Why do some people get names wrong constantly?

[Fluffodils]

I have a relative and everytime she will get someone's name wrong it sticks, no matter how often she is corrected.

So Lauren is called Laura each time even when we correct her. And then Samara is Samantha.

Everytime. Is this just a thing where she's decided she doesn't like the person's real name?! Or is it a thing where the first name has just permanently etched itself on her brain?

I don't usually get names wrong, however, I'm not from the UK and there are a few names that are used in both here and my home country that are spelt the same, but pronounced differently.
So I sometimes mispronounce a name.
For example, the name Andrea in the UK is pronounced Andreea, whereas in my country it is pronounced Andraaya.
Fortunately, the Andrea that I worked with didn't seem to mind that I occasionally mispronounced her name.
People mispronounce my name all the time, some find it difficult to remember correctly and just shorten it to the initial letter. Both is fine, I don't mind.

Wow, some pps are really harsh!

I do this, and I guarantee I'm not trying to be rude, and that it's more embarrassing for me that anyone else. I don't know what my brain won't retain the information correctly, but it doesn't. I end up writing lists of names and descriptions, and reviewing them before meetings to try and get them right. I'm also really, really bad at recognising the faces of people I've met before. I suspect I have ASD and it's to do with that.

I think some of the pps had better hope they never have an sort of difficulty and end up with horrible judgemental people assuming the worst of them.

My parents are always calling my BIL my partners name. Unfortunately its also my sisters ex husbands name . . . Never goes down well!

I also have a name that's hard to remember even though it's said as it is spelt. I don't mind if people are really trying to say it properly. However some people clearly just don't bother!

I've got ADHD and dyslexia - both diagnosed but colleagues / friends etc wouldn't have a clue as I'm bright and well-educated and I've never mentioned my disabilities as I don't want to be discriminated against.
However I make lots of micro mistakes in my writing and my speech, including names.
I'm not rude, just have difficulties with certain aspects of language.
My ADHD makes me struggle to give a shit though, life's too short, so I guess that is rude!

Other things I really really struggle with are learning languages, trying to learn a musical instrument/dance moves etc.
I can drive (very well I think) and I'm good at sport so it's not dyspraxia (I don't think) but I just can't recall or retain certain things. I can't remember names of my favourite composers or artists etc if asked, but I'm really passionate about the arts and have lots of favourites, just can't recall them off the top of my head!
I'm a bloody good blagger though and I use humour/charm to deflect. I have no idea how many people can see through this smoke screen, but it seems to work.

For those who say they do this due to ADHD, Dyslexia etc, is it the case with more than one person or is it just one person who you are unable to use their actual name?
In my experience the person who won't call me by my name manages to get every single other person's name right, from colleagues, mutual friends and the numerous clients we deal with. Hundreds of different people. A whole village full. Yet my very simple name is changed and I refuse to believe that it's not purposely done.

I don’t mind when somebody calls me a name that’s a completely different one to my actual name as they’ve obviously just forgotten my name. I have a non-English name that only has one pronunciation yet people just make up their own pronunciations for it no matter how many times I correct them. Some of them even correct me on my own pronunciation which is just really fucking arrogant when they’re completely wrong! I tend to just answer to anything these days to make it easier. At work last week I was called Maddie, Lauren and Olivia by three different people. None of which are anything like my actual name.

I do occasionally have some people that I meet that just look so much like they should be called something else that it’s hard to get their name right at first. I have a friend called Emily who looks so much like a Claire and it took me ages to get her name as Emily instead of Claire in my mind.

If it's only done with a few people, who have unusual names/ 'foreign' names/ names that she doesn't like, it could be a form of rudeness. But some people just have problems in remembering names; it is especially common in older people, but can occur at any age. Sometimes they just draw a total blank for the names; sometimes they confuse different names. Personally, I'm very good with names BUT have a terrible problem with faces, and have sometimes been accused of deliberate rudeness, when it was not the case at all,

I think people are just offering up suggestions why it might happen. If the person is doing it intentionally then I would imagine there would be other examples of their shitty behaviour, otherwise maybe they just struggle with your name ?

Only two possibilities:

1. A genuine issue
2. They are a twat

It can be hard to tell the difference but sometimes you just know.

I get this a lot even when my name is right in front of them. (Such as replying to me on Facebook, email, etc)

I'm AuDHD (ASD and ADHD) and I have read some research papers suggesting that a decent percentage of autistic people struggle with face-blindness, which I 100% do. I also really struggle to retain names if someone tells me verbally (rather than seeing it in an email, I mean).

An example: I popped in to chat with someone at work and he introduced me to the person he shared his office with. About 30 minutes later, I left and Office Sharing Guy offered to walk with me as we were going the same way. I apologised and asked him to remind me of his name, which he did, but I forgot it before the lift reached the ground floor. I still have no idea what that poor man's name was, even though I was told twice in half an hour.

I have never called anyone the wrong name though, because I just don't use their name until I can discreetly ask someone else what it is. Thankfully email communication means I can see their name in black and white so I always get that right.

That's weird I'm Sarah and loads of people call me Rachel 🤷🏼

People get my name wrong all the time. The first part of my name and the other name are the same, and spelt the same but the ending is different. Nope still get called by the other name, I’ve given up now 😂