It’s easy if you thread it all together into the one memorable image. If you like, you can also include something that will remind you that the person is, say, a doctor, a teacher, an army general, an actor or a writer. If you want to remember both Christian and surname, include a Substitute Word or Thought for each in your mental image. Think of a Substitute Word or Thought for the following: Bob, Bruce, Wendy, Sally, Phyllis, Ernie, Dennis, Molly, Douglas, Nancy, Ashley, Thelma, Ben, Harold, Gary, Richard, Carl, Victoria, Anthony, Boris, Fred, Donald, Edward, Lillian, Gladys, Alex, Andy, Mark, Vincent, Walter, John, Isabel. He advises using a substitute word for first names and surnames e.g. For Mary, a wedding (marry) George, jaws Harry, hairy Sylvia, silver Bernard, burn hard Tom or Thomas, tom-tom drums Tony, toe knee Robert, robber Jim, gym Anita, an anteater Mike, microphone - and so forth. That’s what really locks in a name.įor first names, come up with a Substitute Word or Thought in exactly the same way as you would for a surname.įor Bill, I always see a dollar bill. The ones I’ve given you aren’t likely to stick in your mind, because you haven’t used your imagination. Remember that it’s better for you to come up with your own Substitute Words and Thoughts- your very own ridiculous pictures. For Mc or Mac, I see a macintosh for -son, the sun for -berg, an iceberg for -law, a judge’s gavel for -baum, a bomb, and so on. The same is true for common prefixes and suffixes. For example, I always visualise a blacksmith’s hammer for Smith, a garden for Gordon, an ice-cream cone for Cohen. So whenever I hear the name Elliott, I think of tennis.Īfter you’ve used my Substitute Words and Thoughts principle for a while, you’ll form standard images for certain names. When I hear the name Browning, I visualise a Browning automatic rifle - a weapon I was quite familiar with during World War II.Ī childhood friend of mine named Elliott was a tennis nut. He says a name with a meaning or personal association can also help memory (file image) When you’re introduced to someone new, you will simply make his or her name visible in your mind by coming up with a Substitute Word or Thought for it. And it should guarantee that you’ll never again be at a loss for someone’s name. But what I’m going to teach you next really won’t take much effort at all.
Don’t just say, ‘I’ll see you later’ instead, say: ‘I’ll see you later, Julia.’Īll right, that was the easy part.
Rule 5: Use the name again when you say goodbye.
But try to introduce the name seamlessly into your chat - for instance: ‘Gosh, Jim, I never thought of it that way.’ Don’t go overboard with this rule, or it will sound forced. Rule 4: Use the name during your initial conversation. If you think it’s an unusual name, it’s fine to say that, too. Or that you went to school with someone of the same name. You might say that it’s a name you’ve heard before, for instance. Memory expert Harry Lorayne believes his system can ensure you remember the names of people you've just met But what if it’s an easy-to-spell name, like Jones or Carter? Don’t worry about looking an idiot: the person will still feel flattered because you’re showing an interest.
‘Oh, is that L- o- r- r- a- i- n- e?’ The great thing about doing this is that you’ll be corrected if you’re wrong - ‘No, it’s L- o- r- a- y-n- e’ - and that gives you more time to recall the name. It’s not embarrassing to say: ‘Sorry, I didn’t get your name.’ Rule 1: Be sure you properly hear what the other person has said. Then, if you want to take care of the remaining 80 per cent, I’ll teach you the rest of the system. If you apply them properly, I guarantee that you’ll improve your memory for names by about 20 per cent. Here’s how you can use the same tricks.įirst, you need to learn the basic rules for remembering names. I’ve shown in front of audiences that I can remember up to 1,500 names of people I’ve only just met. Are you dreading this year’s Christmas parties, worried that you’ll embarrass yourself by forgetting people’s names? Well, I have good news for you: my memory system - which I’ve honed over many decades - will ensure that you’ll always be able to put a name to a face.
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