How do you deal with the awkward situation where someone knows/remembers your name but you don't know theirs?

Answer 1

Have them introduce themselves to a friend of yours.

Answer 2

it happens to me constantly. I write their names on a list and when I am talking with someone I glance at my list. To make the situation worse I remember the peoples pets names more often then the owners

Answer 3

Had this problem a lot when I was a bartender- just too many regulars- all wanting to share their deepest feelings w/ me. Got around it by using little "pet names". So even though I didn't even remember their names, it gave them the impression we were close.

Example:
Women: Sugar, Hon, Dear, Baby, Sexy, Chica
Men: Bud, Stud, Amigo, Big Guy

Never hurt my tips.

Answer 4

I avoid saying their name during the conversation. It's possible and most people don't even notice that you don't use their name as long as you make it seem like you do. After they leave, I ask someone that might know.

This happens to me a lot, especially when I get introduced to a big group of people at the same time, I tend to not remember their names.

Answer 5

How many of you have read the book by Dale Carnegie, "How to make friends......"?

He teaches a trick. I adopted it and boy, does it ever work!

This is how:
Associate the name to something relevent, however wild it may be. It has to do with something they were wearing, something with their name (jumble of words), their face (imagine funny things) or whatever your imagination will allow. Now repeat that within yourself a few times. Use their name in the conversation. Voila......!

Next time you meet, you recall that wild imagination. Funny thing is, that imagination pops up, name comes to you. It works. You gotta believe!!!

Answer 6

People lets get real your in a bar or whatever talking to a girl all night or a firend of a friend. the master move is to ask the girl for here number. when she says yes. i always give the girl my phone and let her do it herslef. never fails. this escuses having to ask how to spell her name. like when she says L I Z. and you feel like an idiot. or you can always wait for someone else to say it.

Answer 7

Say " I'm terribly sorry, I didn't get your name". Some people are better at remembering names and don't fault yourself for not being one of them.

Answer 8

This all depends on what sex the person is.

If it's a male, I say, "Must have met you at a party and can't seem to remember your name."

If it's a female, I say, "You aren't going to believe this, but your eyes are so beautiful that I forgot your name". Laugh if you will, it works, trust me.

Answer 9

Tell them straight out that you forgot their name, and apologize. That happens to me all the time as I meet a lot of people in my job but may only hear their name a few times, and I say that "if I don't use your name all the time, I tend not to retain it."

Answer 10

Try talking to them and manage without having to mention their name in the conversation. If that doesn't work, you can always say sorry and tell them their name just slipped off your mind

Answer 11

I find surnames easier to recall. Try this out as it works successfully with me. It also makes people blush and impressed, since its a different style.