You have forgotten faces and names, what can be done?

Hi Rajib! This has happened to me several times. My situation changed a few years a go and I lost contact with some of the people who were around me almost daily at the time. Recently I have bumped into them once again - and didn't recognise them I have so far come through each situation with the same line. I look at the person in front of me, be it male or female, and while they are telling me something about an occasion from the past, I am desperately trying to remember who they are. I just listen and then all of a sudden I will say something like 'Well you could be *insert any name* but he/she would surely look much older than you so I am wrong'. At this point the person usually tells me who they are and I say "Oh well of course I would never have remembered - you haven't aged at all" Of course then I try and think of something in the past which could jog my memory and something usually comes to mind. They think they have aged really well and don't notice my embarassment

If I see someone I should know... and the name has slipped from my mind, I usually ask my husband to introduce himself before I approach them to speak. That way he can slip back and remind me what the name was.... and then I can say... "Oh honey have you met Janice" and he will say "yes, just a few minutes ago." If I don't spot them first however I usually admit to my faulty memory and apologize.

That has happened to me many times! I just tell them that I have a terrible memory and although I mean no offense and they are NOT forgettable, I just don't remember their name. They usually laugh and tell me their name. Many of them tell me that they greeted me first because they'd forgotten the names of the other people at the function we're attending!

I've never experienced this problem because I have to remember the words since I'm philologist.I put the name next to the image in my mind and when I see the image, I recollect name too.I don't know how do your names sound like, maybe they are more difficult or longer?And one more thing:I think the one who starts the dialogue has to introduce himself/herself and do not ask stupid questions like "guess who I am".There'll be no excuses from my part because I DO remember people who are important to me.I can't be a friend of every person met in the street just because he/she saw me or heard about me.If I met you, I should say:"Hi, Rajib.I'm Silvercoin,one of your Mylot friends."So, you don't have to apologise that you don't recognise someone.

This happens on occasion. I usually will just play along with the conversation, usually its like how are you and the kids type thing. There have been occasions where I did have to ask what there name is and where I knew them from and just said sorry I have a bad memory and make a little joke about how 6 kids and a husband will do that to you and how I wouldnt remember my head if it wasnt attached.

nice topic

Sometimes it happens to me either because I haven't seen for a long time or my mind is preoccupied with something else. Usually I remember faces more than names, so most of the time I remember they are friends or acquaintances I just can't remember their names, address and occupation after a long time. I'll try to remember but if I failed I would apologize and ask them. I've had people forget about me I don't feel offended about it unless they are being rude.

lately i do not remember things as easily as i used to. there have been times when i would draw a complete blank and could not remember a person's name when i went to introduce them to someone and i was mortified. i used to be so good at remembering everything but as i get older it gets harder. also i think stress plays a big part as i have so much else on my mind these days like just trying to survive and keep our home and food on the table.

i am weird and if i dont see a person several times i cannot tell you what they look like!! like after i meet some one once im not around them i cannot remember for the life of me what they looked like or i remember them with the wrong facial feature or wrong hair color or something.. i have no idea why and havent figure out any way of improving it unless i just see them more

in my case i rememebr only the person if i am interested to know him or him

Like a lot of people I have experienced this on many occasions. Sometimes I can actually get away with not mentioning the person's name at all and bluff my way through the conversation and ask someone else later. When I have been 'caught out' I have just apologised and said something like, "I am so sorry and I do hope that you are not offended but although I remember you, I don't recall your name!" That's all I can think of to do, sometimes it is better to be honest than pretend otherwise.

Yes I remember and it was so funny because while we are talking I had to forced my mind to think of where I really met this guy before. Of course to avoid of embarrassing situation I just observed what he's talking about until I remember some names he mentioned and "bingo" I got his name. And they were just my neighbor long time ago in our province he he he he

yes i have been in the situation where someone has remembered my name but i havent rembered theres...and i am just honest with them and tell them im sorry i cant recall your name..then say my memory isnt what it used to be and that puts a little humor to the situation...

Ohhh all the time, especially with people from my school days! I don't understand how they recognise me. LOL. almost all of them have said I look the same! haha. how can I look how I looked when i was 6 ??!! Well, how I have responded is by saying... I might not have changed, but you sure look different. And you are...... (I let them fill in the blank with their identity as I pretend to access my memory database ;-) Most friends frm the past have not minded it, mainly because they are so happy to bump into an old friend. And then I quickly make polite enquiry about their lives, their jobs, partners, etc.. so in an instant, they have forgotten that "I had forgotten" :D

I am terrible with names. The most embarrassing time was when my Uncle Jim was over and I was introducing him to my boyfriend and I couldn't remember his name so I just introduced him as my Uncle. It didn't get by him, of course.

Yes...has happened quite a few times for i have a very bad memory...in such cases, i just keep smiling at them and nodding my head, then they themselves say about them, that would be really very embarrasing, but once i start to remember and recollect things, we just laugh at what had happened

One of my friend has an interesting way of encountering this situation. He would find another man who is known to him and will introduce this new man to the person. He will first tell the person 'X' name of the new person and then allow him to introduce him to that one. This way he can know his name!

Agree it's very embarrassing to forget faces and names. My job in HR means always there are a lot of interaction with people. Alas, my rotten memory fails me every time. After conducting the job interviews, I forget the name of the candidate. Even when the interview goes well, and we end up chatting like old friends. The candidate me a few days later to check status, even when he/she reveals the name, I got a hard time recalling the face. Fortunately most candidates assume that I remember them, they seldom ask the embarrassing question "Can you remember me?". Fortunately most of the times I am able to carry on a normal conversation while frantically hunting for the resume.