Amber Minogue

Ever met someone and forgotten their name almost instantly?

Awkward, right?

Especially after chatting for a few minutes.

But if that happens to you a lot, you're definitely not alone.

So why does this happen?

One reason is that first names don't really mean anything on their own.

They don't tell you what someone looks like, what they do, or what they're like.

And our brains are much better at remembering information that's tied to something concrete.

Cognitive scientist Zenzi Griffin explains that names are especially tricky because of how our brains store and retrieve information.

In contrast, things like nicknames, titles or descriptions are easier to recall because they carry meaning.

Psychologist David Ludden agrees.

He points out that proper names work differently in memory because they often have no logical link to the person.

They're simply harder to pin down.

And research backs this up.

In one study published in 1986 in the British Journal of Developmental Psychology, people were asked to memorise fake resumes.

They could easily recall details like jobs, hobbies or where someone lived, but names?

Much harder to remember.

There's also a brain-based explanation.

We're much better at remembering what we see than what we hear.

That's why you might recognise a face instantly but draw a blank on the name.