# Why can't I remember her name? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 24, 2003, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-remember-her-name/220797 "2003-12-24T05:48:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![abba21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f4b2a3/32.png) [@abba21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abba21)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-remember-her-name/220797/1 "2003-12-24T05:48:05Z")
A couple of weeks ago we put up our Christmas tree. As I was hanging an ornament that was a gift from a former manager, I realized that her name has completely and totally left my brain. I worked with her for 6 months 5 years ago. I can picture her face and I even remember the sound of her voice, but I cannot remember her name at all. I have been trying to recall it for weeks now, and it’s driving me nuts. I tried going through the alphabet, and thinking about it as I’m drifting off to sleep, but neither helped. Does anyone have a trick for retrieving a name from the archives when it seems lost forever? ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-remember-her-name/220797/2 "2003-12-24T06:17:20Z")
I know the girl your talking about, her name is Amy. There all better know? ---
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-remember-her-name/220797/3 "2003-12-24T06:28:58Z")
I’m certain that it’s… . . . . Delores. ---
**Author:** ![abba21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f4b2a3/32.png) [@abba21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abba21)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-remember-her-name/220797/4 "2003-12-24T06:32:37Z")
I thought it was Mulva. You guys are just playing with my emotions, aren’t you? Yes, my problem is lame, but it is driving me batty…maybe one smart aleck will come up with the right name if enough of them make a guess. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-remember-her-name/220797/5 "2003-12-24T08:03:20Z")
• What did her name remind you of, or did it sound like anything in particular? • Do you know any people who have the same name, or are there any celebrities that do? • Do you recall her last name? • Try thinking of what her first initial was. Whatever letter comes to mind is probably in her name somewhere, or else reminds you of one that is. Or, maybe scan through [this list](http://www.census.gov/genealogy/names/dist.female.first) if it’s a common name it won’t take you long to find it. Hope this helps! ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-remember-her-name/220797/6 "2003-12-24T10:48:51Z")
It seems pretty obvious to me that you have created a psychological block to “unremember” her name due to its association with some form of grotesque sexual harassment. I see this a lot and people don’t know they have these terrible memories until I make them up…I mean “release them”. So just close your eyes and I’ll get a lawyer with a tape recorder in here…relax…relax ---
**Author:** ![cichlidiot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f9b8f/32.png) [@cichlidiot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cichlidiot)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-remember-her-name/220797/7 "2003-12-24T13:44:44Z")
Sorry, I don’t have a trick, but I have some sympathy. I’m usually not too bad at recalling names, but for some reason I have the _worst_ time remembering Peter Lorre’s name. You’d think it wouldn’t come up all that much, excitement mongerer that I am, but it does and I blank. ---
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-remember-her-name/220797/8 "2003-12-24T14:21:51Z")
Whenever I can’t recall something truly important, like a name, or the lyrics to a song, then I make an attempt to forget about it, until I’m in the middle of something (usually in public) and suddenly it pops into my mind and I blurt it out in the loudest voice possible. Of course, this usually has it’s drawbacks, since everyone around you thinks you’re psychotic. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-remember-her-name/220797/9 "2003-12-24T14:29:06Z")
Have you tried asking the UPC demons? They seem to be pretty up on things. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-remember-her-name/220797/10 "2003-12-24T15:05:13Z")
Ha! I’ve had that problem with my freshman college roommate for fifteen years. Shelia…Cheryl…Sherri…Sharon…last name starts with an M… I really liked her. I’d love to look her up sometime…Shelly? This is why I should have kept a journal. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-remember-her-name/220797/11 "2003-12-24T19:52:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GrizzRich \* > \*\*I’m certain that it’s… > . > . > . > . > Delores. \*\* Nope. ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2003, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-remember-her-name/220797/12 "2003-12-25T07:42:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cichlidiot \* > \*\*I’m usually not too bad at recalling names, but for some reason I have the _worst_ time remembering Peter Lorre’s name. \*\* _On a morning from a Bogart movie In a country where they turn back time…_