It’s happened to the best of us.

You see someone you’ve met a few times and realise you’ve drawn a complete blank on their name.

You bluff your way through the conversation, until that cringe moment when someone asks you to introduce them to your anonymous pal!

Here, a few super simple tactics to avoid that awkward moment for good.

Repeat
When you first meet someone, immediately say their name out loud – “Nice to meet you Sue”

Reinforce
Form an association between the name and the person, such as ‘merry Mary’ or ‘tall Paul’. Do not say this out loud, and especially not in front of the person in question!

Record
Rely on an external memory source. Tell your good-with-names friend or make a note in your phone or diary.

And if all else fails
Even if you can’t remember someone’s name, you can usually recall something about them, which will let them know you didn’t forget them altogether. Say something like, “I’m so bad with names, but I know we take spin together.” Or reintroduce yourself and hope they return the favour. Chances are they can’t remember your name either, so don’t sweat it.