Colleague cannot remember my name

[Anonymous]

You've already addressed it. Even the boss is aware and has corrected him. All of your other colleagues know your actual name. At this point, he is going to look ridiculous if he keeps calling you by the wrong name.

My direct boss still mispronounces my name after almost 3 years. I report directly to him. Everyone else on the team pronounces my name correctly, but he doesn't get it I guess. They all joke around about how ridiculous it sounds when he says my name wrong. It is what it is.

[Anonymous]

Just remind them for 6 mos.

[Anonymous]

How does he respond after being corrected?

[Anonymous]

What’s his reaction when you and your boss correct him?

[Anonymous]

I think it's weird that he remembers all male colleagues' names and your shorten/nickname but not your real name even after many corrections.

Maybe it's his ex's name and he refuses to say it?

[Anonymous]

For the next meeting, bring a sign with your name on it, and every time he calls you the wrong name hold up the sign.

[Anonymous]

Make a joke of it and wear a nametag to your next team meeting. Tell him you specifically chose to sit across the table from him so he could see it easily. Then smile.

If this doesn't work, go talk to him one-on-one and tell him that this is making you feel awkward and frustrated that you've been working together for X long and he seems fine with the names of men but can't quite seem to remember yours.

If that doesn't work, ask your team's manager to tell him to get it together. If he has to write it on his hand before he goes into a meeting with you, he should do that.

The issue is his and you have a right to say that his inability to get your name right when you both work on the same team, feels crummy. If he's a decent human he'll hear you and fix it. If he's a jerk then ask your boss handle it with him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Call him by the wrong name. If he’s Eric call him Elvin. Jayden, call him Jerome. If he’s Scott, call him Seth. If he’s Jeremy, call him Jerry. Guarantee he’ll all of a sudden manage to get your name right.

+1. And if anyone says anything, I'd say, "Oh, I thought we could just call anyone any old name. Eric's been here 6 months and hasn't bothered to learn mine."

[Anonymous]

Call him by whatever name he calls you.

“Oh yes, Jane, I hope you had a great weekend, too!”
“Um…my name isn’t Jane?”
“Oh, what a coincidence. Neither is mine! But I figured since you keep calling me the wrong name, I would just keep us on equal footing.”

[Anonymous]

He’s the one who looks bad, not you, so there’s nothing you really need to do or worry about. Keep reminding him your name when it happens and don’t let it turn you bitter and be the one who looks bad

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Make a joke of it and wear a nametag to your next team meeting. Tell him you specifically chose to sit across the table from him so he could see it easily. Then smile.

If this doesn't work, go talk to him one-on-one and tell him that this is making you feel awkward and frustrated that you've been working together for X long and he seems fine with the names of men but can't quite seem to remember yours.

If that doesn't work, ask your team's manager to tell him to get it together. If he has to write it on his hand before he goes into a meeting with you, he should do that.

The issue is his and you have a right to say that his inability to get your name right when you both work on the same team, feels crummy. If he's a decent human he'll hear you and fix it. If he's a jerk then ask your boss handle it with him.

Disagree with the bolded. It makes a woman sound emotional and that's not the vibe OP wants to put out at work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh I did this with a male coworker for far longer than I want to admit. His name was Jeremiah. I have a friend's husband who we see frequently named Josiah. I called this poor man Josiah so many times. It was NOT intentional. I had to basically pause before I said his name so I could remind myself. I eventually got it right but it was so embarrassing. Thankfully, he was understanding.

My daughter has a friend named Jacob. I cannot remember the child's name for the life of me. I want to call him every other J name in the book, but especially Joshua. I can remember all of her other friends' names. It's just Jacob that I can't get.

People sometimes have a block for one name, OP. It's not personal. Just let it go. It will look worse for him than for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Make a joke of it and wear a nametag to your next team meeting. Tell him you specifically chose to sit across the table from him so he could see it easily. Then smile.

If this doesn't work, go talk to him one-on-one and tell him that this is making you feel awkward and frustrated that you've been working together for X long and he seems fine with the names of men but can't quite seem to remember yours.

If that doesn't work, ask your team's manager to tell him to get it together. If he has to write it on his hand before he goes into a meeting with you, he should do that.

The issue is his and you have a right to say that his inability to get your name right when you both work on the same team, feels crummy. If he's a decent human he'll hear you and fix it. If he's a jerk then ask your boss handle it with him.

Don't do any of this. If you're the only woman on the team, don't make this a big, emotional, dramatic thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh I did this with a male coworker for far longer than I want to admit. His name was Jeremiah. I have a friend's husband who we see frequently named Josiah. I called this poor man Josiah so many times. It was NOT intentional. I had to basically pause before I said his name so I could remind myself. I eventually got it right but it was so embarrassing. Thankfully, he was understanding.

My daughter has a friend named Jacob. I cannot remember the child's name for the life of me. I want to call him every other J name in the book, but especially Joshua. I can remember all of her other friends' names. It's just Jacob that I can't get.

People sometimes have a block for one name, OP. It's not personal. Just let it go. It will look worse for him than for you.

It's never someone's boss whose name they can't remember. It may not be personal in the sense that he dislikes her, but it's sure personal in the sense that he's decided he doesn't need to solve this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Make a joke of it and wear a nametag to your next team meeting. Tell him you specifically chose to sit across the table from him so he could see it easily. Then smile.

If this doesn't work, go talk to him one-on-one and tell him that this is making you feel awkward and frustrated that you've been working together for X long and he seems fine with the names of men but can't quite seem to remember yours.

If that doesn't work, ask your team's manager to tell him to get it together. If he has to write it on his hand before he goes into a meeting with you, he should do that.

The issue is his and you have a right to say that his inability to get your name right when you both work on the same team, feels crummy. If he's a decent human he'll hear you and fix it. If he's a jerk then ask your boss handle it with him.

Do you even work? This “joke” would be so unprofessional.