[Note: This was prepared as a Family Home Evening lesson.
I printed out lots of large photos from our church directory.
The examples here are inspired by the names of the people in my photos.
You could customize it to your own situation, if desired.
Each person gets a copy of this page.
Each person fills in all blank spaces; then, ideas are shared with the group.]

REMEMBERING NAMES

[reference: The Memory Book, by Harry Lorayne & Jerry Lucas]

FEELINGS ABOUT REMEMBERING/FORGETTING NAMES:
Each person writes 2–3 answers for each question. Then, share results.

When I can't remember a person's name, it makes me feel:
When I do remember a person's name, it makes me feel:
When I can't remember a person's name, it might make them feel:
When I do remember a person's name, it might make them feel:
IT'S FLATTERING TO A PERSON TO MAKE A FUSS OVER THEIR NAME!
- Repetition: Ask someone to please repeat their name.
- Spelling: Ask someone to spell their name, or try to spell it back to them: ‘Do you spell that ... ’?
- Comment: Is it familiar? Beautiful? Unusual? For example:
  -- ‘Oh, my sister's name is Jean, too!’
  -- ‘I love that name! Is it Irish?’
  -- ‘I've never heard that name before ... it's beautiful! Does it have any special significance?’
- More repetition: Use a person's name whenever you can create the opportunity—especially during an initial conversation.
In addition to reinforcing the name, asking questions can also give you time to apply the name-remembering technique discussed below.
(The more you practice, the quicker you'll get.)
Activity:
INITIAL MEETING PRACTICE:
Have each person practice meeting someone for the first time.
(Hold a photo of a stranger in front of your face as the person being ‘met’.)
Practice: repetition, spelling, comment, and more repetition!

LAST NAME (only) PRACTICE:
-- Hello! My name is Sister Burns. What's your name?
[Note: People in the LDS church frequently address themselves as ‘brother’ or ‘sister’.]

FIRST NAME (only) PRACTICE:
-- Hello! My name is Carol. What's your name?

FIRST AND LAST NAME PRACTICE:
-- Hello! My name is Carol Burns. What's your name?
THREE STEPS FOR REMEMBERING NAMES:
Here's a system where the face will tell you the name!
- Step 1: (Image for Name) Use the ‘Substitute Word’ system (as needed) to create an image for the name.
- Step 2: (Outstanding Feature) Select an outstanding/unusual feature of the person's face.
- Step 3: (Lock Image/Feature) Lock the name and face together, by forming a ridiculous association between Step 1 and Step 2.

STEP 1 (Image for Name):
Associate the name with something ridiculous/vivid/exaggerated.
The crazier the better!! You MUST picture it in your mind!!
The more senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste) you can work into your mental image, the better.
Activity: Discuss the samples, and then fill in all blanks in the tables below. Share results.

For example:
Names with a natural association (these are the easy ones):

NAME	ASSOCIATED MENTAL IMAGE
Blood	a gigantic pool of bubbling, spurting, bright red blood; perhaps it's getting all over you and staining your clothes
Spicer	an entire wall of spices, all toppling over and breaking; hear the crashing as the glass containers break; smell the cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.
Hall
Price
Hays
Utterback

If there isn't a natural association:
use the SUBSTITUTE WORD system.
Think of something that sounds like or reminds you of the abstract word, than can be pictured in your mind.
You don't need all the exact sounds of the name; the main sounds should give the reminder you need.
‘True’ memory will fill in the rest for you!

For example:

NAME	ASSOCIATED MENTAL IMAGE
Aaron	air run; the currents of air are forming themselves into little people and running all over the sky
Ashley	ash lee (a ‘lee’ is a protective shelter); a gigantic pile of ashes protecting you from a storm
Simons
Johnson
Iverson

You'll start to develop ‘standards’ for certain names, prefixes, suffixes, and sounds!

For example:

NAME	ASSOCIATED MENTAL IMAGE
Smith	blacksmith's hammer
... ton	(Clapton, Grafton, Hampton, ...) a massive one-ton weight chained to ...
... son	(Carlson, Addison, Emerson, ...) a miniature version of something else, all dressed in blue, being lovingly carried by the primary object
Jones
... ling
Mer or Mar ...	(Meredith, Merrimack, Marie, ...)
Mel ...	(Melody, Melanie, Melynda, ...)

Now you try these:

NAME	ASSOCIATED MENTAL IMAGE
Bob Smith
Johansen
Meredith
Melanie
Boveington
Nielson
Brant

STEP 2 (Outstanding Feature):
Choose an outstanding feature of the person (usually the face):
hair (color, poofy, long, straight)
forehead (narrow, high, oily)
eyebrows (straight, arched, bushy)
eyes (narrow, wide-spaced, close-set)
nose (large, small)
cheeks
lips (full, thin)
chin
warts
dimples

Activity: Hold up each photo. Give about 5 seconds to identify a prominent feature. (First impressions are the best!) Share.
STEP 3 (Lock Image/Feature):
Form a ridiculous association between the image for your name (Step 1) and the outstanding feature (Step 2).

Example:
You've just met Mr. Crane.
Image for Name: a gigantic crane (the bird), with its long slender legs, long neck, and long beak
Outstanding Feature: The first thing that struck you is that Mr. Crane has a very high forehead.
Lock Image/Feature: Picture an entire flock of cranes attacking the high forehead, pecking it.

Don't worry if your image is something you wouldn't ever want to share with the person—you won't!
With repeated use, the name will make its way into your long-term (true) memory, and the memory device will fade.
Activity:
[Note: I used about 24 photos.
I broke them into three groups of 8 for the three exercises that follow.]

LAST NAMES ONLY:
Hold up each photo for about 15 seconds.
One person says the last name (written on the back of photo).
Each person tries to apply the techniques learned.
When done, mix up the photos.
Go through each, and see how successful each person was in remembering the name!

FIRST NAMES ONLY:
Repeat above, but with only first names.

FIRST and LAST NAMES:
Repeat above, with first and last names.