Remembering names | Page 2 | INFJ Forum

Remembering names

My Si isn't all that terrible (although it isn't great either), which would explain why I am not terrible at remembering names.

I actually remember alot of really random tidbits. I remember when I was little (and I am talking 5/6 years old) my parents and relatives ALWAYS said to me "Ok Pietey, remember where the car is!" whenever we went to great adventure or any place with a huge parking lot. Because I would always remember where we parked, and what it looked like, and all that stuff, even if they didn't tell me to remember.
 
To solve my problem with not remembering names, I'll often dub people easy to remember nicknames. Once at a campout I went to with my sister, there was this kid who's name for some reason was really difficult to remember, it was like "Christopher" or something ghey like that. Anyway, he striked me as an Iggy and I started calling him that and by the end of the campout everyone was---and he hated me for it. He really didn't like being called Iggy! But to this day my sister and I refer to him as Iggy, we don't remember his real name.

And then I usually pass down the nickname 'Sexlips' affectionatly to my close sexual female friends-- I originally dubbed it out to this girl Tanessa and had a backstory to it about "How I met Tanessa" which had to do with me going to a strip club and meeting a girl named Sexlips and then her telling me that she'd borrowed someone's ID and she wasn't sexlips at all, that Tanessa was, and so basically the story wasn't how I met Tanessa it was irrelevant and just how I like my stories.
 
Do you have problems remembering peoples names?
-Yes, pretty often. In fact all the time :D
Are you a name or a face person? Def face person
Do you get offended if someone forgets your name? Yes
Do you get offended if someone pronounces your name wrong? Yes
 

  • Do you have problems remembering peoples names?
  • Are you a name or a face person?
  • Do you get offended if someone forgets your name?
  • Do you get offended if someone pronounces your name wrong?


  • I am terrible at remembering names.
  • I never forget faces, or where I met someone, what they were wearing, or what we talked about (though I cannot directly quote anything, just the intentions of what was said).
  • I don't get offended if people have the same problem I do.
  • I don't get offended, but I have a very odd name that is hard to pronounce for some people.
I am a 1w9, so I really don't think this is an Enneagram issue. Memory and perception are much more cognitive functions, and it is becoming clear that NFJs have a serious deficit in the name remembering category. I would assume it is due to our weak Si.
 
My Si isn't all that terrible (although it isn't great either), which would explain why I am not terrible at remembering names.

I actually remember alot of really random tidbits. I remember when I was little (and I am talking 5/6 years old) my parents and relatives ALWAYS said to me "Ok Pietey, remember where the car is!" whenever we went to great adventure or any place with a huge parking lot. Because I would always remember where we parked, and what it looked like, and all that stuff, even if they didn't tell me to remember.

I used to do the same exact sorts of things as a kid. That's Se in action.

Se incorporates visual memory. Si incorporates logical memory.

For example, people with an Se trait can remember faces better than names. We can remember places better than street names. We can remember where we have been, but not what it was called.

Si people tend to be the opposite. They remember names better than faces, street names better than places, what it was called more than how to get there.
 

  • Do you have problems remembering peoples names? yeah its embarassing
  • Are you a name or a face person? hmmmm neither
  • Do you get offended if someone forgets your name? usually
  • Do you get offended if someone pronounces your name wrong? my names sara, so it doesnt rly happen.

 
I don't remember names at all...it's even harder when you meet a lot of people at once.
I'm definitely a face person...I could remember more than their face, like others said in this thread...I could remember where we first met, what we did for the hang out and at times if they had something nice on, I would remember what they wore.
I don't get offended if someone forgets my name because I forget people's names easily as well. What bothers me most is when people I'm not close to find out my nickname and start calling me by it.
I don't really get offended if someone mispronounces my name, but I like it when people try to ask me about the right pronunciation.
 
Does anyone else have a hard time remembering peoples names? It seems like when I meet someone I instantly dive into analyzing that persons personality. I'm very focused on "who" this person is under the surface. I love learning about new people ;especially people I see as very unique or people that have a special quirk I haven't come across yet. So much so that I forget the general stuff (Their names is ___ they go out with ___) after first meeting them. When I see them again and want to talk to them ;I have to come up with ways to skip the name. "Hey what's up you!" :m161:"How are you doing?". Then hope that their name gets mentioned later so I can remember... I find I'm like that with everything. I don't care what you call something I want to know all about how it works; what it does. I'm comparing people to gadgets. I'm a horrible person I know.... :m095:



Of course my social skills are much better now than they used to be and I rarely find myself in that sort of situation anymore. I understand that names are really important to people. When I was little though I think I offended a lot of people. They probably thought that I was a snob or disinterested. A part of me just wanted to tell them. No! I love you and cherish you as the completely special unique individual that you are! :m035: I am a 4 w5 so that probably has something to do with it.

My name is actually really weird and I don't really get offend when people pronounce it wrong. I might just be used to it though.

Anyway enough with my ranting


  • Do you have problems remembering peoples names?
  • Are you a name or a face person?
  • Do you get offended if someone forgets your name?
  • Do you get offended if someone pronounces your name wrong?
-Yes, I even sometimes call people by the wrong name and I feel really bad
-Sort of
-Not really because I'm bad with names also
- No, it doesn't matter to me.
 

  • Do you have problems remembering peoples names?
When I get introduced to people for the first time, if it's in a chaotic situation where I am stressed out, and nervous about making a good impression, I'll be so focused on people's behavior and responses to mine, and overwhelmed by emotion, that their names won't usually stick in my mind.
Then I realize that their name totally didn't register, and I'll try to scan the rest of the conversation to see if it comes up again, and this time, "file" it in a safe place in my brain.
This happens especially when I am introduced to several people in a short amount of time, for example, "Here, meet my friends A, B, C, D and E".

  • Are you a name or a face person?
A bit of both... I think.

  • Do you get offended if someone forgets your name?
  • Do you get offended if someone pronounces your name wrong?
No to both, because I have an unusual name and I myself am bad at remembering other unusual names.
It's more that it makes me extremely uncomfortable to have to decide "should I correct the person or just let it slide?"
 
Sometimes if someone forgets my name, then I take it personal. Especially if they mix my name up with someone else haha. If Michelle is pronounced wrong I merely correct them and sometimes it even initiates a conversation ^^

With me, I tend to remember people's name's very well if they have made a striking impression on me. If not, then it tends to be harder.
 
I'm so terrible at remembering names that I've actually offended people who I've worked with for three months. Yea, I'm that bad.

I never get offended when people forget mine, because it just makes me feel a little better that I'm not the only one ;)

Do I get offended when people pronounce my name wrong? Well, there are only so many ways to pronounce Christina...
 
Last edited:
I'm actually pretty observant, and somewhere on some subconcious level I absorb lots of things (maybe that's why I get emotional).I'm overall pretty good with remembering names, especially if I like the person.
 
Omg Serendipity! My name is Christina too! I get a little annoyed when I am called Christine, but that's alright. I just fell like Christina doesn't fit my "essence" as well.
 
Omg Serendipity! My name is Christina too! I get a little annoyed when I am called Christine, but that's alright. I just fell like Christina doesn't fit my "essence" as well.


Hehe, I can relate. Every time my mother calls me "Christy", I have flashbacks of pigtails and ice cream all over my face. She knows I hate it ;)
 
My only nickname has been Stina. I've had other things but not relating to my name, and they are hardly ever used.

Christy and Chrissy just don't sit well with my personality.
 
Do you have problems remembering peoples names? Yes. If it's a guy, I honestly don't even make the effort. In one ear and out the other. I can always pull out a "man" or "dude" or "bro" depending on the situation. I do try to make a point of remembering the names of attractive girls, but even that sometimes fails.

Are you a name or a face person? Face person, I almost always remember a face.

Do you get offended if someone forgets your name? Absolutely not. Although when a cute girl does it, I do realize that its a sign that she's not that interested. Unless she's asking again.

Do you get offended if someone pronounces your name wrong? Offended? My name is Matt. If they pronounce it wrong, they're probably functionally retarded.