forgetting peoples names

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
25,082
0
South coast
Can be, Mary, but can be due to many other things too. It could be due to vitamin deficiency (especially vitamin B12), thyroid underaction, stress, tiredness and TBH, its something that I have done all my life and, as far as I know I dont have dementia!

If it is dementia there will be other symptoms too. The best thing is to go and see the GP who can do blood tests to see if its something like a vitamin deficiency. If its not, he might do a referral to the memory clinic.
 

Spamar

Registered User
Oct 5, 2013
7,723
0
Suffolk
I'm like Canary, it's something I've done all my life, and, as far as I know, I don't have dementia! As she says, go to the gp if you're worried.
 

Batsue

Registered User
Nov 4, 2014
4,893
0
Scotland
Me too, the minute someone tells me their name it goes in one ear and out the other, I also don't recognise new faces very well, I have spent my life saying to people sorry if I don't recognise you or remember your name next time we meet. I have improved a bit since I moved to a very rural community, when I worked in London it was worse because I was meeting new people every day.

If this is something new to you I would definitely see your GP to get checked.
 

Kjn

Registered User
Jul 27, 2013
5,833
0
If you are concerned do have a word with your gp.

My dad always mixed names up , my OH always forgets names but knows faces from yonks ago. He gets there in the end with a a a a b b b b c c c c .....z guessing names in his head. Or he goes up to them and asks:D
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,802
0
Kent
Hello marygh

I'm another who is hopeless with names and always have been.

I don't know how old you are .

Our memories often deteriorate naturally as we age and I know I for one have developed some new confusions apart from forgetting names. Even so I accept these as age related 'senior moments' other than dementia because everything else I do causes no worries.

I did feel there were times when I was having some word finding difficulties so decided to keep a note of them. The last time I couldn't find the right word was December 2016 which made me realise I was worrying for nothing.

Perhaps you could keep a note of the number of times you forget names and particularly whether they are names of people you've known for years or people new to you. Then you will have something concrete to discuss with your doctor
 
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Amethyst59

Registered User
Jul 3, 2017
5,776
0
Kent
Another tip, is to ask the person their name, then when they answer, 'Anne', say, 'I knew that of course. I meant your second name'. Or if they answer 'Brown', say, yes I remembered that but your first name slipped my mind for a moment.
 

marionq

Registered User
Apr 24, 2013
6,449
0
Scotland
I have a good memory for names which started with my three daughters I think. Providing I remembered the details of their friends and schoolmates they would chat to me about what was happening. Their Dad liked their friends but could never remember who was who. So they didn't bother telling him anything.

That was a good lesson to me to pay attention.