to improve your name recall.

Why it's so hard to remember names

To understand why it's so hard for many of us to remember names—and why the question of how to remember names is so popular—it's helpful to first explain some simple brain science: Our brains are wired to remember information that is meaningful to us, so if a name doesn’t have any emotional or personal significance, it can be more difficult to recall.

This is because of the way human memory functions in terms of encoding, storing, and retrieving information. Cognitive and neurological research has provided a substantial understanding of how memory works and why meaningful or emotionally charged information is more likely to be remembered. Check it out:

Emotional and personal significance

Research in psychology shows that emotionally charged events are often better remembered than neutral ones. The amygdala, an area of the brain involved in emotions, plays a crucial role in memory encoding and retention. It helps to prioritize information based on its emotional significance, making the most emotionally charged and connected information easier to recall later on.

Meaningful information

Additionally, the more meaningful or relevant information is, the more likely it is to be integrated into our existing knowledge structures, which makes it easier to remember. This is often discussed in terms of "semantic encoding," where the meaning of information aids in its storage and recall.

The name factor

Because names often don't carry inherent emotional or meaningful content unless we attach such value to them, it makes them naturally difficult for us to remember. So, while the name of a close friend or a famous person might be easily remembered because it has specific emotional or meaningful contexts, random names of new people we meet may not be as easily stored or retrieved from memory.

5 practical tips for remembering names

Even though we have some brain science working against us when trying to remember people's names, there are some strategies that can help—you can think of them as memory hacks. After all, remembering names is a skill, and like any skill, practice leads to progress.

So, here are five practical strategies—or memory hacks—to help improve your name recall:

Repeat the name

One of the simplest and most effective ways to remember someone's name is to repeat it back to them right after they introduce themselves. This not only helps you confirm that you have heard their name correctly but also reinforces the name in your memory.

For example, if someone says "Hi, I'm Alex," you can respond with "Nice to meet you, Alex." By immediately using their name in conversation, you are more likely to remember it later on.

It may feel awkward at first, but repeating someone's name is a common technique used by many people who want to improve their name recall skills. Give it a try next time you meet someone new and see how much easier it is to remember their name.

Associate the name with a visual

Creating a mental image of a person's name can also make name recall easier. This technique is particularly useful for names that are difficult to pronounce or spell.

For example, if you meet someone named "Samantha," you might associate her name with the image of a samurai sword. Or, if you meet someone named "Leo," you might imagine them as a lion.

By creating this type of visual association between the person's name and something else, you give your brain another way to remember the information. This technique can be especially helpful when meeting multiple people at once, as it helps differentiate each person's name in your mind.

To use this strategy, simply take a moment after meeting someone new to think about their name and come up with an image that connects it with something memorable. 

Use word association

Another strategy that can be helpful for remembering names is to use word association. This involves associating someone's name with a word that sounds similar or has the same meaning.

For example, if you meet someone named "Rose," you might associate their name with the flower. Or, if you meet someone named "Grace," you might associate their name with elegance or poise.

By connecting a person's name to a related word that you're already familiar with, you again give your brain another way to remember the information. This technique can be especially useful for names that have multiple syllables.

As above, to use this strategy just take a moment after meeting someone new to think about their name and come up with a related word that can help you remember it. 

Make connections

Connecting someone's name to something you already know about them, such as their occupation or hometown, can make it easier to remember, too. This technique is particularly useful when meeting new people in a professional setting, where knowing someone's job title or industry can help establish common ground.

For example, if you meet someone named "Juan" who works in marketing, you might associate his name with the phrase "Juan the marketer." Or, if you meet someone named "Elise" who is from New York City, you might associate her name with the image of the Empire State Building.

This is yet another strategy that gives your brain a different way to remember the information. This technique in particular can also be helpful for remembering details beyond just someone's name, such as their interests or hobbies.

Write it down

Finally, jotting down someone's name and any relevant information after meeting them can be a powerful tool for improving your name recall skills. This technique is particularly useful when meeting multiple people at once or in situations where you may not have the opportunity to repeat their name back to them.

By taking notes, you give yourself a physical reference point that you can refer back to. This not only helps solidify the person's name in your memory but also allows you to record any other key details about them that may be helpful for future interactions.

For example, if you meet someone at a networking event, you might jot down their name along with their job title and any specific interests they mention right after it ends. Or, if you meet someone at a social gathering, you might write down their name along with any mutual acquaintances or shared hobbies when you get home later.

Benefits of remembering names

At this point, you might be wondering: Why is important to put in the work to improve your name recall?

Remembering names can be beneficial in many ways, both professionally and personally. 

On a professional level, knowing someone's name can help build trust, foster meaningful connections, and improve communication. For example, if you remember the name of a colleague or client, it can show them that you value them and their contributions. 

On a personal level, remembering names can help create stronger relationships with friends and family, as well as make social interactions more enjoyable. Knowing someone's name makes it easier to strike up conversations, ask questions, and show interest in their lives. 

In short, remembering names is an important skill for building strong relationships in both our professional and personal lives.

Use learning games for adults (like Elevate!) to improve recall

Want to practice using your newly learned memory hacks for how to remember names in a low-stakes setting? Check out the Elevate app's Name Recall game, where you can exercise some of these tips to more easily recall people’s names and details about them. Learn more about it in this quick video:

It's just one of several memory games in the game-based, educational app that's available on iOS and Android. So download it today and try it for yourself!