Get Better at Remembering Names

Quick Win

Linking names with visuals may help you remember them. Practice the technique with people you already know to get the hang of it.

Try This Today

1. Make your list. Write down the names of a handful of friends or acquaintances. For each person, think of a related image. It could be a physical feature, a place or activity you associate with the person, or a visual that rhymes with his or her name.
2. Create a nickname. Combine each name with its corresponding image. Your friend Sam, who has a great smile, could be Smiling Sam. Jada, who loves to travel, could be Jet Plane Jada. Your neighbor Anna? Anna Banana, naturally. Yes, these nicknames are often goofy — just embrace it!
3. Repeat. Say each nickname to yourself a few times (in your mind) until it sticks. Keep this strategy on hand for when you meet new people.

Why

Creating nicknames using images or rhyming is one example of a mnemonic, a strategy used for improving recall. Mnemonics that involve visual imagery can improve recall, suggests research, including a study of 91 adults ages 61 to 88 published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry in 2020.