[Phil153]

I'm the same. When meeting someone new, the name used to be pretty much gone by the end of the handshake. It's actually kind of funny having to divert the conversation away from things to conceal the fact that you can't remember the name they just told you.

One trick is to put meaning and pictures onto names. For example, imagine Elizabeth as a severe queen. John as a toilet. That way when you hear a name, the picture/meaning is evoked as well, which is far easier to remember as it has emotive content. I know that sounds odd, but it's quite effective.

I haven't heard of anyone having trouble with celebrity names. Maybe pick up a gossip mag now and then as a memory jogger?