GlenT fifth post - What's in a name?

GlenT · Joined: 14 Nov 2008 Posts: 6

I know I'm not as young as I used to be, but that's no excuse for my complete inability to remember names. I was never able to do that.

Give me five minutes and the person I was introduced to is "Bud" or "lady" or "Pal" - whatever won't get me punched in the face. I strain to hear their name mentioned in the conversation. I'll finally stick an opener in the blank space while everybody sips, "I am so forgetful (blah, blah) - In fact, I've already forgotten your name!"

I used to stress over it. And then I figured out what was going on in my mind. I'm a word geek. Give me a word and I probably know the definition. If it's a common word, I might even know the root word and original language. Every word has a meaning, and most of them have dozens. Add slang, and the list goes on and on.

But not names. What's a "Bob?" I won't go toward the awful joke about multiple amputees, and that has never applied to any Bob I've ever met, anyway. How do you define a "Mary" or a "Frank" (they never really are frank, now are they?) or a "Jeanine?" Simply, there IS no definition until they earn it. And my memory just doesn't put them in a folder until they have a definition. It takes time for my brain to associate a new acquaintance with a definition. I need to know their background, their "place of origin" and they need to become part of my life.

Now if we named our kids for a trait or an appearance, or an obvious skill, I might have a chance of remembering those names.

I suppose that wouldn't work, or we'd be a nation of "Joe Six-Packs," huh?

Glen

shiromi · Joined: 23 Nov 2008 Posts: 5

Hi Glen! I know what you mean, i'm pretty bad with names. Don't know why. I'm an actress that can memorize pages of dialogue, but putitng names to faces? Nah. Personally, I don't mind if someone forgets my name. It's the other stuff that annoys me. When i've told people my name is Shiromi they'll instantly ask me where it's from. I don't know. My mum made it up. But there's a waterfall in Japan by that name, as well as a sushi item by that name, so I tend to go witht he waterfall. Nowadays, living in Hawaii with lots of Japanese people coming by I get the "huh! You don't look Japanese." That's the good stuff. Then i've had "well, that's a new one!" Which just makes me want to go "excuse me?!" but of course it's when i'm at work and have to be oh-so-polite. I've even had my name change three times in one phone call... Thankgoodness I don't do phone work anymore! Ah yes, what's in a name indeed!