Many might think it’s easier to remember someone’s name right after meeting them, but that’s not the case.
Experts have revealed the reason why so many people fail to remember others’ names after being introduced to them and why that could point to signs of ‘mental deterioration.’
While the act could implicate something far more serious, professionals said forgetting names is a lot more common than one might think.
Neil Mulligan, a professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, told The Wall Street Journal why brains have a hard time remembering people’s names.
Mulligan referred to names as random ‘nonsense words’ that are hard for the human brain to learn.
While the act of forgetting names could implicate something far more serious, professionals said that forgetting names is a lot more common than one might think
The brain is wired to remember things by linking it to previous information, which makes it hard for the organ to make sense of proper nouns.
Though a name might seem so simple, the act of recalling them is actually part of a multipart task.
A person might come across an object or song that instantly reminds them of someone and triggers them to search for their name.
The section of the brain responsible for holding memories then starts to generate possible answers.
That part of the brain is known as the bilateral anterior temporal lobes, according to Scientific Reports.
Although people can forget others’ names at any age, Mulligan said that the ability to do so occurs more frequently with older adults.
Dr. Carlo Semenza, a cognitive neuroscientist and emeritus professor at the University of Padua in Italy, said that forgetting a first name is not a sign of ‘mental decline.’
For those who tend to mix up biographical details about someone, including where they live or work, Semenza said ‘that is a sign of mental deterioration.’
An experiment from the 1980s, the ‘Baker/baker paradox,’ revealed that people are more inclined to remember words associated with faces when they refer to an occupation, according to Loterre.
For instance, when somebody says their name is ‘Mrs. Baker’ or ‘Mr. Cook,’ people tend to remember it because the names are also occupations.
An etiquette coach and author, Mariah Grumet, also shared tips on what to do if caught in the awkward situation of forgetting someone’s name
According to a study by Samantha Deffler, a cognitive psychologist at York College of Pennsylvania, 1,700 participants between the ages of 17-74 often mixed up names of people they know well.
Deffler told The Wall Street Journal how she can even recall her own mother mixing up her and her siblings’ names, and sometimes even the dog’s.
Experts have also taken to TikTok to share the exact reasoning people tend to forget names, and ways to help restore their memories.
In one clip, podcaster Mel Robbins sat down with memory expert Jim Kwik and asked: ‘How the heck can I remember somebody’s name?’
‘A lot of people aren’t forgetting the name, they’re just not paying attention,’ Kwik replied.
‘The art of memory is the art of attention,’ he added.
Kwik then referred to the ‘SUAVE’ method he uses to quickly remember somebody’s name.
The ‘S’ in the acronym stands for ‘Say,’ which is when people repeat others’ names back to them after meeting them, Kwik said.
The ‘U’ stands for ‘Use,’ which blatantly means to include the name in dialogue with the person, but not so much that you end up ‘abusing’ it.
For people with ‘unusual’ or unique names, Kwik suggested people ‘ASK’ about their names.
Podcaster Mel Robbins (pictured) sat down with memory expert Jim Kwik and discussed ways to remember someone’s name
The ‘V’ stands for visualize, which is when people can associate a name to a common idea or story.
The ‘E’ in the acronym stands for ‘End,’ which simply means ending the conversation by saying bye to the person followed by their name.
An etiquette coach and author, Mariah Grumet, also shared tips on what to do if caught in the awkward situation of forgetting someone’s name.
‘Number one, if you are not sure whether or not you have met them in the past, stick to “It’s nice to see you,” instead of “It’s nice to see you again” or ‘It’s a pleasure to meet you”,’ Grumet said.
For step two, she recommended turning to a friend or colleague nearby to help make the introduction with someone.
‘Number three, give yourself some grace. We are human, it’s ok to forget someone’s name,’ Grumet said, adding that people still need to avoid admitting they forgot their name.
‘A more polite way would be to say, “Could you please remind me of your name?”,’ she suggested.
‘This simple tweak in word choice and tone really helps your delivery come across more considerate and respectful,’ Grumet told DailyMail.com.
