Remembering Names at a Social Event

Oct 4th, 2011 by savvyclub

Dear Friends,

There are few social event faux pas quite as personally mortifying as confidently addressing someone by the wrong name and having someone else correct you.

I was recently attending a social event organised for 12 expat women. Some of them I had met once or twice before, but I could not remember their names for the life of me. I thought about a friend of mine always confessing she had a ‘terrible memory for names’ and decided to investigate and prepare a method that removed this potentially embarrassing social event nightmare.

Most people have a great memory, much better than they realise. The trouble is that the memory is constantly active and it needs to be told which is essential information and which can be quickly erased as non-essential.

At a social event, people are often distracted when they first meet someone. Perhaps it’s nerves, perhaps they’re busy, but without concentration, the memory simply sends their name to the disposal. To help myself out, I recently drew myself a little napkin diagram of who was sitting where at a social event. Imagine my awkwardness when I realised I had the diagram upside down and was calling Nina by Katie’s name for most of the evening!

I’ve now got a grip on how to remember people’s names, so here are my top tips:

§ Concentrate on the person’s name when you first meet them. Say it back to them. ‘Kim, this is Ruby Barkworth – Hello Ruby, please to meet you.

§ Take a good look at Ruby – try associating something about Ruby to her name. Does she have red hair perhaps? Or wear a particular red shade of lipstick? Is she wearing a ruby ring? Take care not to use clothing, as this will come unstuck the next time you meet.

§ Attach a description in your mind to the person’s name that helps you remember it, i.e: THIN Lizzy, FUNNY Frank, BEARDY Brian etc.

§ Try using a rhyming word (you don’t have to tell them!) Such as: Late Kate, Scruffy Buffy, Fiona the Moaner or Tedious Ted!

§ Personal associations also help the memory. Did you go to the same school? Do you live in the same area? Do you share the same birthday or star sign? Listen out for ‘sticky’ information that helps the memory more.

So, armed with these tips, you’ll never end up in the same embarrassing mess again. ‘Concentrate and associate’ when you meet someone new at a social event and you’ll confidently remember their name in future!

Kind regards

Kim Rix

The SaVVy Cub®- an exclusive social events club always delivering events that are intimate, stylish and memorable, allowing you to quickly meet a whole variety of people whilst exploring London’s finest places and enjoying the best and exclusive events.