# Do you know your phone number? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 31, 2013, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-your-phone-number/648901 "2013-01-31T10:49:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-your-phone-number/648901/1 "2013-01-31T10:49:05Z")
I had a missed call on my mobile (cell) phone today from an unknown land-line number. It was from my residential suburb, so I got panicky thinking it was the Dr ringing me to tell me that I was dying, or worse, already dead, or the Real Estate Agent telling me that my house had burned down, or other equally disastrous things. So ringing back, my _daughter_ answered. My daughter doesn’t **have** a land-line. She informed me that she was at **my** house, using **my** LL to ring a gummint agency that is renowned for keeping people on hold for too fucking long. At least whilst on hold, she could play on my computer in the meantime. Now in my defence, I live alone and have never had reason to ring my LL. But geez, you’d think it would have tinkled some memory bells, yes? Well, no, it didn’t. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-your-phone-number/648901/2 "2013-01-31T11:25:53Z")
I know my landline number, but not my cellphone number. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-your-phone-number/648901/3 "2013-01-31T11:32:32Z")
I know my numbers and my husband’s cell number, but once I input my daughter’s number into the phones, I promptly forgot it. I think it has two 6s in it… ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-your-phone-number/648901/4 "2013-01-31T11:48:59Z")
In our household I am **The Keeper of the Numbers**. I have an uncanny knack of remembering phone numbers, user IDs and passwords, bank account numbers etc. Mrs Dog on the other hand can’t remember my mobile phone number despite me having the same one for the 12 years we’ve been together (probably due having me on speed dial), neither can she remember our car registration number even though she walks past it virtually every single day. That one time I forgot our anniversary though, hoo boy, she can remember **that** baby well enough. ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-your-phone-number/648901/5 "2013-01-31T12:30:25Z")
All but two numbers. The rest makes sense, but those two numbers are random. I’ve changed numbers too many times, and I know too many others by heart, I think. Those two numbers just don’t fit. I remember the postcodes of every house I’ve lived in. Endless phone numbers, my grannies, my family, my friends, my inlaws. I remember phone numbers of childhood friends: 4379363, childhood friend who lived down the road, 4371657 a friend from school. There is just no room for the last two numbers of my own phone number. ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-your-phone-number/648901/6 "2013-01-31T12:41:46Z")
I know my landline, my cell, the squeezes cell, mom’s landline, sis’s cell, current irk’s number and the number for Papa John’s because PJ’s number and my landline number are close and having gotten wrong number calls for PJ’s so often, I can tell wrong number callers the right number. Ain’t I just so nice! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-your-phone-number/648901/7 "2013-01-31T13:10:06Z")
I remember phone numbers, account numbers, SSN numbers, ID numbers, all kinds of long passwords but for the life of me I can’t remember my two kid’s cell phone numbers. It’s because the first thing I did after they first got cell phones was to enter their numbers into my cell phone. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-your-phone-number/648901/8 "2013-01-31T13:16:29Z")
Yeah, I know my number. Well, one of them. I only have a cell phone, but it has two numbers. One is the “real” phone number…that’s the one I don’t know. The other is my Google Voice number that just forwards to that phone. When I left my last cell carrier, I was switching to a pre-paid plan, so I couldn’t “take my number with me” like you can if you just switch between major carriers. So I transferred my old number to Google Voice for a one-time fee, and it just automatically forwards to whatever my phone’s actual number is. I do know this, though: Whoever had this phone number before me has a kid who does NOT like going to school. A few times I month I get an automated call from the local high school saying my child was in in first period. I should probably call the school and get my number taken off their records. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-your-phone-number/648901/9 "2013-01-31T13:56:58Z")
Yes, I know my number. I’ve had it for 10 years, and I’ve been telling it to a lot of people lately. I couldn’t tell you my GF’s number though. I don’t even know the area code. Oh, 828. North Carolina? Hahahaha! ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-your-phone-number/648901/10 "2013-01-31T16:50:54Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > Whoever had this phone number before me has a kid who does NOT like going to school. A few times I month I get an automated call from the local high school saying my child was in in first period. I should probably call the school and get my number taken off their records. I got a Verizon prepaid phone and apparently a reassigned number. Whoever (One creditor told me his name, but I forgot it) had that number before me was a major deadbeat. The calls have slowed though. As for the OP, I can remember every number I have, but it took me a long time to memorize the new cell number because it’s so different than the last one. The last cell number and my land line were very close and easy to remember. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-your-phone-number/648901/11 "2013-01-31T17:19:50Z")
I haven’t had a land line in years, and I don’t miss it, but I do still remember the number. I know my cell number and my wife’s (which is one digit away from mine). Back in the day, I could pick up any phone and dial up almost any friend or relative from memory. Now, if I lost my cell phone I couldn’t even call my Mom. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-your-phone-number/648901/12 "2013-01-31T17:46:44Z")
> [@Mr.Accident](#): > > I know my landline number, but not my cellphone number. You, too? In my defense, I’ve had the cell phone less than a year, and I don’t give it out much. The land line number has been filled into forms and otherwise given out for decades. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-your-phone-number/648901/13 "2013-01-31T18:00:06Z")
> [@Mr.Accident](#): > > I know my landline number, but not my cellphone number. Ditto - I have to open up my cell phone to get the number. Brian ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-your-phone-number/648901/14 "2013-01-31T18:26:15Z")
My son was writing a thank-you note a couple of days ago and my husband had to help him with the return address. My son is 13. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-your-phone-number/648901/15 "2013-01-31T18:44:52Z")
My house was built in 1953, and my grandparents bought it brand new. They had a telephone put in. In 1963, my grandmother passed away, and my parents bought the house. Kept the same phone number. In 2005, my father died, and the house became mine. I still have the same phone number. It is burned into my brain as if with a branding iron. I don’t know my cell phone number, either, tho. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-your-phone-number/648901/16 "2013-01-31T20:14:35Z")
I know every phone number I’ve ever had. I know the phone number of the holiday cottage se stayed at in France, 40 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-your-phone-number/648901/17 "2013-02-01T05:48:54Z")
A couple of years ago I was in a lecture when my pocket phone began vibrating. That’s rare enough but I looked at the number and it was _my own home number._ Since I live alone, you can bet that I made my way to the side exit and took that call. (Turned out to be the building manager, who’d entered my apartment to check on something or other.) ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-your-phone-number/648901/18 "2013-02-01T16:14:25Z")
No, I always have to look up mine. ---
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-your-phone-number/648901/19 "2013-02-01T17:42:08Z")
One of my favorite things about cell phone ubiquity is that the number of phone numbers I ever give anyone is decreasing. We haven’t had a land line in a long while. I have a phone at work, but I never give anyone that number. My husband works for a high tech company with an open office - no desk, so no work phone. The two cell phone numbers are all we ever use, and since we’ve had them for ~14 years, I memorized them long ago. It makes filling out contact information forms so much easier! ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-your-phone-number/648901/20 "2013-02-01T20:29:37Z")
I forget my phone numbers on occasion. Who calls himself? The number I always had to look up, however, was my work number. I’d call that one maybe once every two or three years. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-your-phone-number/648901.md?page=2)